I know, I know...I just keep harping on how great the scenery is...but it's true!!!  Our forecast this morning was for cooler than normal temperatures and a chance of rain but when we pulled out, it was not as cold as they predicted and the skies were sunny...maybe we'd make it dry.  As soon as we pulled out of the motel we began our climbing.  But first, a nice descent along a river on a county road before getting to the highway.  It's common around here for roads to be closed and this one had been in that state recently.  They had just repaired some of the roadbed that was affected by a slide but they hadn't put a hard surface to it yet (below left).  It wasn't bad and only about a quarter mile of gravel road before we got back on pavement.  On the highway, there was another place as seems to be the norm around here that had just been repaired but it was complete.  As we were climbing along the ridgeline it wasn't hard to understand why they have so many slides in these parts.  The road is just cut out of the mountain and it seems there's nothing to hold it up.  If the ground gets saturated, it's going to slide down the hill.  Aside from that, being on that road above the river was a sight to behold.

I was really feeling good today as I left the motel, but I could tell when I started to climb I had a hard day yesterday.  Until I got warmed up, the legs tried to revolt just a bit but it didn't take long for the blood to flow and for me to get into a good climbing rhythm.  I really enjoy the climbs out here...they seem to just keep coming.

We had several 1 mile ascents before the first SAG and we again were in and out of giant Redwood forests, through a couple tourist traps (Confusion Hill and Legend of Bigfoot), and along a river...where was the coast?  We were a bit more inland for the first 50 miles but that would change at the second SAG.

When we left the first SAG, we started up the famous Leggett Hill...a 4 mile, switchback climb that definitely woke us up.  But every effort has it rewards.  Cresting the top led us to a marvelous 9 mile descent with plenty of switchbacks to make it interesting.  I was in a zone in the climb and elated with the technical descent.  It's been awhile since I've felt the tires grip the road in a 45 degree bank zooming around a hairpin turn...one with the bike.  After bottoming out, we started another major climb of about 3 miles that was a little steeper than Leggett, but again the rewarding downhill was well worth the effort.  Plus, when we neared the bottom, we popped out along the coast again with breathtaking scenes of the surf below.  There were several places along the side of the road where there was nothing between the vehicles and the steep drop off to the ocean below.

We thought it couldn't get any better as Barb had set the SAG along the ocean...if it hadn't been for the gale force winds, I think people would have just camped there for the afternoon.  But when we left for the last 20 or so miles to Ft Bragg, we rode along a high ridge overlooking the ocean.  Again, we had to make several stops just to take it all in.  The only thing bad about the scenery was we never saw any wheat again today. 

Karen and I finally got to town just before 2:00.  Just out side of town we found a beat up bike path that skirted the ocean for about 3 miles and dumped us back on the highway on the outskirts of town.  We did the usual...stop at a bike shop, tour the downtown, and look for a McDonalds for a bite to hold us to dinner.  The good news was there was a McDonalds just past the motel about a mile.  The bad news was, after we got a bite, we had to ride back to the motel against the wind that had been pushing us all afternoon.  I must say it was quite a different perspective riding north.  It was all I could muster to hold 13 and the side gusts blew me all over the shoulder.  I guess wind is good if you are going the right direction.  I always say, every wind is a tailwind for somebody.

Another successful day...everyone in safely.  At rap we talked about tomorrow's challenges.  It promises to be another good climbing day...what's new.  We're also expecting to see some more awesome scenery and we'll cross our half way mileage point at one point during the day.  I'll be in the van recording our progress.  We're supposed to be in a shower area tomorrow...same as today and we stayed dry so we hope our luck will continue.  Check back and see how we do.  I promise to show you some of the sights.  M