April 27, 2012
Elk Prairie Campground to Brookings
I dreamt that I was asleep in a drum that someone was beating on last night, only to realise that I was in the tent, with really heavy rain beating down onto it which sounded like a drum. However, by the morning it had stopped and everything inside was dry.
Packing away seemed to take forever this morning, and the starts are getting later and later. It's getting time for a day off. I was off by 9 and travelled firstly through a great section of Redwoods, although being so cut off from the sunshine (not that there was any today) meant a chilly ride and lots of moss on the edges of the road, although the traffic was beautifully light so that didn't matter.
Riding up the Crescent City Hills provided lots of entertainment as there were roadworks with a convoy escort vehicle. I was able to pass the traffic that had whizzed past me on the way up, as I rode up the shoulder to the start of the queue, and was then told by the traffic controlling man to just carry on. When I came out of the roadworks, much of the traffic on the other side called out encouragement, "not far to the top", and "keep going Man", although I just waved back, saving my breath for the hill. Every so often a burst of traffic would pass, and then there would be nothing for 10 minutes or so. I waited at the top of the last (and biggest) descent for a clear patch and then attempted to break my speed record of the trip on the way down, using the whole of my side of the road. I know there was a headwind, but I was very disappointed with the 37mph I managed, even though it was sign posted as being a 7% gradient - nowhere near the 42mph I managed on day 1 leaving Sheffield.
After a chilly day when the gloves were on more than off, I crossed the border into Oregon and set up camp at the Harris Beach State Park Campground, just past Brookings. Many people I had met had told of the great facilities at the Oregon campsites, and the difference was immediately obvious, with there even being a laundry room. I booked on for 2 nights, and will have a day off the bike tomorrow, catch up on some jobs and see some sights.
Today's ride: 63 miles (101 km)
Total: 818 miles (1,316 km)
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