$9 :: lunch, ice cream, campsite
84 mi :: 9.3 hr :: 38.7 mph :: :: 357.1 mi
Underway at 8:45 – a little after the folks from Denmark and before the folks from Boulder had even left the tent. Legs felt wobbly, took a while to get into it. All day on 101 today. Good road & courteous drivers most of the time, but the constant traffic made riding less enjoyable. So I would ride like hell, stop to explore things of interest, then go again. Made lots of miles that way.
Had low clouds with occasional light rain all day. Developed the two-finger windshield-wiper technique. Air was warm, never got uncomfortable. Expect more rain.
First flat tire – a puncture from a twisted-up piece of wire. Repairs took about ten minutes.
Learned about Jedediah Smith, watched a bunch of Harbor Seals play in the surf, marveled at the sand dunes, and went through my first tunnel.
I read and think about the explorers who found ar named these places, their quest for a Northwest Passage, their commercial endeavors. I long to see a great sailing vessel on the sea sometime.
I’m starting to need more food. The grocery bills will go up.
I can never believe how long the downhills are. It never seems like I could possibly have climbed as much. Each one is a pleasant surprise, and the hours of the day pass quickly as I go from one to the next.
2 responses to “Day 5”
Do you remember going through your first tunnel? It seems that would be a little nerve wracking on a bike…did you have to turn your light on, or was it short? I think that would be scary.
If you ever climb at Red River Gorge, you might drive through the NADA tunnel. It’s one lane-so oncoming traffic has to back out – or you do if you meet in the middle. That is one creepy tunnel, and the inside is not cemented-so there is mud dripping from the ceiling and chunks of rock occasionally break free.
Good question! I don’t remember this tunnel. The tunnels I remember best are the short, wide ones on the Going-to-the-Sun highway in Glacier National Park. Those had plenty of light and room, though. I vaguely remember a long, dark tunnel somewhere that had a button for cyclists to push that would start a light flashing so cars would know you were in there. That was a little scary.