With an early start from Davenport under misty, overcast skies, we beat the Memorial Day traffic and had an interesting ride.

About four miles from Davenport, Bill started noticing personal identification and cards strewn along the edge of the road. He picked up a few and we managed to meet up with a CHIPS – California Highway Patrol – we handed over the personal ID cards, drivers license and pharmacy card for a young 24 year old woman. It appeared that things had been tossed out of the wallet over a two mile stretch. After handing over the personal cards, we cycled on another mile and found the wallet! It contained a few more photos, but we figured somebody stole the wallet while she was on the beach yesterday. The next sheriff we saw was in the town of Santa Cruz and we handed over the wallet to him. Don’t know what they do with those items but at least we feel it is in someone else’s hands.

When we walked around Davenport last night we asked the sheriff who was cruising by about leaving the bikes locked up outside and he indicated that should be fine. He did say bikes were the prime item for stealing by the homeless – and Davenport was pretty good about not letting the homeless stay around. He advised us when we got to Santa Cruz to be sure and lock them inside. After hearing that and knowing we were only 9 miles from Santa Cruz we brought the bikes into our room. last night, which we have done at most of the places we have stayed.

We did cruise through Santa Cruz on a beautiful coastal multi-use trail filled with joggers this morning. As soon as we arrived at the “Boardwalk” we stopped for a coffee. Continuing on along the boardwalk, it reminded us a little of Virginia Beach of old, amusement park, volleyball games going on and surfers.

We traveled across an old trestle bridge that was in the movie, “Lost Boys” vintage 1987.

From the coastal area, we traveled inland through Santa Cruz Harbor (Bill got his boat fix)

and then on to Target to pick up trail mix. From Target we cycled back down towards the coast into the  quaint town of Capitola, described as the oldest beach resort on the West Coast.  We have stopped for the day in Aptos. Before dinner we walked down to the Seacliff Beach State Park where families were enjoying the last of the Memorial Day weekend and we were missing ours. (Cue the violins)

Pictured below is a concrete ship, built in 1919 but decommissioned as WWI was coming to an end. It is used now as a barrier reef at the end of the Seacliff Pier and sadly, broke apart during bad storms this past February.

Tomorrow we head to Monterrey – another short ride.

After a wonderful day of R and R in Half Moon Bay, we left this beautiful coastal town to continue on down the coast.

We left Half Moon Bay early under cloudy skies and little traffic. As we cycled past the fields outside of town looking over the Pacific, I mentioned to Bill that it reminded me of the fields in Normandy.

With overcast skies and headwinds, it still was a beautiful day for cycling. Most of the day was on the coast with cliffs that have fallen away into the ocean.

Up and down rolling hills was the pattern for the day. We did take a break for lunch at the Highway 1 Brewery and plowed through a Ploughman’s lunch.

Bill sampled the Milk Chocolate Stout (only a 10 oz.).

After lunch traffic was a little heavier as the sun had come out and the vacationers were enjoying all the beaches in each of the protected coves along the coast. At one point we cycled past a major slide area that carried over on the ocean cliffs side as well.

I was grateful for the wide shoulders today and traffic so far has been courteous. We even had one truck driver who had pulled off at one of the vista points and cheered us on with “Keep getting it, yeah, yeah” as we started up another steep hill. Once we reached the top, he was driving past us tooting his horn for all he was worth and giving us a big thumbs up.

At one of the vistas, we could see (through the aid of Bill’s camera zoom) Ano Nuevo Island, with abandoned structures and herds of elephant seals and stellar sea lions. This Island is part of the Ano Nuevo Marine Reserve and is not open to the public. This island is also home to some seabirds, auklets , cormorants, and Western seagulls.

We arrived at our destination of Davenport with 40 miles accomplished today.As we cycled into the small town, we passed by the Cemex Plant – which has been shuttered (was owned by a corp. in Mexico. Due to increased levels of Mercury it has been closed down and now will become a park. Odwalla juices were also headquartered here for a few years before moving to Half Moon Bay.

We’re staying in an old Roadhouse( a small house behind the roadhouse with several rooms for guests).

We took a walk around the small village and checked out the church,

the jail, the local school and garden,

the general store, and an artists’ co-op operating out of an old Airstream trailer. I picked up some lavender soap made from goat’s milk and a copy of the book, Blue Mind, The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do. The book is written by Wallace J Nichols, a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences and founder of Ocean Revolution, SEETHE WILD, and LIVBLUE. I’m thinking that cycling next to the ocean definitely has made me healthier, happier, more connected and a better cyclist for sure!
After shopping in the Airstream Artists Co-op, we walked across Highway 1 to the bluffs to witness the beautiful power of water, again. I could sit and watch all day.

