Day 9, September 17, 2007
Crescent City, CA to Eureka, CA
86.1 miles, 13.9 mph, 6h 22m 58s (max speed 34.8 mph)
Up at 5:45, 6:30 continental breakfast at Best Western, 7:30 load luggage, 7:40 on the road. When I got up at 6 AM, it was still dark and the stars were out, and it was 48F. But the TV forecast was saying overcast until noon and then sunny. But when we started, the sun was out. That was GOOD! We saw our first giant redwood 4 miles out, half way up our first climb. We had a very short 3 mile warm up time before we had to do the four mile climb at 6 - 8% grade climb up to the Redwood National park. This climb went up to an elevation of 1,250 feet. As we rode along through the redwoods, they increased in number and size. The sun couldn't penetrate the tree cover, so again, it was quite cold. We rode for about 4 miles through the forest and then had a screaming 2 mile descent at 6% back down to sea level at 13 miles. We then rode for about 10 miles and then another big climb and descent. We did two major climbs in the first 30 miles. Most of the best scenic ocean view photos that I take are from a high elevation with full sun.
Two particularly interesting things happened today - I had lunch with Paul Bunyon and his ox, Vivian made friends with a grizzly bear.
SAG 1, at 30 miles, was at Big Tree Park. I ate some energy snacks and refilled my water bottles. I also experienced being in the presence of The Big Tree. (see photos) About 6 miles down the road I came upon several cyclists that were observing something in the bushes. I stopped and also saw a group of about 8 wild cow Elk moving and grazing in a field just off the road. I started to walk down into the field so I could get a better view for a picture. Bill Manning yelled at me to get out of there, because they will "charge" me. I turned around and came out when I heard several loud snorts. The cyclists moved on, but I hung around for a while. I got a glimpse of the "snorter". It was a very large bull with a huge rack, only about 15 feet away from me and he was moving right to left through the field. I moved down to my left about 30 feet, in time to see another different cow grazing in an open area. The cyclists had left and I decided to hang around, because the bull was heading in my direction and I wanted to get a photo. About 2 minutes went by and slowly the bull came into the open area. I got behind a tree so he wouldn't see me and got my camera ready and pre-focused. I peeked around the tree and got a great photo. I waited for him to move away and then got on my bike and left. What we had seen was a bull and his harem. (see photo)
The rest of the ride provided several more great photo opps and a stressful 5 mile cross wind finish. I arrived at the Best Western at 4 PM. I had a shower, worked on my computer, went to route rap, went to dinner at a Bar-B-Q restaurant, back to my room, finished my journal, emailed it to Ed and went to bed at 11:30. Tomorrow is a 78 mile ride to Garberville and includes a ride down the "Avenue of the Giants" (redwoods).
|
|
|
|
|
