Scenes from the road

February 3, 2022 to February 4, 2022

No biking, not even any significant walking to report. We’re just driving home for three days straight, by a not especially efficient route. In other words, largely a photo dump. Still, it’s part of the journey so we might as well include it, hey?

Thursday

Thursday’s drive, the longest of the three, was really just that - a six hour nonstop from Borrego Springs to Point Arena. And a not particularly enjoyable one at times either, with much of it on the high speed, congested freeways skirting Los Angeles and the Bay Area. We stopped only once briefly, for gas somewhere in the Bay Area. We could have taken more time but we wanted to arrive in Point Arena by about three, leaving us enough time to walk around and explore the beach or headlands.

Along the way though we did pick up iconic Highway 1 north of Point Reyes, after which driving slowed down significantly as we crawled along the coast through its unbroken series of blind curves and dramatic headlands and inlets. Like our drive down Big Sur on the trip south, this is the first time we’ve ever driven this stretch of the California Coast, even though I’ve biked it three times and Rachael once. It’s been over 16 years since Rachael and I biked it together though, and I’ve largely forgotten how spectacular this road is. As I drove I mentally gamed out ideas for how I might find myself on this road with the bike again before it’s too late.

We arrived in Point Arena right at three, stepped out the door, felt the air, and immediately agreed on how much better it would feel to just stay indoors and warm than to take a walk. Barely 50 degrees, with a strong 15+ mph wind that made it feel much colder.

We did at least make it down to the harbor around sundown though to pick up our take-out order and spend a few minutes looking at the waterfront.

Image not found :( — The coastline is dramatic here and well worth an exploration. Maybe we’ll come back and explore it some year, when it’s warmer or we’re in the right frame of mind.

Sunset at Point Arena. Some sort of flycatcher, I think.

Friday

Its beautiful this morning - still, sunny, a morning that inspires you to get outdoors and do something. It’s a shame it wasn’t like this when we arrived last night, but of course we have to drive. Like yesterday, we want to make time and allow room for another walk in the redwoods.

We don’t get far though - maybe a mile - when we come to the turnoff to the Point Arena light and I pull off on impulse. I like lighthouses, and we can afford a few minutes. It’s a good thing we did, because it’s a spectacular site, with the tall, slender lighthouse standing at the end of a long promontory surrounded by dramatic cliffs. It’s about two miles off the highway, and by bike it never made the cut as a detour so this is our first time seeing it.

At 115 feet tall, it’s tied with the Pigeon Point light as the tallest on the west coast. I was interested to see that there are 35 taller ones lining the Atlantic Coast though, maybe because of the terrain. The Point Arena light is perched at the top of 100’ cliffs so it doesn’t need as much height to project far out to sea.

The end of the point is fenced off and closed this morning so we can just see the lighthouse from a distance, but it’s enough. I’d like to come back some year though when the tower has been reopened for visitors and climb up to take in the view from the top.

The Point Arena light went up in 1870. It had its 150th anniversary celebration in 2020 - just one more thing that Covid ruined.

I love this fence. I’ve never seen one quite like it.

Harbor seals! It’s so funny the way they balance on the rocks with their heads and tails arched up.

For those of you frustrated by the yellow flowers blanketing they ground beneath that Monterrey Cypress a few days back, here’s a closer look. We’ve been seeing this flower all along the coast.

I’ve got a tough decision ahead. Soon I’m going to have to choose. Which Pendleton shirt am I going to take to Barcelona with me? Maybe this one this time.

The drive north along Highway 1 was a continuation of yesterday’s reminiscence of biking down the California coast years ago. I really have forgotten how amazing some of this country looks, although much of it looks pretty daunting by bicycle now - especially near Mendocino and Fort Bragg, where the traffic picks up considerably and there is zero shoulder for miles. As much as I’d like to see it again, I have misgivings about safety on some stretches. Rachael and I didn’t bike this part of the coast, so the last time I biked it myself was way back in 1986. Much has changed since then.

We made it to the Rockefeller Grove in the Humboldt Redwoods early in the afternoon. When we were planning out the day we mapped out a hike from there north along Bull Creek, but it wasn’t to be. We haven’t talked about it before I don’t think, but Rachael is suffering from foot problems beyond the bruised heel she has been recovering from. Her toes are vey sore, and she can hardly walk comfortably at all. She’s got an appointment with her new primary care physician when we arrive in Portland, but for now she’s visibly limping. So a real hike is out, but we at least did make it through the short half mile loop through the Rockefeller Grove, an astounding grove of stupefyingly huge trees.

The one on the right is a leaner, and looks like it’s being held up for the moment by the one on the left. Something’s gotta give.

We don’t quite understand what’s happening here. I wish I’d gotten a better photo, but it’s a complicated situation. There are branches growing out of the base of the tree, and others growing out of the ground. Is it reseeding itself?

We arrived in Crescent City at 5 and headed straight to the harbor to a fish market/diner Rachael had targeted. The place was totally empty so we felt safe eating inside, enjoying our grilled king salmon and steelhead feast with a view of the developing sunset. It’s been quite a scenic day, for just a drive - the lighthouse, the redwoods, the best sunset of the tour.

Portland tomorrow!

The Crescent City light is shorter than the one on Point Arena, to make the obvious point.

Not a bad way to bring the road trip to a close.

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Susan CarpenterHoping Rachael’s foot problem is easily and quickly sorted out in Portland.
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2 years ago

Jen RahnYes! What Susan said.

Hope your foot pain can be remedied by rest and other not-too-complicated treatments, Rachael!
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2 years ago

Suzanne GibsonYes, what Susan and Jen said! Hopefully a quick recovery!
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2 years ago

Bob DistelbergI probably shouldn’t be saying this on a cycle touring website, but road trips can be fun too. This looks like it was a good one. Sorry to hear about Rachael’s foot problems. I’m sure very frustrating for her.
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2 years ago

Rich FrasierGet better soon, Rachael! It’s got to be so frustrating for such an active person to be hurt like that.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Rich FrasierFrustrating for me too. She gets restive at times like this.
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Rich FrasierIt sure is!
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2 years ago