Day 8: Let’s Pack Up and Move to California

I hear we got lots of friends out there. :) For those that don’t get the reference. Look up California by Hawk Nelson. That’s a throwback for sure. I’m writing this at “Public House” in Brookings. My goal is to push another 24 miles tonight into Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. That’s going to be ambitious, but I think I can do it! And it was an absolutely majestic day.

Beautiful field outside of the campground.

This morning was pretty earlier, but I made it out of camp in record time (50 minutes), and was on the road in my Sunday best (aka evening attire, aka what I wear when I’m not sweaty and biking) and on my way to church. It was about an hour to church, and hour in church, and then some donuts and hot chocolate to go, and I was on the road.

View outside of Port Oxford.

This section of the road is twisting and turning (and up and down) the coast, which is both a blessing and a curse. However, the sun is shining, and there’s a steady 15-20 mph wind on my back so it’s hard not to be smiling and happy. It’s funny, every biker I’ve biked with in this trip has made appeals to the weather. (I.e.: please stop the hail! Thank you! Or, please stop the wind! Thank you!)

Some views along the coast.

After passing Humbug Mountain (yes, that’s literally what that’s called), it was all smooth sailing.

After lunch, I stopped at Double D’s for lunch. It was a nice diner, where the clientele was all 55+, and the ceiling was built for people of that age. I had to duck all the way to my table. That gave everyone in the restaurant a good laugh.

Probably my second favorite part of the trip has been today. (Still the section after Yachats is my favorite.) I stopped all the time, making sure to soak in all the sights. If anyone comes back here, the Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Area is BEAUTIFUL! And I highly recommend it.

At one of the stops, after calling the folks, I walked down to “Indian Sands” beach as that was recommended to me by someone from the campground last night. On the way down I met Patricia. Patricia is a veterinarian visiting from Austria. Her English was very good, near perfect, and she was explaining that she was here for four weeks. But the main reason she was here was for a wedding. She had previously done “help-x” where she helps out on a farm, in Montana. In doing that, the farmer recommended she stay with some friends of his in California. After staying with them for a few weeks, she got invited back to their wedding a few years later! Wow!

I’m off from the bar to the California border! Think I’ll make the park! I’ll let you know tomorrow!