May 24, 1981 to May 27, 1981
Redwood Country and Patrick's Point
Leggett to Trinidad (Patrick's Point)
Statistics:
May 24, 1981 - Leggett to Rio Dell - 66 miles;
May 25, 1981 - Rio Dell to Trinidad (Patrick's Point) - 52 miles;
May 26, 1981 - Trinidad (Patrick's Point) to Arcata - Roundtrip - 40 miles;
May 27, 1981 - Trinidad (Patrick's Point) - Day Off;
Description of Events:
May 24, 1981: While we were a bit worried about being on the road during Memorial Day Weekend, it turned out not to be a problem. We had a good day of riding, starting with a 13-mile warm-up ride to Piercy, where we stopped for breakfast. We had been hearing from several people that some great sights were ahead for us.
The first was Garberville, the unofficial Sin Semillain capital of the world. It ended up being a bit of a letdown, but then again, I wasn't expecting much because I don't touch the stuff. We approached the town by descending a long hill on US-101. As nothing seemed to be happening and since I was not (and still am not) a user of drugs, the town was nothing more than a curiosity. We passed by without any fanfare.
Further on was the Avenue of the Giants, where some of the largest Redwood Trees are located. They did not disappoint. We stopped several times in groves of trees that barely let any sunlight through. The trunks of the smaller trees were 6-7 feet in diameter. In some of the larger trees, one could literally carve out a residence and live in their trunks.
Halfway through the day, it began to rain. We quickened our pace to arrive in Rio Dell, which proved to be a very fortuitous stop for us. After inquiring at the police station, we were permitted to camp in Fireman's Park. From there, we went to a laundromat to wash and dry some of our very wet and grimy belongings.
While drying our clothing, we went over to the Sportsman's Cafe for a bite to eat. The food was great and the prices were some of the lowest we had seen on this trip, thus far. We learned that the Sportsman's offered 3 pancakes and two eggs for two dollars ($2.00). Our breakfast location for tomorrow morning was thereby settled.
At Fireman's Park, we used our tarps to set up a shelter under the awning of a building. By doing this, the three of us could huddle together like sardines to stay dry and keep warm. It worked and we had a restful night.
May 25, 1981: Thanks to the excellent and very filling breakfast at the Sportsman's Cafe, we covered 24 non-stop miles to Eureka. At the Carson Mansion, we took a short break before moving on. The "mansion" looked more like a haunted house to me but it was unique and definitely a roadside attraction in Eureka.
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We made a stop at Humboldt State University, in Arcata, to find a bike shop. My spokes and rear wheel were continuing to give me problems. I made contact and arrangements to return for service. The campus was very nice and the folks we met were friendly.
Although it was windy and the hills seemed larger, we made it to Trinidad in fairly good time. A friend of ours from LA, Roberta, had offered for us to camp on her property when we reached Trinidad. She also promised us fifty dollars ($50.00) each if we cleared some brush. Back in LA, this place had seemed so far away but we were finally here. We made contact with Roberta's friend, Dr. CF. He met us at the property, showed us what needed to be done, and where we could set up camp.
The property was undeveloped but had been mostly cleared, at one time. It was about a mile south of Patrick's Point and located on a small bluff overlooking the Pacific. It was far enough off the main highway to be very quiet. For most of the time we were there, the sun shone, the Pacific splashed below, and sea lions could be heard at times. Roberta's land was beautiful and peaceful. We felt very fortunate to be there to enjoy it. As Paul said, "I wouldn't want much more out of life than this."
May 26, 1981: I rode about 40 miles, roundtrip, to Arcata and back to get to the bike shop. My wheel and spoke problem should be solved after that trip. The mechanic re-spoked my wheel with 14-gauge DT spokes in a cross four pattern. The wheel feels very strong and the spokes are tight. On the return trip, the ride felt better than it had in a very long time.
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After I got back, we put in about 5 hours of work on Roberta's land, clearing brush. During one of our evenings around the campfire, Dave confided that he didn't enjoy traveling alone and he was really happy to be riding with us. We enjoyed his company as well. He would soon be splitting off from us and heading for Eugene. He will definitely be missed. We've gotten through some tough rides together and have had some good laughs. I'd travel with Dave again, any time.
Almost forgot about the episode of the Midnight Riders. We had gone into town to see what might be going on, as young guys are known to do. By the time we decided to head back to our camp, it was pitch black. Back then, bike lights were nowhere near what they are today. We didn't have bike lights. One of us had an incandescent flashlight, which was practically useless. The ride back was pretty hairy but we made it and could laugh afterwards.
May 27, 1981: We concluded 3 weeks on the road with a day off of the bikes. The morning was spent clearing more brush, until around 12:30 PM. Dr. CF came by, inspected our work and paid us. He is a very nice guy.
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The afternoon was spent getting most of our stuff, with the exception of camping equipment, packed up and getting the bikes ready to roll on the next morning. We had another beautiful, restful, and peaceful evening enjoying our view of the Pacific. This was a good and much needed stop. With any luck, we should reach Oregon tomorrow.
Today's ride: 158 miles (254 km)
Total: 885 miles (1,424 km)
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