Day 37 - Elk Meadow Campground to Clam Beach Campground

Day 37 – (June 10) Elk Meadow Campground to Clam Beach Campground

What a gorgeous day.  I woke up when the sun made my tent too hot.  This was probably a bit easier than normal since it was clear the night before and therefore COLD.  In fact, it was cold enough that I actually cocooned in my mummy bag for the first time.

I hadn’t been able to buy a ½ dozen eggs the day before, so I did not have eggs for breakfast.  I made coffee and found that while I was perfectly happy to add milk to it, it did not  *need* the mellowing for me to drink it.  Also I am seldom sweetening my coffee (when I make it).

I was (as usual) moving slowly, and was the second-to-last person out of the hiker-biker spots.  It was such a lovely day that for the first time, I started the day wearing just a short-sleeved jersey (thus using a LOT more sunscreen).

Riding through the park, I saw this sign, and thought: gee, what a great way to memorialize an ancient village site - NOT:

This is a rememberance?

After riding through the park, it was back to coastline, and this view in particular struck me:

I dunno, this just drew my eye

Getting to the point where I took this picture, I passed by a LOT of Harley riders heading north for a motorcycle rodeo.  At one point I stopped and talked to a group of riders who were more than casual riders, but less than full 1%ers - they were rather impressed by my journey, and branded me an "Official Badass"  I was amused and complimented at the same time.

Heading towards Trinidad, I saw this sign, but I'm not sure how many cars did:

Heck, just discover the sign

Getting closer to the town center, I saw this one as well:

Now that's a useful directory!

Then I passed by this place and was reminded that yes, I'm back in California:

Somehow, this made me feel more at home...

I finally reached the Clam beach “campground”: just rectangles of sand, with a pit toilet and a couple of water spigots. 

I’m not such a big fan of sand.  I may never get all of the sand out of my equipment. 

I camped next to a nice family – coming back “home” to visit from Reno, where they live now.  They made me feel quite welcome, and had a pair of sweet (if lunkish) pitties.  Everything ran out of juice on the way in, and there’s no power.  $8 for a hike/bike-in site with pit toilets and nothing else (nothing that I saw called it a primitive site - OK, I guess that it had water) seemed excessive to me.

Music:

Ian Moore – Ian Moore (really love Harlem – great driving beat & fun lyrics)

Indigo Girls – Indigo Girls

Janis Joplin – Pearl