Long day!
I woke up around six a.m. and quietly packed my stuff, then packed the bike. I was ready to go just before seven, and even though they’re not early risers, the whole family came out to say good-bye!
Today’s first goal was the Redwoods in northern California, though due to wildfires this year there was some question as to whether or not highway 199 from Grants Pass, OR to Crescent City, CA would be open. The fires in that area had done considerable damage to the road, guardrails, and much of the area around the road, and crews were still cleaning and repairing, and would be for the foreseeable future.
The area around Grants Pass had some heavy fog, but then that cleared up as I headed southwest for California. Leaving Grants Pass there was a temporary sign warning about road closures, and I should have paid more attention to what it said.
Not far into California the traffic was stopped due to construction and wildfire clean-up, and we sat there for a couple hours before the road was open again.
I talked with the young couple in the car in front of me for a while. They were from Arizona but had been on a cruise in Alaska. At one point they offered me a Pop-tart and I said, “Sure, and thanks!” It’s been years since I had one of those, and will probably be more years before I do again.
A truck driver in the line behind me wanted to show me a video he had taken yesterday in the same place. The video was of a woman doing yoga while waiting for traffic to start moving again. California is an interesting place.
When I finally reached the Redwoods I didn’t take the time to do any hiking, but there were plenty of the huge trees right next to the road, as the photos below will show. And wow, they are huge! Another thing I’ve noticed about the Redwoods in California is that they are not in just one place or area. Rather, they’re spread out all over northern California, and you might encounter a Redwood grove when you least expect it.
I stayed in Crescent City long enough to fuel the bike and myself, and then it was time to head down the California coast on highway 101. I had originally thought I’d make my way down to highway 1 and ride that for a while, but changed my mind and headed east on highway 36 with the goal of reaching Red Bluff, CA for the night.
While fueling the bike at a gas station in Rio Dell an older guy stopped to talk for a bit. When I told him I was going east on highway 36 he warned me to watch out “for those crazies up there in the mountains!” Not sure who he was referring to, and I didn’t meet any “crazies.” The one person I did speak with “up there” was a woman who had turned her car around to see if I was okay, and when I said I was fine she drove away. Seems like “the crazies” are friendly folks who watch out for each other.
On a fairly tight switchback I encountered a crew who were cleaning up the mess from a big truck that had taken the corner too fast and turned over. They didn’t seem to appreciate me stopping to take a photo, and some of them were waving frantically for me to ride on through. Not sure what the rush was, as there was very little traffic on that road.
The final stretch of highway 36 down into Red Bluff was tight and twisty, with arguably some good mountain views. Unfortunately I missed many of those views because the last hour or so was in the dark.
When I finally reached Red Bluff I was tired, a little stressed, and hoping to stay at the KOA in Red Bluff. The campground was behind a wall and a locked gate, which made me wonder what sort of city Red Bluff is. There was a phone at the gate for contacting the night crew, and the woman I spoke with said they only had four tent sites, and they were all taken. She recommended the Sycamore Grove Campground a few miles away, and I got the feeling she wanted me to leave.
By this point I probably should have just found a hotel, but I made my way to Sycamore Grove, a USFS campground located on the Sacramento River on the edge of town, reserved a campsite with my phone, and set up my tent. The feel of the campground was something out of the 1970s. Kind of strange, but it was only for one night.
Photo gallery of day 14
