April 23, 2012
Leggett to Weott
My neck hurts today. It's not from sleeping funnily last night, because I slept very well. I didn't get rear-ended either (that's not a sexual position, but how the Americans refer to someone driving into the back of you), so it's not whiplash. The reason for my discomfort is from gawping in wonder at the Giant Redwoods I have been travelling through today. They're not big. They're HUGE!
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To get to The Avenue of the Giants I had about 25 miles of undulating but fast roads, some of them being on the shoulder of the freeway 101 (which is allowed this time). I also stopped for a couple of hours in Garberville to get some supplies - although not enough of them - and to use the internet at a cafe. I arrived wearing long trousers, jacket and gloves, and left in T-shirt and shorts in glorious weather.
Whilst riding some of The Avenue of the Giants, I fortunately kept my gaze low enough to spot a couple of guys on bikes, Tyler and Blue, and had a good chat with them, thanks for the soda guys, and then rode for a short while with them.
Up until now, the guide book I have been loosely following has done me proud, but I learnt today not to put too much trust in a 25 year old book. The store in Weott has been closed for a long time, but since "Cycling the Pacific Coast" was published. I didn't want to ride as far as Fortuna for the next store, which will become obvious if I manage to beg, steal or borrow some more fuel for the stove, so it was back 4 miles to Myers Flat,to a small store in a small town of about 200 people which had had a busy weekend and didn't have much stock left. I've now got a large bag of rice, a couple of tins of chilli, and not much else to fuel a slight diversion off the main route. I must start planning ahead better.
I'm now set up in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Campground on a hiker / biker site, and am being dwarfed by the trees surrounding me. In my quest to obtain some stove fuel, I had not only offers from people to cook my food for me, but one from Keith and Tammy to join them for dinner. They did me proud, and dinner was eaten of a table with table cloth, and washed down with champagne. They were very good company too, thanks guys.
Today's ride: 55 miles (89 km)
Total: 594 miles (956 km)
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