Day 38 - Clam Beach Campground to Humboldt County Fairgrounds

Day 38 – (June 11)  Clam Beach Campground to Humboldt County Fairgrounds

Where I started

My Campsite at Clam Beach

Another gorgeous day – the second day in short sleeves.

I rode the trail through McKinleyville,

I guess they like horses in McKinleyville

into Arcata and then found my way to revolution cycles

This is a SERIOUS bike shop - good guys who live + breathe bikes

where they tightened up my cranks to 35 ft-lbs and said to get them checked.  If they start to loosen, I may need new crank arms.  I also bought a cycle computer, so that I don’t have to wake up the phone to see how fast I’m going and/or how far I’ve gone.

I then when over to Wildberries (across the street) and got a snack.  I then pulled out my power strip and started to charge both phones, the computer and the ipod while I first shopped for some more food (they have bulk spices!), and then installed the computer on my bike.  While I was installing the computer, I got into a conversation with a local Yoga instructor who was posting flyers about her studio.

I arrived at the bike shop about noon, and didn’t manage to leave Wildberries until about 4, and even then my computer and android phone weren’t fully charged.  Hrm.

When I passed through Eureka, I got proof that Eureka has Gamers:

Proof of gamers in Eureka

Unfortunately, due to my slow movement during the day, I passed through Loleta too late to check out the cheese factory.  Sharon tells me that it’s way better than the Tillamook factory.  I rode past the College of the Redwoods (looks like a nice campus) and headed down through Loleta and Fernbridge on the way to Ferndale.  I kept thinking of the farsical soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman as I headed towards Ferndale, but then I finally realized that the Soap was set in Fernwood.  Oh well.

Then I finally saw the sign:

Soon I could stop for the day

I found the concept of camping at the county fairgrounds interesting, but when I got there, I was pleasantly surprised.  As the only tent camper, I had a lot of space, water nearby, POWER – (I set to charging everything), phone signal and three picnic benches.  Also they have nice HOT showers and it was $10, all of which definitely makes Clam Beach seem expensive. 

When I arrived, I was next to a gentleman in a tricked out bus-style RV with slide outs.  He came out and we talked a bit.  He’s a serious car guy.  Everything from a ’32 Ford through muscle cars, and he just cruises around attending all of the car rallies, and heading North for the summer.

I set up camp, sauteed up a couple of squash, and settled into my tent to write and then eat junk food (Barbara’s Jalapeno cheese puffs) before curling up for the night with all of my charging equipment.

Music: 

Jethro Tull – Minstrel in the Gallery

Joan Jett – Bad Reputation

Joam Osborne – Relish

John Hiatt – Perfectly Good Guitar

48 miles

4 hours in Arcata, getting cranks checked & tightened, shopping, charging stuff and grabbing a snack

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

Day 36 - Nickel Creek to Elk Meadow

Day 36 – (June 9) Nickel Creek Campground to Elk Meadow Campground

In the morning, I made eggs, contemplated life and took a picture of my campsite:

It's all exploded from making breakfast

Then I called Revolution Bicycles in Arcata.  I explained the situation, described my cranks and had them determine what crank bolt I'd likely need.  I called Sharon, told her which shop and that they'd be expecting her.

I sat back, packed up my site some and eventually I went out to the road with the bike to wait for Sharon.  She arrived noonish with 2 crank nuts - apparently Revolution had only had one, and directed her to another local shop for a second one.  She also (at my request) brought me a one gallon bottle of water - which was the hardest thing to find - she couldn't get it in Arcata, but had to go back out into the less green environs to find packaged water.  If she hadn't been available, I would have had to camp out until Monday, walk the 7 miles to the Crescent City bike store and by that time, would have been pissy for at least hours, if not days.  Thanks mom, you're a lifesaver.

I reassembled the crank:

The offending crank, sans crank nut

I then filled my hydration bag (3L) drank the rest of the water (keeping the jug), and went back to the campsite. I finished packing and schlepped the stuff up to the bike (which I left at the trail, rather than bring downhill to the campsite again.  While my stuff is slowly loading smaller, just schlepping the bags out of my campsite was hard.

Leaving the campsite, I rode back to the road, then back to 101, and started towards Klamath.  Partway up the big hill before Klamath, I ran cross a group of girls trying to take a self portrait at the Redwood National and State park sign.  I offered to take a few pictures of them so that they didn't have to do the set timer & run thing.  Afterwards, I had them take a picture of me at the sign:

All the exertion makes me cherry red - I'm actually not sunburned (yet)

I managed to get over the big hill to Klamath – 1200 feet to the top:

The top of the climb

After an hour plus to go up the hill, it took only a few minutes to cruise down into Klamath, past the tourist trap on the way in:

"Trees of Mystery" advertised for at least 150 miles - what a pile!

