Cold, gusty winds along the Pacific sent me inland yesterday. If you live on the California coast you learn how to get warm quickly: go uphill a few miles or go east. A few miles east of Arcata on West End Road I rode into a new season: spring.
I shared the road with a few other cyclists and an occasional pickup.
Looking east from the Mad River bridge in the town of Blue Lake I saw clouds gathering over the foothills of the Trinity Alps. According to the locals 100 years ago there were so many salmon in these waters that "you could walk across the Mad River on their backs." Twenty years ago the river was close to fished out. Recently, however, the steelhead population has recovered and when the river is clear fishermen show up here to try their luck.
On the trip back to Bayside I rode through occasional rain squalls, but the Rans fairing kept me dry. Last night, for the first time in years, it snowed at sea level.
Nice blog you have here Gordon. I like blogs who's authors post pictures along their regular ride routes. What becomes old hat to us on our regular loops can sure be interesting to a fellow bike rider half a continent away.
ReplyDeleteThanks, RCT. If it ever stops raining around here you'll see more coastal rides here. I'm hoping to ride home from Seattle or Portland this summer on the new recumbent.
ReplyDelete73s Gordon N6IJB