According to the Innkeeper at the Roadhouse, we should have seen whales as well, but they didn’t get the message. We returned to the Roadhouse for a scrumptious dinner and we’re checking the map for our ride tomorrow (a short one) to Aptos – the other side of Santa Cruz. We’ll spend some time cruising around Santa Cruz!

Trifecta plus one – hill climbing, no shoulder, headwinds, heavy traffic.

We left Daly City this morning and immediately started climbing a hill upwards of 650 ft., straight up it seemed. Then we had a quick ride down-both on neighborhood streets so we weren’t bothered by the traffic on Route 1.

After a quick breakfast sandwich in Pacifica, we headed up the long and winding Route 1 with traffic, no shoulder, and wind. By the time we reached the top I was breathing a sigh of relief  that we could

head off on an alternate trail (Devil’s Slide Trail) around the ocean side of these cliffs instead of through a tunnel that was built two years ago due to the constant rock slides and erosion. San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Dept. has created a nice 1.5 mile paved trail on the old Route 1 with beautiful vistas, historical and environmental information plaques. We met two young

fellows who had cycled up the same hill (they were from Oakland, CA) and they were as winded as we were upon arriving at the top. The climb was worth it and the photos below are proof.

We had a mostly downhill or flat, coastal route to cycle for the rest of the day and have secured lodging for the next two nights at Half Moon Bay.

With the Memorial Day weekend and more college graduations, it was difficult to find lodging. Half Moon Bay is a nice coastal town in which to spend an extra day. Might even get my nails done. Boy do they need it. We trekked into town using the coastal trail to avoid Route 1, got the laundry done and then headed out to an English pub for dinner. We still think we are in Ireland. Bill had real Guinness on draught and chowder.

Tomorrow we might hit the bookstore and walk on the beach and stow the bikes for the day.

Eagle Cafe, we have returned.

After 20 plus years, we  have finally made it back to San Francisco and had breakfast at the Eagle Cafe. When we were here umpteen years ago, Bill was on a “business trip” with the Shipyard and I was able to stay with him for the few days he was here. We walked down one morning to Pier 39 to have breakfast at the Eagle Cafe, where fisherman and ship captains, business men (and a few women) and blue collar dockworkers all shared the same tables. It was a unique experience.

After leaving Mill Valley this morning, we headed for the Golden Gate Bridge. With fog on the horizon, the views out over the water weren’t as picturesque but still this bridge is an amazing engineering feat. We crossed over on the east side. Different days have different sides to use to cross the bridge. Since it was early, 8:00 AM, we were crossing with (or should I say against) all the commuting traffic including cyclists and pedestrians.

Once we were actually on the bridge (we had to get the bikes down a set of stairs, cross under the bridge, then up a another set of stairs) it was smooth sailing but very noisy.

On the San Francisco side we traveled through Golden Gate Park and the Marina, then the historic Maritime district to Pier 39 where we finally were able to eat breakfast. The Eagle Cafe has been modernized a little since our first visit, but the views were great and the food was scrumptious.

After breakfast we went to the end of Pier 39 to watch the sea lions – they reminded me of Kate’s dogs, Dazey and Enzo, always lying on top of one another.

We cycled back the way we came then headed through the Presidio Park and Golden Gate Park again after taking a few detours to get us back on route.

After the construction site detour and the Lover’s Lane climb, we were back on our route and traveled through Golden Gate Park again to reach Great Highway, which parallels the Pacific Ocean headed to Daly City.

San Francisco is a very unique city. I have heard every language under the sun and what a diverse population – tourist and otherwise. This is the first city we have cycled through that has great cycle lanes, paths, and trails and many folks on bicycles.

We are done for the day in Daly City and will be in view of the Pacific tomorrow as we make our way to Half Moon Bay.

Today’s ride was so pleasant as most of the miles were traveled on back country roads or bicycle trails, even if we did end up at the wrong hotel and had to climb one more hill to get to the right one and it was a doozy of a hill – a short one that I walked about 1/2 of, once my front wheel came off the ground.

Our B and B served the two stage breakfast, coffee at 8:00 and breakfast at 9:00 (blueberry pancakes and sausage – um um good). During the “coffee hour” we struck up a conversation (imagine that) with a couple who had retired to Groveland, CA from Silicon Valley. They have horses and the B and B was set up with stables for the horses. We shared our cycling stories and they shared their horse camp stories. They have a daughter in Haymarket, VA.  We have similar interests – grandchildren, traveling, sailing. Their retirement home is a ranch near Yosemite.

After leaving the B and B and Point Reyes,

we had a gentle downhill ride for about 6 miles where we joined the Cross-Marin Bike Trail for another six miles.

After a lunch stop in Lagunitas, we traveled the highway miles on a route with a wide shoulder into Fairfax.

