Eel RIver - Best little RIver in the Land

July 17, 2012

Well with spirits high again and a renewed sense of energy.  I thought Oh well what else can happen I am not letting all these tire issues get me down.  So off we were in the cold rain towards our beautiful Redwood forest.  I kept singing and actually so was Brandon "this land is your land"  you know the tune.  Well unfortunately the rain did not let up and passing Meyers Flats was very sad, the winery had closed down and so had the little restaurant.  No Lunch for us, but the nice lady at the grocery store said there was a great place in Miranda 8 more miles up the road and of course you gotta stay on the Avenue of the Giants.  Okay, so off we went for 8 more miles.  Mind you we would have gotten a nice warm cup of coffee there because there is a coffee shop,  but the guy that owns it is not very nice.  Turns out he was not very nice to Jim and Matt the day before either.  Glad we did not stop.  Ate some really great food at the Restaurant in Miranda, and wow were they ever busy due to the rain and all the campers from the redwoods having to come eat there.  We met some other bikers, the young girl was also having tire problems and she said she had broke down and cried yesterday because of all the flats she had been having.  Brandon told them what Jaimie told us about filling them to the max so that would avoid the pinched flats because that was what she had been experiencing.  Met a nice couple in the Avenue Cafe who also provide the Cafe with beef that they raise.  They too are going to be doing an adventure of 200 miles hiking, wow sounds like fun!!  It was a great lunch and later that day Brandon said he thought some of their semis passed us filled with cattle.  We were planning on spending our rest day relaxing there in the redwoods but with it rainy we kept going for Benbow state park.  Well Benbow state park was closed so we went to Richardson Grove State park.  There we saw Jim again and met some more cyclist traveling south.  It was a nice day even with the rain.

Mickey's BreakDown

So it was off and running and so excited to get the day started and head for the lovely place we had stayed at last summer and to swim into the Eel River.  We arrived in Eureka around 11:00 and thought wow we have been here!!  I wanted to eat at the all u-can-eat Indian restaurant, but Brandon opted for McDonalds and free Wifi.  Some of the people you meet there are just plain weirdos, but we did have an older couple ask about our ride and they were very nice.  They had their grandson with them and he was excited for our journey and thought it sounded like fun.  We have been having a great time and are especially thankful for all the nice people we have met so far.  So off we went into town to do the usual find a bike store and pump up Mickey's tires that have to be at the maximum of 130psi and with a liner have been with no flats for three days.  Hooray.  So off to the bike store and the day was sunny with the (tailwind) so it wasnt too bad for riding.  At the bike store Brandon realized one of his spokes were loose so the Official Bike Mechanic at Henderson's Bike shop said he would true his tire for $15.00 and it would be an hour job but could get it done right away.  So we waited and I giggled to myself thinking well at least I have not had any spoke problems.  Ugh!! Why, Why do I do this to myself, Bad luck betty!!  Off we go for Weott.  The shortcut the guys gave us Brandon swears probably made them laugh their heads off as it was quite hilly.  We were making good time so we decided to take a break at Champmans Gems outside of Fortuna.  He has a lot of beautiful gems and jewelry.  We took off with twenty some more miles Brandon said and passing the little town of Rio Del and Pop.  Wholly Crap!! there it was my good luck on tires had run over something on the road, following the same____ path that Brandon was riding.  So we had to walk the bike into town, saw a Napa Auto parts store and one of the customers laughed and said you two have just passed the only town with a Bike store which was Fortuna 8 miles back.  That may not seem far in a car but on the bike it is more like a 45 minute ride especially knowing it would be Brandon riding and uphill.  He tells me now it would have been for sure me riding.  Bill was the nicest customer and offered to take Brandon, half an hour later with tire fixed and Napa Store closing the guys said you had better find a place to camp.  They gave us the number for the Riverside RV park campground, cautioned us on being now in the "Emerald Triangle" and their are no laws.  Scary, tired and depressed with it drizzling rain, we left for the campground. Should have never been laughing at those darn spokes of Brandons!!

Sunset Beach to Cresent City

Bridge into GoldBeach

Bridge after crossing 

Eating at Hooked Diner

Signes we love to see

Hooray California!!

Crescent City - Not Good Luck

So did I mention the mediocre chinese food also ended up increasing the chunk of cap that broke off my tooth.  Now it is sharp again and in need of a Dentist.  We woke up late and did a breakfast at Denny's got scared to death with the security dogs at the back of the Laundromat.  Left town and was thankful, but another Windy day to start out, and cloudy.  Once again it was a day for warm clothes.  Our intentions were to go as far as Patricks Point State Park which was about 65 miles.  We saw Paul Bunyon and his blue Ox and was very surprised he was talking to children that would sit by him answering their questions it was very sweet.  Met a nice family from Idaho, they said to be careful and admired us for being able to ride this far and thought what a great way to get rid of the mid-life middle. HAHA.  So we continued on the sun shining off and on it was a nice ride.  We passed a few other bikers on the road, and stopped for some groceries before heading into the campground.  The Ranger said there was another Hiker/Biker there and Brandon and I had a bet that it was probably either Jaimie or another guy we met from Idaho.  It was neither it turned out to be Matt from Seattle.  He had got caught up in the Wind and also was a little tired in Crescent City and said the campground was a sad place to stay but had a laundromat.  Glad we did not stay.  Met Jim the next morning and he is originally from Portland heading to a family Reunion in Stewarts Point.  It turned out that Patricks Point had the best view that night with the sun finally shining and a beautiful sunset by the Ocean.  We pulled out the next morning around 9:30 I was a little frustrated, but have to remember this is a vacation.  Off to the next state Park which we will be Weott and are so excited to get to the Eel River

Crescent City or Bust!!

