Bike Odyssey
Alaska 2006
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| David Linda Bike Odyssey E-Mail: djf01@bikeodyssey.com.au | |
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| Journal for 20-Sep : Samuel Taylor State Park (outskirts of San Francisco) |
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I woke nice and early, got everything packed and got my taxi with Kronas to spare. Even enough for the bike handling (/tossing) fee. Checked in OK. Made a good start captioning my photos, till the camera battery complained of being flat. While waiting to board Frank, who I met in Kemijarvi, strolls in. We chatted for an hour or two, and showed off our photos. He'd ridden further south than me, and had some loverly weather, at least at midnight. Unlike me, he has a wonderful collection of photos, though I think I should put it mostly down to Frank having a better eye than me. Sat next to some kids on the flight to Oslo. Uneventful flight, but baggage slow to arrive. Had to re-check bike (box now disintegrating after being left out in the Oslo rain). Luggage handling took 2&1/2 hrs if this 3hrs layover. Flight to CPH delayed by incredibly slow boarding. Got bag and bike quickly at CPH. I then made a fantastic decision: I left my bike and bag with a left luggage service. I then made a terrible decision: I decided to leave my raincoat in the checked baggage. Rained cats and dogs walking the two blocks from the train station to the hotel. I got very very wet. Left my CC in reception. Forgotten how to use the thing. Wandered about the streets of downtown Copenhagen getting wet looking for food. Nothing but B&B hotels, fruit & basic grocery stores in basements run by Afghanis. Finally found a pizzeria for dinner and to write up this journal. Good early start. Actually not all that early, the sun doesn't come up till after 7am now. Riding through undulating dairy country on a no shoulder highway. Traffic already heavyish, and it's before 9 and I'm still 200ks from San Francisco. After Gualala the traffic eased off a bit - much to my surprise - and became more touristy (ie patient) and less crazy. Pretty good coastal scenery, but undulating difficult road. Good fine sunny day. Salt Point state park full of Casurina trees. Starting to look like home. After Fort Ross the road did some massive cliff climbing. Narrow, winding, trucks, RVs, tourists etc, plus my fear of heights! There are these birds of prey, I think they are "golden eagles", but I'm not sure - but the American equivalent of the Aussie Whistling Kite. They are hovering eve where along this coast. Today I got to ride *above* one of these graceful birds, looking down on it as it climbed the thermals created by the cliff I was perched on. My you-beaut new bike computer decided the screaming downhill an ideal spot to stop working. Road sanity restored after Jenner. Actually got back to narmal:busy with minimal shoulder, and endless undulations. Nice fish & chip lunch at Bodega Bay, cooked by Mexicans. More hills to Tomales. Met newbie English couple having all sorts of problems: like walking uphills, how to park their bikes, wasps etc. Road returned to the coast for some wonderful tailwind riding along Tomales Bay, and almost completely devoid of traffic. It's fabulously beautiful, but no-one lives here. Maybe because the bay is where the San Andreas Fault comes onshore. Ate half a watermelon at Point Reyes. Racoons pestering my campsite as I write this. Not scared of people at all, just having their photo's taken. << Prev - Next >> |