Season 3 Episode 10 (10/8-10/13) This Land is Your Land…From the Redwood Forest…

Season 3 Episode 10 (10/8-10/13) This Land is Your Land…From the Redwood Forest…

Sunday (10/8) was the start of a riding difficulty we hadn’t anticipated. The reality of the real world, the world beyond the bubble of our trip, took hold of our minds. The disastrous news from Saturday’s terror attacks in Israel left us stunned. As others have said - there are no words, the world was turned upside down.

I’m writing this a week later and the week seems like a blur. We’ve been in small towns and isolated places, that if we didn’t look at our phones, we’d have no clue of what occurred. I suppose that might be lucky in a way. But we were now more glued to our phones than ever before. When we’d stop to check weather or directions, we’d notice news or a text. Our time off our bikes has been on screens. Like many, we read news on and on searching for understanding and looking for hope. We are emailing and texting to connect with family and friends. And our time on our bikes has been consumed by thoughts of Israel. That’s a lot of time through the day to think.

I have not been in the mood to write. We have always known our bike touring is a privilege. It now feels trivial and inconsequential to write about it. But I’ve had a number of people thank me for the escape and distraction. So here goes a recap blog of the week.

10/8 Klamath, CA to McKinleyville, CA 53 miles 3256’ climb.

I had been to the Redwoods in 1985 and 1988 and only remember the sheer size of a given tree. But biking along the spectacular, 10-mile long Newton B Drury Scenic Parkway was a religious experience. It felt like we were pedaling on a ribbon of road that cut through a temple of trees.

Normally when riding we gaze left or right. For most of last year’s ride down the east coast, it seemed we were constantly straining our neck left to gaze at the Atlantic. For much of this adventure, we are looking to our right over the Pacific. It’s actually not good for our neck and shoulder muscles to mostly look one way. But here in the Redwoods, the desire is to look up. Straight up as it’s remarkable how straight these towers grow without the smallest bend in them. It’s not the safest riding to be looking straight up, but you cannot avoid doing it.

The sun can’t reach through the forest, so it’s a cool temperature for most of the ride. But in spots, you’re riding through a flickering of sun - shade - sun - shade - where you can actually see what seems a single ray of sunlight slice through the forest.

Newton B Drury dedicated his life to preserving the Redwoods and the parkway was named in his honor.

Our rides in Northern California have had many foggy moments. We can smell the sea and hear it. But although practically next to it, the fog was so thick we cannot see it.

We both felt we were in a Dr. Seuss book scene. Later we leaned this plant is called Pampas Grass.

In McKinleyville, we were hosted by a wonderful Warm Showers host Sherilyn and her dog, cat and 7 chickens. All the chickens have names too, and I was told distinct personalities. Out host and her wife (who was away on business) grow bmost of their own vegetables, which contributed to a most delicious minestrone that we are eager to try to make at home. Sherilyn, thanks for your recipe. At a time when the world feels very dark, it was so important to us to again experience its beauty and the kindness of strangers.

(After President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901 the community of Minor changed its name to McKinleyville in his honor.)

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10/9 McKinleyville to Miranda, CA to 74 miles 3159’ climb.

We enjoyed a trail through mostly farms as we left town.

We soon met a couple from Germany, Bjorn and Annika, also riding from Vancouver to San Diego.

Our riding family then grew when we met Mike from the UK and originally from Australia. He listens to audiobooks while riding (makes me nervous as a distraction and not fully hearing cars) and we got into a whole long conversation about authors Walter Isaacson and Michael Lewis and their latest books on Elon Musk and Sam Bankman-Fried respectively, and about our recent travels to Australia. And this was all on the shoulder of the freeway, under an overpass. When else am I ever going to have such a discussion in such a location? (This is great place to seek a reprieve from rain, although ironically it was not raining. It’s also great place to safely lean bikes down.) It is random conversations, with random folks like Mike that are a big part of our experience.

Bear in mind, Heather is taking this pic while also moving on a narrow bridge! Nerves of steel.

Avenue of the Giants, through the Redwoods, is 31 miles that should be a bucket list item. In some ways it was similar to yesterday’s Drury’s Scenic Parkway and yet different. We were much closer to the mammoth trees. The road was narrower with fewer cars so at times it felt like our own private tour. I said to Heather “it’s probably nice to drive this in a convertible” and then I said “oh, we are in a convertible”.

We had some more rain, but the rain no longer fazes me. I’ve surrendered to it and just accept it. I think acceptance is a precondition to happiness. I’m getting better at this - and still have more work to do.

