Biking Among Giants — Fian Shadow

Jul 26

Jul 26 Biking Among Giants

Day 14 - 0 miles (Gold Beach)

Our first real recovery day with absolutely no biking. It was everything I hoped for. We slept in until 9, did real laundry* (for the first time!) and then had an awesome brunch at the RV Park. I was very impressed with the quality and amount of food we got. The RV Park also has a lounge so Bo and I played a few games of table tennis. I'm happy to report I haven't lost my touch.

Once laundry was done, we headed into town. We ended up spending the entire day at the beach. I'm not a huge fan of laying out in the sun, but it was incredibly relaxing. We drank some beers, took a dip in the ocean and laid out on the beach.

Hunger pulled us out of our beach fever and we walked over to Subway for sustenance. We then walked to the Crab House for a bowl of chowder and THEN to the local pizza joint for some pizza. Three meals in thirty minutes. By 8pm my stomach was filled to the brim with spirits and a hodge podge of goodies.

After our dinners, we headed to the Crows Nest for a night cap and attempted to see the green flash of the sun. It's a rare phenomenon that occurs when the sun's final ray sets over the horizon on a super clear night and the last visible light it emits looks green because of the visible spectrum. Unfortunately we didn't see it. I ended up walking home solo as Bo stayed behind for some more beverages and company. Back at camp, I hit the hay quickly, knowing tomorrow's ride might be challenging.

*Bo taught me that I can clean my clothes while showering. I call it...shauwndry!

Day 15 - 55 miles (Gold Beach to Crescent City)

We had a very late start to the day (12:30pm) but in retrospect I think it was for the best. After eating another fantastic meal at the RV Park, we lounged around for a bit and waited for our electronics to charge before leaving town.

The first 40 miles of the day kicked our butts. As soon as we said 'Goodbye Gold Beach! It's been real', we had to say 'Hello forest hills...you beautiful, difficult devils you'. In the first two miles out of town, we had already climbed 700 feet. After the first 90 minutes we had climbed 1,600 feet! Needless to say, we took more breaks than usual. In total, we ended the day climbing 2,100 feet.

Towards the end of the day we made it into California! Two states down, one to go. We passed through a lot of farmland on our way to Crescent City. Pretty in its own regard. It was 6pm and we still had 15 miles to go so we were very grateful that the entire distance was super flat.

We checked into a motel, ordered some Thai food and watched Scream 2. Remember that movie? Watching it again, I wondered if it was intentionally made to be funny and over the top or if it was supposed to be scary. I considered it a scary movie back in the day, but it was totally laughable last night.

We have a big day ahead of us. Two very large climbs in the first 20 miles. It should be smooth(ish) sailing from there.

Day 16 - 58 miles (Crescent City to Trinidad)

Today was as difficult as I thought it would be. We climbed a record 3,400 feet (previous record was 2,800 feet) while biking through some of the most gorgeous scenery yet. I had forgotten how majestic the redwoods are. As we descended down a forest pass, I realized I was pedaling really fast with no intention behind each step. I stopped and allowed myself to savor the moment; biking along a highway with massive redwoods surrounding me.

I pulled over to fully enjoy their presence and reset my intention for the day. This trip was never about getting to point A to point B quickly. It has always been about getting to point A to point B and enjoying the entire journey. Standing among those giants and reflecting upon this purpose gave me a profound amount of peace and appreciation for life.

See those little specks at the base of the tree? Yeah…those are our bikes!

We biked through a tree today, enjoyed the redwoods, biked along Northern California's coast and watched the sunset at Rocky Point in Patrick Points State Park. Today was challenging and rewarding; exhilarating and serene. We met a number of friendly bikers today too. Some started in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon and others in Tempi, Arizona. Today's been the first day where I've really felt camaraderie among my fellow cyclists. I hope to see these people again on the road in the coming weeks.