At this point we left the highway and traveled through several small towns; Fairfax, Ross, San Anselmo, on village streets – dedicated, signed bike routes – very pleasant. We arrived in Corte Madera at the hotel only to find out we were at the wrong one and had to go a few more miles to Mill Valley to the right one. We were able to go the last few miles on the Sausalito-Mill Valley Bike Path.

The closer we get to San Francisco, the more dedicated bike lanes, bike paths and bike trails we are finding.

Tomorrow morning we head to the Golden Gate!

Leaving Bodega Bay after our coffee and pastry breakfast, we heard barking sea lions as we passed by the fish house.

With the very low tide we thought we could see him, but he must have been under the pilings. A few miles outside of Bodega Bay, we were stopped for awhile for a road paving job. While the lead pickup truck passed through the ending checkpoint, we didn’t make it through and evidently the lady holding the stop and go sign didn’t notify the fellow on the far end. So we’re cycling through with traffic coming at us. Construction workers had us cycle on the wrong side of the road that had not been paved yet, to avoid the oncoming traffic. We made it safely to the open road and the rest of the trip was uneventful.

We left the ocean cliff riding for a day of rolling ranch country.

It is amazing to see this beautiful ranch country just on the other side of the rocky, coastal region. We can see why the pioneers fell in love with this part of the country – except for droughts – oh and earthquakes and tsunamis, on second thought…

After passing through Tomales, the road widened a little and followed Keys Creek through the hillsides, arriving at the edge of Tomales Bay.

We followed the Bay for the rest of the ride into Point Reyes Station. Tomales Bay is bordered by the Point Reyes National Seashore.

With the cloud cover and the fog hanging on the mountains to the west, we could have been in Scotland. In fact, across the bay the town was called Inverness. Guess others thought the same of the topography.

As we were climbing the last hill into Point Reyes Station, I heard a funny noise and felt a sliding of my seat. I stopped, Bill checked the saddle and the rail had broken.

He managed a temporary repair until we could find a bike shop. Luckily, there was a shop in Point Reyes Station.

And, double luck, they had a similar bike seat. Bill is complaining to the bike seat company. I’m just happy to have a seat that works. Riding that bike seat-less would be unacceptable.

Since our lodging was a few miles outside of town, we decided to have lunch after the bike shop stop. We brought a light dinner back with us to the B and B. Tomorrow we have a short ride to Mill Valley and then the next day, The Golden Gate!

We departed Gualala this morning early as we knew we had many miles to cycle today to reach Bodega Bay. Breakfast was not served until 8:30 at the motel so we cycled over to Trinks Bakery and picked up a cheap breakfast and some scones to go. We were “on the road” by 7:30. Ten miles south of Gualala, we cycled past Sea Ranch, an unusual planned community from 1963 that was the impetus for the development of the California Coastal Commission. The community is built along 10 miles of the California coastline and citizens wanted to have access to the beach. The homes are simple timber-framed structures,which “draw on the local agricultural buildings for inspiration, in the way that those buildings are designed to deal with prevailing weather and topography.” A herd of sheep is used in the summer to keep the grass cut. Pictured below is the Sea Ranch Chapel.

Past Sea Ranch, we came to an interesting “General Store” that had just re-opened a week ago. Inside are the old-fashioned floor to ceiling shelves with some antiques and some great food selections. In the back was the coffee shop and pastries from the Two Fish bakery. Naturally, we had to sample the Sticky Bun – scrumptious. The outdoor restrooms are decorated with an eye-catching bicycle on the roof to let folks know they are cycle-friendly.

Our route continued along the coast and past several ranches. We referred to the cows as Tumbledown cows – hoping they knew where the edge of the cliff was.

The edge of the cliffs was on my right most of the day, with the rolling hills again and patient drivers.

We did pull off at one point as a semi was coming one way, and one was coming the other way, meeting at the curve. Thank goodness we were off the road as one of them had to pull off to make the pass.

We passed by Fort Ross, site of a Russian settlement on the coast during the 1800’s.

We stopped in Jenner for a rest break and lunch at the Cafe – it was a nice break after 38 miles and a nice spot to bask in the sun.

One of the ladies who stopped to talk with us had just completed a bicycle race in Guerneville – where our kids had competed in a triathlon a few years back, swimming in the Russian River (see photo below).

We have stopped for the evening in Bodega Bay at the beautiful Bodega Bay Inn and will continue on tomorrow to Point Reyes Station.

Similar to our stay at the Westport Hotel a few days ago, we had a “first breakfast” delivered to our cottage room at 8:00 (coffee, ) and the second breakfast at 8:30. This little cottage (Sacred Rock Resort) is so nice it is hard to pack up and leave but leave we must as we have made reservations for the next four days down the coast.