Across the highway from the tourist trap, someone had posted a sticker that I loved:

Imagine Samuel L. Jackson's voice while you read this

I get to Klamath, and there's NOTHING in Klamath…I could only buy food at the combination gas station, mini mart & slot casino.  I bought lime & onion – no eggs.

I did see a very interesting memorial on the road in Klamath:

 Near the memorial were a couple of bears:

On the east side of the street

On the west side of the street

And the only thing that I could find solely to the memory of the flood of 1964:

There's nothing at the spot, just the sign leading to it

I then left Klamath and rode over the 2^nd hill into the park where I was planning to camp. I got into the campground about 8:30.  I set up camp, took shower, made food, overprimed alcohol stove & set the picnic table on fire.

Then I ate and went to bed (mat?).

Day 35 - Crescent City to Nickel Creek Campground

Day 35 – (June 8) Crescent City to Nickel Creek Campground

This morning, I went through and split up the stuff that had gotten thoroughly mixed in the camper, so that we're back to my kit and Sharon's kit.  Then I dropped off Sharon to do laundry, and saw this about 4 blocks from the laundermat:

Tempting fate?

I drove back to Brookings, Oregon to buy a butane cartridge stove, having decided that while the alcohol burners are cut and do function, they're too slow and uncontrollable to be all that I rely on.  I joined Bi-mart (the very same chain that I joked about earlier - and now I know that they do not sell what they would sell with a name like that in San Francisco) so that I could buy the stove and cartridges  I also bought food.  I then drove back to Crescent city, picked up Sharon, and filled the propane tank on the camper.  Then I went off and picked up bike from the bike shop.

With all of the laundry done and all of my stuff back in my kit, and with a new duffel bag to carry my kitchen and overflow from my clothing and camping equipment, I had to repack.  So I spent a couple of hours in the bike store parking lot repacking.

Sharon and I then went to the ice cream parlor next door for farewell meal/snack - they had buffalo burgers and black walnut ice cream.  Finally, about 6PM I rode off to nearby campground – 7 miles away. 

A mile before my turn off of US101, my left pedal started wobbling - my thought was "oh great, I've lost another cleat bolt - and I'm out ... but then I wiggled my foot to unclick and take a look at my cleat, and the whole crank arm fell off.  After fiddling with various ideas for a bit, I rode about two miles mile one-footed, until the rode got too hilly, then walked to end of road.  I called Sharon, told her of my situation, and since she was only in Trinidad, asked if she'd go to one of the bike stores in Arcata the next day to pick up a couple of new bolts for me - if something breaks, I try to start carrying an extra of that thing.  I told her that since I had phone service, I'd find a shop with the parts that's open Saturday morning and prepare them for her coming in.  I then started in towards the campground.

Wow, it's beautiful here, even if I am dealing with broken equipment:

Then it started to rain, and it was beautiful in the rain:

Then it stopped raining and I saw this beautiful sunset start up:

After wat seemed like it must have been 2 miles (but was, in fact 1/2 mile) I reached the campground.

I set up tent, opened a bottle of wine and considered the fact that the nearest water was from the creek and would have to be boiled.  Oh well.

7.80 miles – 2 miles on one pedal, 2 miles pushing

Day 34 - Jumping from Humbug Mountain to Crescent City

Day 34 (June 7)

The wind and rain started early this morning so I decided to just pack it in for the day and head directly to crescent city. Sharon got an expensive traffic ticket literally exiting the campground.  No fun.

While travelling south, we went off in search of food - when we saw this sign, we knew where we had to eat:

It wasn't just us

We got to Crescent City, and I dropped the bike off at the shop for a tune up.  We then went off to find a motel for the night.  I had just gotten a decent deal on a room and gone off to open it up when I heard a crash – Sharon backed into the motel owner’s minivan, breaking a window and denting a fender on the minivan.  It looks like the camper sustained no damage.  I think that this qualifies as a no good, very bad day for Sharon.

She went out to walk Bird and came back with ice cream for dinner.

No riding, rain day.

Day 33 - Bullards Beach to Humbug Mountain

Day 33 – (June 6) Bullards Beach to Humbug Mountain

This morning started with my trying to fix Sharon’s plate w/dental repair goo – I failed (twice).  This is not all that unexpected, since I can't really hold her plate in the right orientation and completely still for the 4 to 5 minutes that it takes for the plastic to set sufficiently.

Next I discovered that I lost bolt in one of my cleats – luckily, still had 1 spare bolt left.  I am now obsessively checking the tire pressure.  All of the tires are holding air just fine.

I still have no signal, this is getting weird.  Does T-mobile just not have any data available in Oregon?

