PC07 - Eureka to Redway

This morning I made motel coffee and it was terrible.  I looked online and there was a Starbucks a block away.  I walked over and was kind of shocked that Eureka was such a dump.  It didn't help that 101 was two streets in the middle of town and people drove it like a freeway.  There were crazy homeless people everywhere. 

I left the hotel and joined a bike path the when along the water.  More homeless than dog walkers, walkers or cyclists.  These people are not going to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

Soon I rejoined 101 and started to make good time.  During a map check about 10km out of Eureka, I saw another cyclist approaching.  We ended up riding together for most of the day.  Ruben is a Swiss accountant who decided to take a year off and explore the world by bike.  He started on the Arctic Ocean in Alaska several months ago.  He is heading through Mexico and on to South America. 

After a bit we got off 101 and suddenly it was quiet.  We could tell we were doing a little more climbing than on 101 because we could see it below us but the ride was nice.

We passed farms and saw a herd of really young calfs.  The flies around them were terrible and I am now itching a bit I got there 

We were looking for food and coffee in Rio Dell and only found gas station coffee wend two other cyclists appeared.   Grant and Theo were riding from Vancouver or Seattle.  Grant was going to the Mexican border and Theo lived in Palo Alto and ending there.  We all traded stories for a bit.

We rode off but would see them the next break.

Soon we were on the Avenue of the Giants and rolled past giant redwoods.  This was a really nice ride.

Ruben planned to camp at Hidden Springs Campground just after Myers Flat.  We parted there and I had another 28km to my motel in Redway.  I was pretty tired at this point but I kept grinding.

Redway was just 2km away and there was a nearly 100m climb ... I hate that.  I found my motel and had a little trouble checking in.  I screwed up the dates and was one week early.  The motel said no problem so I hope I'm not pay for a room tonight and next week.

Just got a message from David.  He rode all the way to Myers Flat and wants to meet me in the morning a few minutes from here.