Saturday, March 16, 2013
Tons of cyclists out and about in San Fran and area
Including LOTS of female roadies; and you know what the studies say - if a place is safe for biking you will get a broader demographic of people out biking. If you build it/make it safe, they will come.
Great to see!
Great to see!
Fun chatting with Cameron
Tonight after dinner, in the Hike and Bike campground. Lots of adventures, for sure!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Starting dinner late
Awesome to see.
Fight with Rocky
Not Balboa - that's the other coast, the right coast. No, this fight with Rocky Racoon took place on the left coast, at Salt Point SP. We saw the "Most Wanted" poster at the unmanned park entrance, and the reality of the realm we were entering had not dawned on us yet.
But we had a nice dinner and even a fire in the fire ring, and headed off to bed after putting the food in the wooden locker. I left the pannier I carry the food/stove/pots in just under the picnic table.
I woke up to noise at some point in the night; figured it was a racoon, and grabbed my glasses, headlamp, and shoes. Sure enough, beady little eyes lookin' at me from the bushes. S/he had gotten in my closed pannier and dragged the MSR fuel bottle top and a Ziploc of forks/knives out of it. Rocky had gotten the forks half way out, through the corner of the Ziploc when I interrupted him/her.
Long story short, this battle royale went 3 rounds, with me finally jamming everything in the little wooden food locker; Rocky checking out our other panniers under our vestibule, right by our heads; and me being lucky enough to see a cool shooting star among some amazing stars round midnight.
I'd show you the photos, but I don't have the technology...
But we had a nice dinner and even a fire in the fire ring, and headed off to bed after putting the food in the wooden locker. I left the pannier I carry the food/stove/pots in just under the picnic table.
I woke up to noise at some point in the night; figured it was a racoon, and grabbed my glasses, headlamp, and shoes. Sure enough, beady little eyes lookin' at me from the bushes. S/he had gotten in my closed pannier and dragged the MSR fuel bottle top and a Ziploc of forks/knives out of it. Rocky had gotten the forks half way out, through the corner of the Ziploc when I interrupted him/her.
Long story short, this battle royale went 3 rounds, with me finally jamming everything in the little wooden food locker; Rocky checking out our other panniers under our vestibule, right by our heads; and me being lucky enough to see a cool shooting star among some amazing stars round midnight.
I'd show you the photos, but I don't have the technology...
It's not my fault
We were warned the racoons here are especially bold. Oh goody. At least we are a little better prepared after our long night at Salt Point SP.
So, according to the diorama, 90% of the salmon are gone. And, of course, 95% of the redwoods are gone. (And those two facts are not completely unrelated, of course.) Guess I better go check out the salmon stream, before they're all gone...
Even the sewage treatment plants in Marin are pretty
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Hot! Comin' out of Tomales
Warm, sunny; just shorts and jersey - no undershirt, arm warmers, leg warmers. Nothin'.
Sweet!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Wow! What a road!
If you can only do one section of the coast, so far I'd say "do the section from Salt Point SP through Fort Ross and to Jenner." Amazing.
We started the day with freshly lubed chains (so quiet!) And new asphalt. Smooth, baby, smooth.
Then the amazing climbs, descents, sights and sounds along the coast. Beautiful.
We started the day with freshly lubed chains (so quiet!) And new asphalt. Smooth, baby, smooth.
Then the amazing climbs, descents, sights and sounds along the coast. Beautiful.
How about a coffee in the sun?
A little reggae on the speaker, and friendly people telling us about their attempts to get more green tourism, low carbon tourism; asking us questions about the photovoltaic on the back of Heidi's bike, charging our batteries, from the sun [and I'm still confused why there aren't more photovoltaic panels here, you know, with the sun and all].
Warm sunshine, coffee, and cookies.
Not bad, eh?
Time to saddle up, and ride up the Russian river...to "Slipper Camp"!
(Plan to check out "Ecoring" when we're back in "civilization")
My life is definitely more interesting
With Heidi in it.
Swooping down the smooth, twisty roads from Fort Ross into Jenner I couldn't help but think that I am lucky to have Heidi dragging me out of the house and forcing me to go on adventures like this one.
Lucky.
Swooping down the smooth, twisty roads from Fort Ross into Jenner I couldn't help but think that I am lucky to have Heidi dragging me out of the house and forcing me to go on adventures like this one.
Lucky.
Monday, March 11, 2013
River otters
We saw some awesome tracks near Nickel Creek. In the sand, clear, wandering around, down to the surf, back up to the hillside, up the creek, all over, otter-style.
Also some some along the South Fork of the Eel River, in the redwoods. Not bad places for an otter to live!
And I keep lookin' out over the kelp beds/forests, hoping to see some sea otters out there, eatin', sleepin', holdin' hands...
Also some some along the South Fork of the Eel River, in the redwoods. Not bad places for an otter to live!
And I keep lookin' out over the kelp beds/forests, hoping to see some sea otters out there, eatin', sleepin', holdin' hands...
Yet another beautiful day, biking down the left coast
It was our 5th day in a row today, and let's just say that even with a tailwind I was lookin' at my chain figuring that if I stopped to lube it I might get 2% more efficiency/energy - and it might be worth it! Tired legs.
Tomorrow we take a slight detour off the coast and head inland to visit our dear friends Andy and Mary in Santa Rosa. "Slipper camp", here we come!
