Day 24 report - supplemental

Indian restaurant full! No Jalfrezi for Jimbo tonight...BAH!

----------
Sent from AT&T's Wireless network using Mobile Email

Day 24 report - pt 3

...I chose Fairfax as i knew it had a library. This would be good for photo catch up and getting some info on bike travel in san fran. However <engage rant mode> they have the only library in the known universe to choose to be shut on a friday! Monday i can understand...<exit rant mode> but, you know, its their library and its a privilige to use them while im here so i cant complain really. Thanks to bro Neil for getting my transport info.

Ok, that is all for today. My beady-all-seeing-eyes spotted an Indian restaurant nearby and ive not had a jalfrezi for weeks. Mmmmm jalfrezi...

----------
Sent from AT&T's Wireless network using Mobile Email

Day 24 report - pt 2

...the tour group I met yesterday were on their last day today. They had stopped for a coffee after c15 miles. I couldve stopped for the banter but id had a snack stop only a few miles before and didnt want to intrude too much.

The scenery was a bit different as my route took me inland a little. I almost thought id been teleported back to scotland as it was a bit rolling hill and loch. Then i saw a road sign for inverness...come ON!

A brief hello to Wayne from BC (met him before) before lunch in point reyes station - I wonder if a lot of Canadians are called Wayne after Mr Gretsky of Ice Hockey fame?

I was only left with 20 flattish miles after lunch so never did have my customary 10 mile break. All good until 1.5 miles from fairfax - puncture #4. Do I walk it in? Neg. A bit of a pain to need some engineering so close tho.

Fairfax is a nice place. Im sure its just about in the commuter belt and i saw a few flash motors.

I also saw another bike tour group...their last day too...tbc

Day 24 Report - Bodega Bay to Fairfax pt 1

Total miles 51.6
Average speed 13.1mph
Total Ascent 899m

Today had a slight "last day of the tour" feel. Dont worry, im not jacking it in! From here i have only 17 miles to san fran (plus a couple mile detour to visit Unc Keith and Aunt Dorothy's friends on the way.) I will then have 3 days off the bike to recover and prepare for the final 630 miles to San Diego. My poor old body could do with a break. Injury update

Head - tired but fine. op cap 88%
Neck - trem. op cap 97%
Back - A-ok. op cap 85%
Legs - Like a well oiled machine. op cap 92%
So why do I need a break?
Saddle - nippy. op cap 61%
Arms - don't fail me now! op cap 35%

Despite adjustments to set up that helped a little the muscles and tendons above and behind my elbow are dying for a rest. What is slightly perturbing is that my right hand seems to have lost a little strength - my writing is even worse than normal! Im hoping a good rest will sort this.

Back to the report. I briefly saw the tour group from yesterday...tbc

Day 23 Report - pt 2

...and as the cycle tour chose the same lunch spot as me (a nice wee river estuary side cafe) there was chat with lunch. They were on day 5 of a 6 day tour. About 50 miles a day and winetasting and gourmet food. Sound good? Yup.

I only had 10 miles to go after lunch and got a motel room in a place called Bodega Bay. At yesterdays breakfast a guy called Edward from shropshire had told me Hitchcock filmed "the birds" here. Spooky then that on spinning into town the first thing i noticed were the swarms (flocks?) of noisy starling type birds!. There are also many more birds down on the harbour. I witnessed a brawl between a cormorant and a heron over a roosting area. Cormorant won! But the Heron then displaced a gull form his faavourite spot. The natural pecking order i suppose (sorry!).

Ok Im all caught up on reports but im sure ive got some more pics of the Oregon coast to post ;) Maybe tomorrow...Im sure theres an old song with those words...!

Day 23 Report - Gualala to Bodega Bay pt1

Total miles 47.5
Average speed 12.6mph
Total Ascent 1037m

The first thing i noticed this morning was the slightest merest hint of a hangover. What what what?! I hear you say! Fear not, if breakfast didn't dispell it, the first few miles certainly did. Today I was riding into a nasty headwind and the sun no longer had his hat on.

Reason(s) for hangover was a glass of red with my meal then two pints in the bar. This is actually not normally hangover material - but one of the pints was a Firebrand IPA - circa 9% - delicious and deadly!

Ok so ive got a nasty headwind. But whats this? A cycle tour group? Surely i can get some shelter and draft them for a while! Er no. These guys had a support vehicle so were not carrying any weight. Therefore the ones who'd be good for drafting behind were also impossible for me to stick with on the many steep little (and not so little before a place called Jenner) climbs.

Ah well, i was happy enough with the occasional chat and shelter...tbc

Day 22 report pt 2

...I was to bump into Burhan and Mrs Burhan again later in the day.

Id originally planned a short 47 miler to Point Arena but the motel there was not up to scratch (to say the least). Ive stayed in loads of motels now and although sometimes the decor can be tired etc theyve all been clean...until now. So i saddled up and contemplated a few extra miles. No stress yet as it was only 3 or so. I encountered my Turkish friends again and they suggested carrying on to Gualala. This was accompanied by a song from Burhan GuaLalalala boom gualalalala boom (which i couldnt resist finishing off) gualalalala boom boom da da da da! Tremendous.

So gualala it was and a nice place it is too.

----------
Sent from AT&T's Wireless network using Mobile Email