Ft. Bragg to Pt. Arena, CA

8:40 in the morning and we’re off from Ft.  Bragg heading south on the Pacific Coast Highway. 20 months ago we stopped cycling our Vancouver to Tijuana ride here for a 500 mile break in a rental car, bypassing a closed Big Sur due to humongous landslides/road closures. Now it’s time to ride the gap and see more of the California Central Coast up close and personal. 

We met Darren about 15 miles into our ride. Darren asked us where we were headed and when we told him he proceeded to tell us how dangerous the route is. He knows this from his experience driving a septic tank truck in the area and personally running one cyclist off the road and bumping another one off the road with his truck.  He was a very nice guy and went on to tell us he quit the job driving the septic tanker truck, partly because of the cyclists.  I’m thinking it was a good career choice for many reasons, and lucky for us too!

Great coastal views of the Pacific with lots of sea stacks to gawk at. 

One particularly steep climb Angela grinds up. 

But the views made the climbs worthwhile

Lunching at Queenies in Elk we sat next to Nick and Judy.  They were quick to tell us they had waved and cheered us as they passed in their car earlier. Nick and Judy are very cyclist friendly and for 20 years have been offering their house up for overnight stays to touring cyclists on this route. They said they have had people from all over the world visit them and their 92 year old Dad using a cyclist only service called Warm Showers.  They were very kind and informative about the area and we thanked them for their service to cyclists.

Riding Hwy 1 along the coast we also spent time riding above the ocean on the headlands through green pastures and wild flowers. 

We’ve had virtually no cycling conditioning before this trip so our first day was a bit tough. But we’re still able to smile!

Bit by bit we’re getting getting closer to San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. 

We passed under quite a few stands of these old, majestic trees standing against the ever present ocean winds.  I believe they are cedar trees. 

Too late, you can’t unsee this!  Luxuriating in the jacuzzzi tub after our 46 mile day at the Harbor Master Inn at Pt. Marina with a Jameson.  The Jameson in the tub makes me think it’s about the experience, not a bicycle endurance race.  We’ll see how I feel in the morning. 

After a dinner of clam chowder in bread bowls  at the Chowder House and Tap Room behind us we stumble up the hill to our bed to lay ourselves down to sleep.  Maybe we’ll feel up to doing more than 46 miles tomorrow!!