Lookin' forward to havin' a beer, catchin' up, telling "mostly true" stories (and showering...) And seeing the new house!
Tomorrow we take a slight detour off the coast and head inland to visit our dear friends Andy and Mary in Santa Rosa. "Slipper camp", here we come!
Lookin' forward to havin' a beer, catchin' up, telling "mostly true" stories (and showering...) And seeing the new house!
Heidi's favorite 5 minutes of the day
Other than when I bring her the first coffee of the morning, is when I am blowing up my sweet, huge new Big Agnes sleeping pad - cause I can't talk!
Salt of the Earth, and Salt Point SP
We've been shopping in all kinds of little markets and general stores, and pretty much universally folks have been interested in what we're doing - and thinking about our safety. Curious, generous, funny.
And staying in some great CA state parks, with accepting, kind "Camp Hosts".
Then today we rode through 10 miles of "No Trespassing" and "Private Road - Security will be called" etc signs in one huge high net worth community today -and I'll tell ya: I'll take the 47% over the 1% any day.
And staying in some great CA state parks, with accepting, kind "Camp Hosts".
Then today we rode through 10 miles of "No Trespassing" and "Private Road - Security will be called" etc signs in one huge high net worth community today -and I'll tell ya: I'll take the 47% over the 1% any day.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Osprey
I swore I heard an osprey today as we were biking along some pretty sheer cliffs.
Then I'm pretty sure I saw one, after it had dove for a fish, doing that quick shake of its wings to dry them off after doing the plunge.
Very cool!
Then I'm pretty sure I saw one, after it had dove for a fish, doing that quick shake of its wings to dry them off after doing the plunge.
Very cool!
The roads have been pretty good, but
I can't help but think that it is a shame that we can afford to invade a new small country every decade - but "we can't afford" to make it safe(r) for Americans to walk and bike. As George W Bush said, we're addicted to oil (and the motor vehicles which guzzle that oil).
There have been occasional short stretches of path for pedestrians along Hwy 1, and they seem really...weird; out of place. It's all cars, cars, cars otherwise.
I keep thinkin' "it'd be REALLY beautiful if it weren't for all the dang motor vehicles".
If you build your infrastructure to ONLY serve motor vehicles, making it unsafe to walk and bike - pretty soon everyone is going to be fat, out of shape - and angry.
Imagine that?
There have been occasional short stretches of path for pedestrians along Hwy 1, and they seem really...weird; out of place. It's all cars, cars, cars otherwise.
I keep thinkin' "it'd be REALLY beautiful if it weren't for all the dang motor vehicles".
If you build your infrastructure to ONLY serve motor vehicles, making it unsafe to walk and bike - pretty soon everyone is going to be fat, out of shape - and angry.
Imagine that?
Up and down
Today was a "flat day" but I'm realizing there is no flat riding along a coast. We descend and ascend for every river mouth. Today I found out I can pedal 250 lbs up a 15% grade; and, we can cruise at 36 mph, given a straight road with a downhill (I didn't check the grade).
2500 ft of climbing was the total by the end of this "flat day". I wonder what it will tomorrow?
2500 ft of climbing was the total by the end of this "flat day". I wonder what it will tomorrow?
What to do with homeless Americans, including vets
Had a nice chat in Fort Bragg today with a fellow bike tourer who has traveled around researching what communities do and could do with homeless people, including veterans.
We laughed when he said something to the effect of "I'm not in a hurry. That's the good thing about being homeless."
He blogs under the name "Dromomania" if you're interested in more from him (search "Dromomania" and "bike")
Safe travels, fellow traveler!
We laughed when he said something to the effect of "I'm not in a hurry. That's the good thing about being homeless."
He blogs under the name "Dromomania" if you're interested in more from him (search "Dromomania" and "bike")
Safe travels, fellow traveler!
Mendocino-Anderson-20130310-00924.jpg
This is what we're eating: bagels with hummus, and V8.
Oh, and there's a great view.
Love,
Your kids
Little old ladies
We had a lazy morning taking down camp, made lazier by Spring Forward - which only our devices knew about!
We took the Old Haul Rd, which is now a pedestrian/cyclist/horse rider path from the SP into Fort Bragg.
Lots of people out walkin', runnin', bikin' on a fine, sunny 50' day.
Then we saw them: four little old ladies, four abreast across the path. We were riding single file, with front and rear lights flashing. They didn't flinch. Was it gonna be a Mexican standoff? The three farthest from us moved, a little; leaving the leader (oldest, smallest), lookin' straight ahead. She didn't give an inch; even when her compadres gave he a little encouragement. I reckon' she must be spendin' her nights watchin' reruns of old spaghetti westerns, that old tough broad.
I just hope she doesn't drive.
We took the Old Haul Rd, which is now a pedestrian/cyclist/horse rider path from the SP into Fort Bragg.
Lots of people out walkin', runnin', bikin' on a fine, sunny 50' day.
Then we saw them: four little old ladies, four abreast across the path. We were riding single file, with front and rear lights flashing. They didn't flinch. Was it gonna be a Mexican standoff? The three farthest from us moved, a little; leaving the leader (oldest, smallest), lookin' straight ahead. She didn't give an inch; even when her compadres gave he a little encouragement. I reckon' she must be spendin' her nights watchin' reruns of old spaghetti westerns, that old tough broad.
I just hope she doesn't drive.
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