Dave through the Americas - 11.5.02 Massive Redwoods, entering Eureka

I woke up to a very chilly morning. Frost covered my tent, bike, and everything outside. I laid stuff out to wait for the sun to creep over the trees and shine on it while fixing an oatmeal breakfast. There was a fog over the nearby fields where elk can be seen grazing. No elk right now though, maybe it’s too cold! After breakfast, I packed up and rode out a mile north of the campgrounds to check out some of the huge redwoods I passed by in the dark, namely on large one in particular called ‘Big Tree’. After some photos and a short walk around a trail, I headed south. On my way out, I spotted some elk in the fields of the Elk Prairie campground. I cycled through a small town called Orick and then followed the ups and downs of Highway 101. My legs were telling me they’ve had enough and would be looking forward to a much-needed rest in Eureka. I passed through Trinidad and had lunch at a café and picked up some snacks at the local grocery before moving on for my last stretch. The day was still nice and sunny as I cruised over my last couple of inclines and then rode past Arcata and finally into Eureka. I found John’s house and just as I pulled my bike around the back of his place, I met him coming back from a few days at sea. I was glad to see everything work out and was able to settle in and clean up after a long day on the road. John and I caught up over a nice Indian dinner in town and then came back to his place for some beers. We took park in a nice smoke session of some Humboldt County herb and then tossed in an anime called Ghost in the Shell. After a long night of conversation and good times, we called it a night and I melted into the couch for a great nights sleep. (53 miles)

Peace

Dave

Pic: Elk grazing in the fields near Elk Prairie State Park

Pic: Coastal Redwood canopy, very high up.