River leaves early as he’s on the home stretch and going 101 and now doing hundred mile days. We are going to get together in Berkeley and he wants to talk to Sa about colleges and help her be less stressful because he knows how horrible the process is!
When I leave Harris Beach for some reason Ido not manage to get breakfast in Brookings. I want a restaurant with WiFi and I can’t find one. Before I know it the town is over.
This place sold driftwood letters. In the next picture the wood spells out DRIFTWOOD.
Same thing food wise happened to me in Crescent City. My phone had died so I needed an outlet, preferably with WiFi. Therefore, I was in Starbucks researching when Allison from the biker campground pulls up. She is in her late twenties and going to SF solo like me. She tells me about Prairie Creek campground and we agree to meet there.
I went to the bike store to borrow a pedal wrench to change back into my cleats. The toe clips were not letting my feet be far enough forward on the pedals and I was getting bad knee pain in both knees and the climbs were harder so I changed back to cleats and am much happier.
Then I went to the hardware store to get a mat to sleep on as mine was now deflated all the way and I couldn’t find a restaurant that was right but I did stock up at the grocery stores as best I could.
The roads in California are awful especially compared to Oregon. There is often just a tiny shoulder and sometimes none. What makes it worse is that the white line is bumpy to alert drivers if they go over it so as a biker you can't even ride the line but have to be in the lane if there's no shoulder.
On top of that there was major road construction going on and it was on the downside of the Klamath climb so it was really scary going down. I met up with Allison again there. The construction guys wanted us to wait till all the cars had gone before we got to go. After ten minutes of cars we just went. Later we met biker guys who were told to go ahead of all the. Cars!
After the big Klamath climb and construction, I took Drury Scenic route. It was out of this world insanely beautiful. The redwood trees surrounded me and I felt like I was in a different time zone.
Some of those trees are hundreds of thousands of years old!!! Check it out in Wikipedia if you don't believe me.
In front of a tree twelve feet in diameter it’s just impossible to understand on any level. I just kept thinking “Oh my God” and that was about it.
It was freezing cold by the end of the day going through the redwoods. It had been cold and cloudy all day but by night fall it was the shivering kind. Coming through the tress at dusk was magical beyond belief.
When I got to the biker campground, there were four other guys from Harris beach already there. I joined up at their picnic table. Two of the guys were Canadian. One of them started on the East coast. Everyone’s destination was San Francisco.
We were all sorry to be out of Oregon with the road shoulders, espresso stands and free camp showers. My food was crappy next to theirs as they all had camping stoves but I was OK with a sorry dinner because what I was really looking forward to was a warm shower. However when I took my shower there was no warm water and I felt like I was in Guatemala. I got over it quickly and was happy to snuggle up in my sleeping bag in my tent with my book even though my new mat was not very comfortable. What can you expect from $12 at hardware store?
Biking Across the USA 
Loving your posts and following eagerly. My aunt, uncle and cousins used to live up in Arcata, so you’re rolling right through my memories of long ago summers: Trees of Mystery! Prairie Creek!. Gorgeous country. Cold showers and misty redwoods must make for some shivering, but I can only imagine it beats the heat of Idaho or Wyoming!
Dana- So sorry to hear of Manuch’s death! How shocking. I tried to call you but didn’t get through.
let me know if you want to talk. Peters party was nice- low key.
I’m struggling with my insane obsessional mind and attack of self loathing. I’m working on an artist website- that’ll do it!
Sending love and blessings- it sounds like your having beautiful moments and good adventures. great photos! love-d