Well Amanda, here is another one of the days you told me would happen. Today was certainly not a day for me to celebrate.
It started out ok. Early to rise and out to get my breakfast ready in the camp. A beautiful morning with the likelihood of a sunny day. As soon as I got on the road i couldnt get the legs going, even tho the road was reasonably flat at this point. My destination was Bodega Bay some 64 miles down. Heading to San Francisco.I guess I am paying for the couple of hard days I put in earlier. Then I hit the rollercoaster road the same as yesterday and it is getting tedious.No sooner you get up one and down the other side and another looms. Leg Wreckers!! I try talking to myself to get some motivation and it works for a while. So this way I keep moving.
The climatology along this coast is weird im cycling along and i see what looks like smoke wafting across the road ahead. As i get closer I realise its fog rolling in 200yards ahead of me. I know as soon as I hit it the temp will immediately by about 10 degrees. Its cold and wet and lasts for only a couple of hundred yards and then sun again. Its weird. Never experienced anything like it before.
Stop for coffee and a bun and that takes me further. Then I meet 2 guys broken down on the side of the road. Stop for a chat. They are repairing a spoke and truing a wheel. I soon head on looking for food and find a restuarant a few miles down the road. Soon the two boys arrive in with the same idea and we have lunch and a bit of crack. We are all heading to Bodega Bay and agree to meet there.
Heading off refreshed and ready and feeling positive. Few miles down the road, I hit this hill or mountain and grind it up. After 3 miles I see what I think is the top. Struggle up to see another climb round the bend and up it goes again for another mile. Then another that is steeper. Then over the top...hurray!! fast switchback down. But dangerous so have to keep the brakes on. Then just when im on for a 6 mile descent round the bend it kicks again and again and again. I have to hit the brakes hard on the descent when I meet cattle on the road. The scenery is fantastic with fog over the sea way below me. But its cold and im really tired. Seems like an age later the town of Jenner comes and I say enough is enough. 10 miles short of my destination I give up and roll into a B & B for the night.
TIME FOR MY MOAN...
I havent had one in a while and I am really pissed about this. And as you all know I love my rants..
I lost the coverage on my Irish phone in Coos Bay about 300 miles back and never got it back. Now my American phone has had no coverage for the last 75 miles. I stop in a town to buy some credit for it and find I am unable to contact the company IT&T. Probably the biggest company in America, to have the phone credited.
This country is THIRD WORLD when it comes to telecommunications.
I am 80 miles from San Francisco for gods sake!!, probably the second biggest city on the west coast and I have no phone cover. I just cant believe that.
Could you imagine not having phone cover in Dundalk! There would be uproar. So I am seriously pissed... Gripe over!
Ill pick up the 10 miles in the morning. Dont worry.....
7 comments:
Hi John,Amanda here, I have been following your blog with interest, you are doing fantastic, nobody said it would be easy..but keep smiling, you are almost there! Well done!
Well done Dad your doing fantastic. Who would have ever thought you'd have done 1,000 miles already. Your fabulous.
Loads of love from me and all my boys. I'll send you some pics by email xxx
hi dad,
can you tell us in your blog the name of the hotel or campsite you stay in each night , cos we can look it up on google earth photos.
keep it up , real proud!
Hey Amanda. good to hear from you. How was your holiday. Hope john enjoyed it. E mail me some photos. Keep watching!
Hi Pauline, yes im doing good. miss you and marco and the boys. cruising nicely now.
Hi Sean
I was in the Jenner Inn in Jenner last night. Had to stop or die!
Im at the Olema Campground tonight. San Fran tomorrow.Days Inn
keep watching
Hello John,
What you need is a pint or two! At least, it is not raining. Talking to yourself is really important. (I do that all the time. Keeps you on-task!) So, keep it up. I am sorry, you missed out on having dinner with the guys from the road. Maybe you'll catch them in San Fran., an amazing city.
You are on an adventure of a life-time. There are tons of people yellow with envy out there.
Don and I are following your progress and are so glad that all is well
--Piroska
Hey Piroska, thought you had dissapeared on me.I am really good now.caught up the next day and by all accounts I had the better deal.Arrived in San Fran today. Looking forward to resting the old bones.
Still enjoying the camping.
Hello John,
The reason for the silence: Don and I were off visiting son #1 in Austin, TX. We'll be leaving soon for Europe. (Don has a meeting and then we are to see the Hungarian segment of the family.) I'll try to check in every now and then, provided I can get to a computer and an Internet. Keep up the good work! Boy, you'll have so much to tell!
Enjoy San Francisco. It is certainly a magnificent city and fun to explore at this time of year.
-- Piroska
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