Bridge across Lost Creek Lake, Highway 62 (Day 46)
Rogue River Gorge, Union Creek (Day 46)
I can now be fed and packed up in the morning within an hour.
The first forty miles of riding today was all downhill through shady tree lined roads, the wind chill was ridiculous. I had to wait fifteen minutes for my camera lens to un-fog.
Camping along the Interstate 5, Oregon (Day 46)
Today is Friday and it’s the Fourth of July weekend. I rode madly all day, thinking that all the campgrounds are going to be full of mad weekend warriors and their noisy kids. I even had the “TIRED AUSSIE…” sign hanging behind my bike, but no luck. As I was taking down the sign a guy walking past me said he was pretty tired as well, “after a night of drinking here and there”.
Had to climb two small summits, the second one culminated in a very long, dark tunnel. Luckily it had a bicycle warning system; a button to start a set of flashing lights at each end of the tunnel, warning drivers that I was somewhere in the tunnel.
It was terrifyingly noisy and very nerve racking and I had to stop at the other end and rest my nerves for ten minutes. After that it was another twenty miles of mostly downhill road but very windy and with very little shoulder. Too many close shaves with RVs and logging trucks and fighting a head wind from the coast didn’t make for very nice riding, even though the scenery amongst the redwoods was great.
The state park was full, but luckily it had a $2 hike and bike section, completely empty. The park is set amongst the magnificent redwood trees. I think George Lucas filmed “Return of the Jedi” somewhere near here.
Jedediah Smith State Park campsite (Day 47)
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July but tonight I decided I’m having a celebration of my own. I bought a whole bunch of food in town, snaggers, potatoes, cheese and Australian Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon. I’m considering that this is my 50th riding day celebration, two days early.
When I am halfway through the wine I also decide to name this honourable day the “International Day of Leisure”. As well as that, I decide that I’m gonna celebrate this auspicious occasion more often, maybe corresponding it with every future rest day.
Bike lane near Crescent City, what more could a cyclist want? (Day 48)
Stef on Crescent City pier. The white concrete objects on the jetty are DOLOES (tetrapods) to break up the force of water during winter storms. They measure 15 feet between each and every point. Each weighs 84,000 lbs. There are 750 in place, 20 red ones have radio transmitters to check their movements. One Dolo has moved 11 feet (Day 48)
Crescent City pier (Day 48)
Doloes along the Crescent City pier (Day 48)
Redwoods, Jedediah State Park (Day 49)
Woke up in the middle of last night and had to make a rush to the nearest toilet, about 300 yards from my tent. I think I may have overdone it; eating four sausages, five potatoes, a slab of cheese and finishing off the bottle of wine in just one meal.
Hugged some trees today and felt a bit better.
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