Leaving Bandon Beach state park, I went through Bandon where there is a wayside about Face rock.  I have posted it in HUGE format, so that you might be able to read it on-screen.  I can, but not very well.

The Face Rock Marker

On the beach below the wayside, a couple of people were having fun drawing in the sand:

On the other side (left), it looked to me like the ocean was giving us the finger (probably deservedly)

The Ocean giving us the finger

I mentioned before all of the devil references, well, here's the next one:

Devils Kitchen sign

And this is what Devils Kitchen looks like:

Devils Kitchen

This sign made me laugh:

Interesting sign

Then I saw this odd giant Bird:

The strange bird

As I got closer, I saw the other business, the one with which the bird is associated, I believe.

Ahhh, now the bird makes a bit more sense...

Then I went through Langlois, which seems like a town with an attitude that I appreciate.  First there's the Langlois market (home-made mustard, famous for our hot dogs)

Another neat little memorial

Their hot dogs were good, and their mustard, while a style that I'm not in love with (honey mustard), was pretty good.

Then there's the town cafe:

Really, not just a greasy spoon, the Greasy Spoon

And the Bookstore:

Well, it was too late for me to enter the Crime Scene...

The last stop that I made on the way to Humbug Mountain was at Battle Rock City Park

Now remember kiddies, when the White Man wants something, he just takes it...

Some of the background info given:

Battle Rock informational display

of course, there's also one about the NWR

And a piece of a shipwreck

After getting to the campsite at Humbug mountain, my first task once I had showered was to work on Sharon’s temporary lower plate.  Finally, I got it to hold with Gorilla glue.  I only glued my fingers to her plate twice.

Diner was grilled Salmon, cheese grits and sauteed spinach.  Sharon was able to use her lower plate to eat it.

Statistics:
40 miles
Average speed: 6.9 mph
Max Speed: 34.5 mph

Music:

Counting Crows – this Desert life

Dire Straits – Dire Straits

Grateful Dead – Dead Set

Hoyt Axton – Rusty Old Halo/Where did the Money go?

Day 32 - Eel creek campground to Bullards Beach state park

Day 32 (June 5) – Eel creek campground to Bullards Beach state park

When prepping to leave, the sun actually came out again - here's a pic of the camper heading out:

The camper heading out

The picture is foggy because there was condensation on the inside of the lens from the day before.  Shortly afterwards, I uncorked everything and let it dry out.

It turns out that the campground that we landed at was quite pretty in the sunlight.  It was positively blooming in some of the campsites:

A campsite in bloom

Then I rode off towards North Bend.  Right before the bridge, I stopped at a memorial on the water:

the whole memorial

Too true.  Way too true

While at the memorial, I stopped to talk to a guy who was doing essentially the same trip (in an RV) in the opposite direction.  Then the three Brits that I met before showed up, and we were all chatting when Sharon pulls up.  I introduce her to them and apparently, Dee paid me a really big complement - saying that she'd been on the road for more than a year doing this, and that she was really impressed by the fact that I was pulling away from her.  On an uphill.  

Later, we decided to go over the bridge en masse.  I was really glad that they suggested this, a the bridge into North Bend was UGLY.  They were doing work which closed the southbound walkway, so we had to ride the one lane over.  No shoulders.  Luckily for us, the first car decided to just shadow us, and kept the hordes at bay.

Going through North Bend, I saw a couple of interesting businesses.  For example:

I think that they did...

Then there's this one:

I'm sure that they don't sell what they would in SF with a name like that

Then I was through North Bend and into Coos Bay:

There were some fun sights along the way.  For example:

From there I continued on until I found where I turned off - Seven Devils Road.  They seem to like devils around here.  Also, I think that I met three or four of he devils on this road - they're all hills.  As I got to the crest of the last hill, I saw this in the road:

This helped with the climb

Then on the way down the hill, I found a curious burro (I think) sharing a field with a couple of sheep and a cow:

Then I finally got to the campground.  Sharon had set up shop, and had bought the ingredients to make Cioppino.  She said - you scrub the shellfish & butcher the crab, and I'll cook it up.  While I did that, she also told me that she broke her (temporary) lower denture plate, and might not be able to eat much of the Cioppino.  Oy.  Well, more about the joy of Sharon's lower plate in upcoming posts.

Statistics:

41 miles

7.0 mph avg

34.4 mph max

Max altitude 512 feet

Music:

Tom Waits – The Mule Variations (2^nd half)

Traffic – Mr. Fantasy

Warren Zevon – A quiet, normal life

Warren Zevon – Learning to Flinch

Warren Zevon – Mr. Bad Example

Warren Zevon – The Wind

ZZ Top – 1^st Album

ZZ Top – Rio Grande Mud