Lost in Trinidad

Nearly every weekend I meet bike tourists who are traveling up and down the west coast. Most are confused by Humboldt County roads, which seem to point away from the ocean. Tours that started from as far north as Southern Alaska plan to continue to San Francisco, Mexico, even as far as the tip of Argentina. After traveling hundreds of miles along the ocean through Oregon on Rte 101, it's not unreasonable to conclude that Rte 101 must be the fastest way south through "the foothills" of Humboldt County. Needless to say, that route neatly misses The Hammond Trail, Arcata, the Samoa Peninsula and The Ocean.

And here's what WE are missing...

Philip B. from London had flown to Seattle where he purchased a $400 cruiser bike with front suspension, fat tires and rack. Nobody told Philip that this was not an ideal touring setup for a trans-continental trip so he set out in his street clothes for Los Angeles. Since he was on a budget, he carried no camera, no ipod and no cell phone--just the essentials: a small pack, a good water bottle and a good pair of sneakers. And of course an alto saxophone..."because when a tune comes into your head, you want to play it."

We desperately NEED people like Philip to be able to find Arcata! He didn't know about the beautiful bayside campground we have waiting for cycling tourists on the Samoa peninsula. He didn't know about the Arcata Coop or The Arcata plaza. Just north of Trinidad he was about to resign himself to 100 miles of mostly unnecessary freeway cycling when I showed up with an alternative plan...

Happily, The Natural Resources Services Division of the Redwood Community Action Agency is working on a much-needed update to the ten year-old Humboldt Bay Area Bike Map. This is a worthwhile project and these people deserve your support.

Here's the contact information for the woman in charge:

Jennifer Rice, Co-Director
Natural Resources Services Division
Redwood Community Action Agency
904 G Street
Eureka, CA 95501
707.269.2060
707.445.0884 fax
www.nrsrcaa.org