Within a few miles and a downhill run outside of Elk, we were climbing our first hill on switchbacks up the hillside, tight curves and steep roadway, close to the cliff.

We met a unicyclist from Montreal named Vince. He is working on his Masters in Physics – and is taking time to cycle from Vancouver to Mexico – with a short break to fly to Calgary to present at a conference then he will travel to Miami to cycle up the Eastern coast to return home to Montreal. Quite a balance act when he cycles!

Our route today was totally on Route 1 and had those rollers up 300-400 ft than back down to the coast with a few curves thrown in.

At the stop pictured above, there were at least 60 sports cars that headed north and within an hour they must have turned around as they passed by us a few at a time. Along with the motorcycles and these sports cars apparently on a rally, it was like Thunder Road.

We are settled in Gualala for tonight and I was able to visit the local bookstore called the Four-eyed Frog. The owner’s dog was snoozing and the coffee was brewing. I love these small, independent bookstores.

Tomorrow we have a long ride, close to 50 miles to reach Bodega Bay. We’ll be staying in an inn run by the son of the woman who rented us the Rose Cottage in Guerneville, CA when our kids did a Triathlon there.

Rain today but we have places to go and things to do. We’re heading towards Mendocino with the hopes of visiting the Botanical Garden.

As it turned out, the Garden looked more like a nursery and so we traveled on 12 more miles to the coastal village of Mendocino, the rain had stopped for a little while and we stopped for a coffee and pastry at the Good Life Bakery and Cafe.

We talked with a lady who had just moved to Mendocino from  Palos Altos, she was so glad she made the move. Life is much slower and calmer is this little coastal village. Many of the buildings still remain from the 1850’s when it was a logging community. With the decline of logging during the 1950’s, an art community was established and is still going strong.

After our stop in Mendocino, we continued on Route 1 towards Elk. The coastal vistas are just beautiful and Bill had to stop every few miles to take photos.

Again, the climbs were of the rolling nature, not too steep and once you were at the top of a hill, you started down again.

We are staying in Elk tonight at the Sacred Rock Resort.

It is just a few cottages taken over and financed by the Miwuk Indians. Their plan is to refurbish many of the older homes near these cottages to make a coastal resort.

Once we unloaded our pannier bags, we walked down the road to the Greenwood State Park Visitor Center, in a building that used to house several families of “back to the landers” or “hippies” in the 1970’s. The Visitor Center has some of the crafts and products of the skills that these young families had to learn to survive in this backwoods community.  I was impressed with the stitchery – in fact – it rivals what my 93-year-old mother-in-law creates.

After leaving the Visitor Center, we walked along the coastal cliffs, admiring the Sacred Rocks after which this resort was named.

There were many times on our ride today where we said, “This reminds me of Ireland.” With the rain, the fog and then the mist, and the rocky coast, we could have been cycling the Ring of Kerry or Wicklow Gap.

We were delayed from leaving early this morning as the Westport Hotel doesn’t serve their first round of breakfast(coffee, fresh baked scones, jellies, butter, and a fruit dish- all delivered to your room) until 8:00 AM. Second breakfast is served downstairs at 9:00, a delicious sausage fritatta, fried potatoes and french bread toast with another selection of fresh jams.  Since our trip today is only about 20 miles, it’s not a problem. We just hope traffic won’t be too bad.

We left Westport around 10:00 AM, a far cry from our departure time yesterday. Route 1 was not too busy and all the vehicles were cautious in passing us.

The local folks say that the local drivers, truck drivers incuded, know that cyclists will be on the road and prepare for passing them. The ones we have to worry about are the old folks from out of state driving around in their big — RV’s . Lots of roller hills today, quick up and downs and not real steep made the ride fun.

After 12 miles on Route 1, we turned off to pick up a multi-use trail

that was called the Haul Road for the former lumber/logging company that operated out of Fort Bragg (now closed as of 2002 ) started as a family lumber company -sold to Union Lumber Co., then Boise Cascade, then Georgia Pacific – the 437 acre closed mill site in Fort Bragg is still owned by the Koch brothers and is still in remediation for toxic wastes, etc.  However, the city of Fort Bragg was able to create parklands and the multi-use trail along the coast (about 100 acres)(where the Glass Beach is located). Bill took some zoomed in photos from the top of the cliff to the beach below.

In the early 20th century, the beach was used as a dump site and years of wave action have created the tiny bits of sea glass – folks are asked to leave the glass but there were “pickers” when we cycled by today.

We stopped at Eggheads for lunch – great sandwiches, then on to two used bookstores, and now we are settled at the Best Western mapping out our route for the next few days. Hope to be in Bodega Bay by Monday.