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.