Another day of the coast - well mostly. Fort Bragg was blocked out by fog in our rear view mirror as we headed south. After Mendocino, the road veers up into the redwoods again, and here's where we made a wrong turn. Missing a sharp right across a bridge, we continued on route 128. A charmed ride through the Navarro River Redwoods State Park captivated us until the heat began to rise and we realized we were heading away from the coast. An about face at Navarro, a quirky little town of a couple houses and luckily a gas station, took us back through the forest. Not a bad mistake to make, we enjoyed our fallibility.
Back on Highway 1, we relived our intoxicating ride of yesterday as more cliff hanging curves and 180 degree switchbacks challenged Jules and Rascal. We rode through few small towns with names like Elk and Manchester that boasted under 100 residents.. This part of the coast is largely uninhabited, but a few glass mansions peeked out from the rocks above us, staring down at the crashing waves.
We picnicked on bluffs overlooking the ocean with the wind blocked by huge junipers. The varieties of plants that thrive here is amazing. Eucalyptus frequent our ride sending their pungent odors down to us. Wildflowers of unimaginable color, size and beauty grown on cliffs blasted by the cold ocean wind and nourished by the fog.
The quaint little sea town of Gualala called us in early today. Our motel sits on cliffs overlooking sea stacks being carved by the constant work of the ocean. We spent the rest of our day exploring a path along the bluffs, enjoying a dinner by the sea and watching the sun set by a campfire.
We are riders and travelers. Our excitement comes from mountain roads and cliff side leaning. The spectacle of America whizzes by us at breathtaking speed. Today we caught our breath and enjoyed each other and our setting in situ. Tomorrow is another day...
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