It’s difficult to describe how some of the groves are just so large. When I saw people outside their cars walking next to trees, it looked like I was watching Rick Moranis in Honey I Shrunk the Kids.

Amazing how straight they grow.

10/10 was a day of rest off our bikes that we planned to walk/hike in the Redwoods, however a steady, cold rain kept us indoors most of the day and we had a shorter walk than planned.

While riding and walking, we could see many of these giant trees lying on their sides, some from hundreds of years ago and some seemed more recent. A thought both of us had was - what’s to prevent a tree from falling on any given day - like today? Scarily - nothing!

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10/11 Miranda to Westport, CA to 60 miles 4996’ climb.

More fog! Heather is on the right. Hope the trucks see us.

Two hours later, it was a clear sky, perfect for us to enter Richardson Grove with more beautiful Redwoods.

While the scenery is magnificent, there are many tight turns with narrow or no shoulders. Riding in those spots is a test of nerves.

We stopped for lunch at this old style combination grill, gas station, and general store packed with everything.

(Even though it was 20 more miles, 2 more hours to our lodging, we also bought dinner sandwiches to go since there would be nothing else on route and nothing near where we were staying. Important logistics on our mind!)

While eating in the quiet garden area, the couple at the next table asked about our ride. This often happens. Twenty minutes later, the man came to our table, introduced himself as Josh, a pastor in the Salvation Army in Eureka and asked if he could pray for us. We enthusiastically replied certainly. He spontaneously improvised a 2 minute blessing for our health, safety, to experience joy, give us opportunities to uplift others while making the most of every day, for good weather and to bless our hearts. He had lots more to add. We replied Amen. We said goodbye and while we will never see him again, we will never forget him. This was definitely a pick me up at a tough time for us.

We then veered west from highway 101 to the coast, to California 1 and to the rugged coastline in Mendocino County. For the last 6 miles we had sunny ocean views and finally weather warm enough to just linger outside and watch our first sunset over the Pacific this trip.

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10/12 Westport to Elk, CA 48 miles 3892’climb.

The Mendocino coast is as world class as you can find. Every cove deserves a photo stop. We finally had ideal weather.

Yes indeed there are several tight turns and one car honked me incessantly when I took the lane on a narrow bridge with no shoulder.

Before we left on this trip, a friend Liz said you’ll love the ride in Northern California where the cows have million dollar views. As I passed this ranch, I asked one of the workers fixing the fence, if the cows know they have and appreciate these million dollar views? Without hesitation, he replied yes. Since a quick google search reveals that happier cows produce healthier milk, those are million dollar moos!

Along the coast, there is no cell service. Our dinner waiter told us young people  do have land lines and we’ve seen pay phones, though no rotary phones have been spotted yet.

The only drawback to the day was the woman of steel (Heather) met her kryptonite! She had a severe allergic reaction to eating sesame accidentally at breakfast. We recalled how in 2021 she had a similar experience in New Mexico and threw up while riding and staying on the bike without missing a beat, and then felt instantly better. She hoped for the same this time but could not throw up.

As the reaction worsened, she reluctantly took a Benadryl which helped alleviate symptoms, but made her drowsy as it is sleep inducing. At least she picked a beautiful spot to rest.

By dinner she was feeling better and could enjoy our second Pacific sunset in so many days.

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10/13 Elk to Fort Ross, CA. 57 miles 4396’ climb.

It was cloudy all day, but thankfully dry! Riding under these electric wires, we could hear the many birds trying to stay warm on the wires.

We crossed from Mendocino to Sonoma County. You could see the change in housing, yet we’ve still not seen anything that looks like showy displays of wealth. All the oceanside properties blend in naturally and so far seem low key.

There were more tight turns and twice I yielded the road to vehicles by pulling over into a grassy area next to the road with no shoulder. I’m learning to cede my ground.

We met cyclists Toby and Antja from Potsdam, Germany - on a Vancouver to Los Angeles route. They helped us spot whales a few hundred yards off shore. We marveled at seeing spouts spraying up and occasionally a whale breaching. We chatted with Toby that he was 19 years old when the Berlin Wall fell and how his life in former East Germany was definitely marked by before and after that historical event.

They are carrying double our weight with a big pack of camping gear across the top of Toby’s rear panniers. We heard how they open up their wet tent inside a motel room to dry it off after the soaking nights. I’d love to see that photo. We are grateful we can always stay indoors.

© Copyright Mark Segal 2023