Richardson State Park to Ft. Bragg

I packed up pretty early and started on my way.

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After riding a while I came across Daniel. He looks weird here but he wasn’t as weird as you would think for someone who was pushing his backpacks in a baby carriage up Hwy One. He had left San Francisco ten days ago and was headed towards Oregon. He had the word “LOVE” in small letters tattooed over his heart. I gave him a protein bar and we went our ways.

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Next I went to “Confusion Hill” where I spent a lot of time. It is like the “Mystery Spot” outside of Santa Cruz. It’s a place where gravity and the normal North/South magnetic pole don’t operate as they usually do.

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This totem plow is forty feet high and it was carved by one man and a chainsaw while the tree was standing! They built a scaffold around it for him to do this. There are taller poles but those are carved lying down and then stood up. This is the largest in the world carved this way. It is a massive happy thing. There is a lot of info about it except the name of the guy who made it.

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As you can see from the above photos i was having the light blurt Redwood problem here as well so lots of my photos are kaput! But some aren’t.

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I also have videos of a golf ball rolling uphill but Unfortunately I can’t upload it.

After I left there I spent a bunch of time at the “Peg House” talking with the owner who was a cool guy. It is a store and a grill and they have performances as well. It’s just outside Leggitt and has a campground with a swimming hole across the street. Felt like going back there. Owner, Gary, gave me holographic rainbow glasses to match my hi visibility day glow shirt before I went on my way.

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After Leggitt was “THE HILL” I had been hearing about. It was way awful. Maybe the worst of the summer! It was the only one that made my hands go numb. It was hot and horrible going up and I savored every slice of shade.

After the top

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Going down

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was a whole other story. The coast wind fog and cold kicked in so now I was grateful for every patch of sun and wanting earmuffs and gloves I was so cold.

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Eventually I got to the turnoff onto Hwy One and off 101. Yea!!! Only problem is that there is NO shoulder on Hwy One. Also there was another huge hill into Westport which I didn’t know about. It was entirely exhausting at the end of the day and I rested twice going up it.

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After that is was up and down up and down up and down. My phone (camera) died so I didn’t get all the beauty but a little of it.

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Again, the road is TERRIBLE. This is what they have instead of shoulders.

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After sixty miles I make it to my friend Dave’s house. Dave is married to my friend Nancy but unfortunately Nancy was away on work. Dave treated me like a queen and had truly a royal feast complete with tuna he had canned himself!! He provided me with a real bed with an amazing hand made quilt. He also let me relax in his hot tub and even folded my laundry! As if that wasn’t enough, he supplied me with food to go today and took me out to breakfast! I was in heaven.
From dave I went to the Internet cafe to do these blogs as I know I will not get Internet until tomorrow or maybe even the next day. It means I won’t get riding until twelve and I have sixty miles to hike and bike camp spot in
But it was worth it because guess who just walked in?

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Derek! His bike is busted so he will either rent a car and drive back to LA or maybe they can fix his bike. He will know in a couple hours. It’s great to check in with him but now I have to get on my way.

2 thoughts on “Richardson State Park to Ft. Bragg

  1. cathy

    Dana- I am just back to your blog after a week. Read them all at once. All are GREAT! Great writing. Great photos. Amazing things you have seen, both in nature- the trees, seals, elk, bunnies- and man/person made- Paul Bunyan statue, the totem pole, the benches, the sculptures on the b ridges. I feel road hunger reading your blogs. They are really special. You are GREAT! Can’t wait to see you. Stay safe. Thank you for keeping us all so enthralled! XXOO

    Reply

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