We left Humbug State Park, hoping it was going to be a better day.  Matt was traveling to SanDiego also, so told him we would probably be seeing him down the road.  Jim, who was from Idaho had no plans but was just riding,  so we said good bye to him as well.  So of course for the first 20 miles of the trip we had a very strong headwind.  I have been told that I am not to not mention the tail wind if we start having one again, Brandon seems to think I'm bringing (headwind) bad luck.  So off we went to Goldbeach, because that was were we decided to have coffee.  Saw a few cool sights, the large dinasaure statutes and once again a huge bridge before we got into Gold Beach.  I told Brandon that he goes over them too slow so I'm going first, speeding over for my life and whoo no cars passed me.  I just dont feel very safe with what little shoulder they give you and some of the guard rails are so short.  We stopped for breakfast at the Hooked diner and it was very good food, the owner was also our waitress and she was very eager to please and so nice.  She wanted to get more bikers in the door.  She let us bring our bikes in the cafe as she had a huge front area before you get into the cafe.  We saw Matt zoom by, he was a fast rider it was funny because his main meals were macaroni and cheese with tuna, sound familiar to anyone.  We never saw him again that day, we did run into Burt he was also frustrated with the headwinds and said he probably was just going to do thirty miles as his head was not into riding.  Sounded like my little Humbug partner, he too was not into riding as his day was not going well.  Headwind for one was annoying him, he said he didnt mind the hills but (THIS DAM HEADWIND!!)We went across the highest Bridge in Oregon, and that is the final time we have seen Burt, it is callled the Thomas Creek Bridge and is 345 feet, the side of it was daunting as I did not stop to look over the edge like Burt did it was too scary.  Finally arriving in Crescent City around 6:30, cold and took one of my detours according to my map 6miles around the city, which any other time would have been beautiful because it took us by the beach.  Windy, cold (not a good mix) tired and hungry Brandon had had enough so wanted to get a motel.  Okay well at least on the right side of town not the wrong, so we stayed at the Penny Saver Inn, the lady gave us three dollars off(whoop whoop), and we were suppose to go eat at an all you can eat chinese(finally had talked Brandon into it, he likes no other chinese place except the one in Roy).  My bad luck once again and the buffet was closed, so 40 dollars later for mediocre chinese I too had had enough for the day.  More Happy Trails to come?

Humbug Mountain State Park

So we left Sunset Beach at 8:30 the next morning.  Linda and Burt had taken off a half hour earlier, it seems like the start of our day keeps getting later.  Brandon has to remind me that we are on vacation, but since my alarm is usually the birds at 5:30 in the morning it is hard to not get started early.  We said goodbye to shawn and Alecia as they were having their rest day and had planned on doing some Hiking.  We had decided to travel to Humbug state Park, and it was a Humbug of a day.  Lets just say one of us wasnt in the best of moods as our notorious headwind was still with us.    We knew that we had a climb this day as everyone warned us about the seven devils.  To make matters worse it was written on the road  one devil down way to go(at least it was encouraging)  two devils doing a great job(who had time to write all this in the road?)devil three down(Little perturbing)cute devils  but I was ready to be done on the hills.  We had decided to get a cup of coffee once we got into town, lost from a wrong turn and no caffeine in the blood.  Somebody took it out on the local cab driver who was by us and not so friendly to help with directions.  Luckily a lady in a volkswagon gave us directions so our twenty miles to Bandon took forever.  Coffee and a little rehydrated with energy we took off towards Humbug State Park.  It was very beautiful, it seems like never ending hills and apparently a bad attitude, headwinds do not go together for a happy traveler.    We made it to Humbug around 4:30 our usual time met two new friends Jim from Idaho and Matt from Seattle.  Went to the beach for a walk then off to bed.  Finally caught up to Burt in Bandon but he was going further than us because towards the end of the day we started having a tail wind right before we got to camp which was funny
 later every day.

Back on the Road

Sunset Beach Campground

It was very cold outside when we left Venetta, Mandy had given me a beautiful burgandy shirt that reminded me of Hannah.  Brandon said it made me look thinner so I am wearing it again today(haha).  We arrived in Florence about 10:30 and started off, a very heavy heart and not feeling motivated to ride at all.!  Sad to be leaving family that I had not seen in a very long time.  We had the intentions of just going to Coos Bay, but ended up in Sunset Beach almost 60 miles for the day.  We did not arrive until 7:30 p.m..   The map reader for the day had us turning around and going out of our way a whopping six miles, Linda also went the same wrong way so did not feel too bad when arriving at the campsite for the night.  We ended up walking across the bridge, even though we energized ourselves prior to the bridge with peanut butter, bannana honey sandwiches.  I had to laugh (REALLY HARD!!) because at the end of the bridge guess who had a flat tire.  Brandon!! He claims it was because he had to walk his bike over the bridge, either way there it was FLAT!!  It took us about an hour to find Sunset Beach after climbing a hill, going the wrong way to a sandy beach with no facilities.  Once there it was very beautiful, it is amazing to see so many people camping with their families.  If it was warmer this is were we would take you little ones (Andrew, Maika, and Anessa) because the Ocean was right in front of the campground and they had a lot of activities for kids.  We camped with six other riders.  Saw Linda again from the South Beach campground, met some new friends from Victoria, Canada they were celebrating their 1st year anniversary by riding the trail again(Alecia & Shawn)Burt(southern California), Ian (Portland) and Cody.  So Brandon stayed up late and traded road stories.  On our ride to Sunset Beach we saw some beautiful Hawks that were swooping in front of us and were startled (one of us screamed like a little girl) by a beautiful Eagle its wings were very large and made loud whooshing sounds as it took off, after we had interupted its feeding frenzy.  Oregon has the best state parks and has been very accomodating for bikers and or hikers that is for sure.