Golden Hills Today we meet up somewhere along the line with Roxanne and her parents! They spent some time in Portland and have been driving down to San Francisco for the past two days. We have planned to meet them today and I could not be more excited! We left Zoe and Rob knowing that we probably wouldn't see them again, as they were taking it easy today. It is sad to leave new friends, kind of like summer camp (which I never went to but I think it's like that?). Our first stop of the day was Bodega Bay. Before we left on the trip, this was one of the places I thought would be the nicest. Something about the name got me. When we got there, this was not the case. It was lackluster and didn't even have a good restaurant. What?! Preconceived notions don't always work out. That's what places like Stewart's Point and Westport are for, right? We left Bodega Bay and were on our way towards Samuel P Taylor Park, which we have heard nothing but good things about. As we left Bodega Bay, we also left the coast. We were headed inland where the grass is golden and the temperatures are high. It was very sunny and very hot and very hilly. Not my favorite conditions, but Derek was in heaven. We came to a town and pulled over to take our leg warmers off. I get a phone call saying don't go anywhere. I look up and there is Roxanne! Woo Hoo! A sight for sore eyes. I was a little bummed that we weren't riding though. I had this great scene in my head where we would be riding gallantly along the highway and they would pull up next to us honking and yelling. Not the case. That's okay. Westport. Stewart's Point. After a quick visit, we were on our way again. Something worth noting is the It's It Ice Cream Sandwich. They are all over California and I had my first at a convenience store with Roxanne. Oatmeal cookie, vanilla ice cream, coated in chocolate. Yes, please! Our next stop was Point Reyes Station. This is a super cool small town with neat buildings, unique shops and what looked like tasty restaurants. I love running into these cool places unexpectedly. They had a bike shop called BLACK MOUNTAIN CYCLES that looked amazing. Unfortunately, it was closed. Of course. Even without going in, I recommend it, based on what I saw inside. Vintage road and mountain bikes, Phil Wood parts and anything good that is cycling related. Next time... After seeing Roxanne again, we headed off to the campsite. This was turning out to be our longest day of the trip. It was going to be a 70 mile day by the time we got to the site. After getting lost several times, we finally found the road that would take us to Samuel P Taylor. It was a long, hilly, open road. Pretty scenic, but a little nerve racking until we knew it was the right way. This would have been a HUGE detour if we were wrong. As we approached the campground, Roxanne and her parents drove by. What a relief! We pulled into the campsite and were treated to more Redwood trees, an isolated campsite and a stream behind us. We were camping with Roxanne and her parents tonight in our own site. A nice change. As an extra bonus, the showers were FREE!!! While in Point Reyes, Roxanne and her parents picked up a couple pizzas from a wood fired pizza place. And cokes. Best way to end a day after spending a day on a bike for 70 miles. Ed, Roxanne's dad, noticed some bats by the stream and we made it just in time to see a couple. Really cool! I can't believe this Redwood Forest was in the middle of these rolling, golden hills. Then, Justin came by and told us that who other than Ben was here! No way! We went up and talked with him. We couldn't believe he was here. We thought he would be in SF by now since we took a rest day. He had taken it easy and was headed there tomorrow. What a funny kid. After smores and hanging out by the campfire, it was bed time. I was out like a light bulb!
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AuthorThis blog will follow my friend Derek and me along our bicycle tour from Portland, OR to San Francisco, CA and the events leading up to it. Archives
August 2012
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