Day 15 and 16

Day 15

A big day!  

Today I set out from Hidden Springs CG and I had a plan.  I was going to ride 20 miles, eat.  Then ride another 20miles, eat, this would put me at the base of the Leggett Grade.  Then I would climb, drop down, climb, drop down then eat again.  That is pretty much exactly what I did!  All in all it was an 85miles day and I climbed over 3500 feet of hills!  I was psyched.  

The climbs were hard, but not too bad.  I just kept my head down and kept pedaling!  I had stressed about these climbs since I first learned of them.  I don't really have a lot to say other than I was quite happy to have made it!  

Once I get consistent internet I will give you some stats on the climbing and milage.  But to give you some perspective…There is an elevation indicator in my book.  The 2000 foot hill and the 700 foot hill definitely register.  However at the end of the ride, ~mile 80, there was a hill about the size of Torrey Pines, it BARELY made a blip.  Now add 40 lbs to your bike, consider you have biked 500+ miles this week add a touch of a headwind and some rain…however I do stop and eat, rest my legs and my average speed for the whole day was 12.2mph.  Not sure if that helps give some perspective, but its all I can do from here. :)  At the end of the day I was riding on a high!  The Lost Coast of CA on my right and beautiful vista after beautiful vista kept me rolling to my campsite.  Twas a good day.  A good day indeed.  

I met up with Mike a fellow cyclist and we shared the hiker biker site.  He is a talented musician so I was lucky enough to have music in camp while we talked about our travels.  

Day 16

Remember all that stuff I mentioned about yesterday being long and hard…well I feel it today!  My arms are tired, my hands hurt, my butt is sore and my legs, my legs just don't wanna climb hills.  Today was tame by my current standards, a mere 65 miles and no major hills.  However, today turned out to be one of the toughest days I have had!  The prevailing winds today were out of the NW!  TAILWIND BABY!  But this was no gentle breeze the gusts blew me all over the road.  The panniers act like a parachute and the wheels are like wings.  I am the most awkward kite EVER!  It was nice to have good speed on the open flats and down the hills, but the drops were steep and the climbs equally dramatic, so I was never able to hit a groove.  My stomach was full, felt like air, cause I was hungry and weak all day long.  The story of Northern CA has been the businesses that are closed.  My guide book is out of date and the markets and restaurants it describes belong in ghost towns not on the lush coast of CA.  None the less, I have found great food and beautiful views.  Though challenging to day was another treat on the road.   

I am sitting in a coffee shop, the first internet I have found in a while, and relaxing a bit.  I am about a mile from camp.  I am going to eat something here in town then roll to Gualala State Park.  About 100 miles from San Francisco I can almost smell sourdough bread and chowder :) 

Here are some pictures from the last two days.  Once I make it to SF, I am going to take a day and work on pictures and video.  I will share the links to all those.