Fortuna to Clear Lake
We woke up to a drizzly and cloudy dawn but our spirits were high and looking forward to another days riding. If it turned out like yesterday we wouldn’t be disappointed. After a quick continental breakfast at the Super 8 motel and packing the gear away we were soon on the road to see The Avenue of the Giants, what a name! The drizzle soon cleared away but left a fine mist around the trees which added to the mystery of the place. If we had thought the trees were large yesterday to-day they were twice as large. Being in their presence seemed to make you want to whisper, they were simply quite astonishing and it went on for miles. This forest of red woods we were informed is the largest area of standing red woods in the USA. As we came out of the forest Don, with a slight twinkling in his eye, informed us we would be taking a back road onto the coast of California.
As usual the road we took was miles of switch backs, bends , zig zags, right angle turns and up and downs, never a piece of straight road for miles.
Every time we arrived at these sections Don would put us in front and just say “ follow your noses down the road” allowing us to discover the road ahead. The day had gradually improved and we started to have patches of sunshine breaking through, but as we descended towards the coast the mists returned. When we arrived at the actual coast it was so misty that we had difficulty seeing the sea, and we were on the actual edge of the cliffs above it. Thankfully as we continued down the coast the mist cleared and we were able to appreciate the magnificent views . Just like in the movies in places this road follows the very edge of the cliffs with the sea bounding the cliffs below. As we zoomed around the bends with the ocean pounding the cliffs below you we were only short of some James Bond music in the back ground. For lunch we stopped at one of Dons favourite burger stops which he had told us was one of the best in the area, and it was. After lunch we continued down for a further few miles and then cut across country heading for Clear Lake and Dons home. The good riding really started again. This was his home territory and as he lead into Clear Lake we had a hard time keeping up with him has we twisted and turned though the mountains. We had started off in magnificent forests, descending to the coast of the Pacific, which we had traversed, now we where zooming through the hills of California and its wine country finally ending up at the largest natural lake in the county, what a day. The sun had been beating down since we had left the coast and we were now in our lighter riding gear as we approached Don’s home, and what a home it is, right on the very edge of the lake with its own boat docking area, how lucky could we have got.
We spend the evening having a Chinese meal and a pleasant evening just chatting about bikes, climbing and the future. We just could never have wished for a better guide and companion to have taken us on this three day journey of discovery. To discover the roads we have ridden would have been impossible without his help. When we had reached California we had thought the best bit of riding would be over, in fact the best bit had yet to come. Thanks Don and Debbie for all your help and friendship I only hope that some day we can give you the same hospitality in Spain
We woke up to a drizzly and cloudy dawn but our spirits were high and looking forward to another days riding. If it turned out like yesterday we wouldn’t be disappointed. After a quick continental breakfast at the Super 8 motel and packing the gear away we were soon on the road to see The Avenue of the Giants, what a name! The drizzle soon cleared away but left a fine mist around the trees which added to the mystery of the place. If we had thought the trees were large yesterday to-day they were twice as large. Being in their presence seemed to make you want to whisper, they were simply quite astonishing and it went on for miles. This forest of red woods we were informed is the largest area of standing red woods in the USA. As we came out of the forest Don, with a slight twinkling in his eye, informed us we would be taking a back road onto the coast of California.
As usual the road we took was miles of switch backs, bends , zig zags, right angle turns and up and downs, never a piece of straight road for miles.
Every time we arrived at these sections Don would put us in front and just say “ follow your noses down the road” allowing us to discover the road ahead. The day had gradually improved and we started to have patches of sunshine breaking through, but as we descended towards the coast the mists returned. When we arrived at the actual coast it was so misty that we had difficulty seeing the sea, and we were on the actual edge of the cliffs above it. Thankfully as we continued down the coast the mist cleared and we were able to appreciate the magnificent views . Just like in the movies in places this road follows the very edge of the cliffs with the sea bounding the cliffs below. As we zoomed around the bends with the ocean pounding the cliffs below you we were only short of some James Bond music in the back ground. For lunch we stopped at one of Dons favourite burger stops which he had told us was one of the best in the area, and it was. After lunch we continued down for a further few miles and then cut across country heading for Clear Lake and Dons home. The good riding really started again. This was his home territory and as he lead into Clear Lake we had a hard time keeping up with him has we twisted and turned though the mountains. We had started off in magnificent forests, descending to the coast of the Pacific, which we had traversed, now we where zooming through the hills of California and its wine country finally ending up at the largest natural lake in the county, what a day. The sun had been beating down since we had left the coast and we were now in our lighter riding gear as we approached Don’s home, and what a home it is, right on the very edge of the lake with its own boat docking area, how lucky could we have got.
We spend the evening having a Chinese meal and a pleasant evening just chatting about bikes, climbing and the future. We just could never have wished for a better guide and companion to have taken us on this three day journey of discovery. To discover the roads we have ridden would have been impossible without his help. When we had reached California we had thought the best bit of riding would be over, in fact the best bit had yet to come. Thanks Don and Debbie for all your help and friendship I only hope that some day we can give you the same hospitality in Spain
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