Bike Forums - 11.17.02 Horny deer at Manchester Beach State Park

This morning it was early to rise again. I had some OJ and coffee before I was joined by Ron and Susan. Ron came down the stairs in his State Park Ranger uniform and it tripped me out. All of the sudden he looked so official after a day and a half of lounging around in plain clothes. I cooked up a tasty scramble and we ate breakfast. I said goodbye to Ron and he was off to work. I got my things together then checked my email before saying goodbye to Susan and Cameron. I rode out of Fort Bragg around 10 am on a gorgeous sunny day. The first 10-15 miles was easygoing hills along the rocky coast. The water was shining bright blue. I passed through the touristy town of Mendocino. As I neared the town of Elk, the road became very windy, curving in and out of coves. I arrived in Elk around 1 pm and looked for a placed to get some lunch. There were a couple cafes that looked like they catered to a higher end crowd and a small grocery. I went to the grocery and got a sandwich and some food for tonight. After Elk, I encountered a few more curves and one very steep section but it wasn’t so bad. By 3 pm, I reached Manchester Beach State Park. The sun was still pretty high in the sky so I decided to check out the beach after setting up my tent. To the south, I could see the Point Arena lighthouse standing tall and thin in the distance. To the north I viewed some of the small towns I passed through as little clusters on the landscape. The wind was strong on the beach where as less than a mile away at the campsite it was nonexistent. I listened to the waves crash in as I wrote in my journal. I smoked a little herb and then returned to camp. I kicked around the hacky sack after cooking up some soup. I played out in the grass with my cycling shoes that worked well. I saw the moon coming up big and bright. It would be full in a couple more days. I heard an animal over in the bushes near the campground entrance. It was a male deer. I got my camera and crept over for a better look. It was a 4 point buck rubbing his antlers on a small tree. He showed no fear and little interest in me. His hormones were probably taking him over. As I got close, all of the sudden I noticed the rest of the herd. They would feed and, as I got closer, pop their heads up and turn their big ears towards me. I took some photos but as it got darker I stopped. I went back to my tent and snacked on some cookies and then went to bed. (44 miles)

Peace

Dave