Jun 28, 2015

We already had a big trip lined up but added to the time greatly by following the recommendation of a local to strike off Hwy 101 to # 1 and travel through Leggett to the Chandelier Tree and experience the Avenue of the Giants, basically the original highway #1 with giant redwood trees and it was awesome. The trees were spectacular and the road incredible! Very few services but also very little traffic and looked surprisingly isolated even though it is only over the hills from mainstream civilisation, Bizarre. The ride was one of intense concentration moving from counter steering in one direction to another without time to stand the bike up in between time after time often and the gradient and camber were delicious. Waaaay better than we anticipated. We moved from chilly weather and sea mist / fog for most of the day to quite hot  this afternoon as we came into Sonoma where we felt right at home amongst many eucalypts and the countryside looked surprisingly familiar like around the Yea area with yellow dry grassed hills with luscious green vineyards spreading along the flats and up into the hills. A bit scary really since this is early in the summer here. The California hills are brutally dry. Enjoy the pics:

The Avenue of the Giants.

 

 

　

Some houses being refurbished at Westport. This is close to Abalone Point and if it is aptly named it would explain the huge numbers of caravans and divers we passed.

　

Delicious roads up and down.

　

And the mist moves out enough to get a shot of some rocks on the shore.

　

Coming into Fort Bragg, an awesome old railway bridge now a footbridge.

　

And a Guest House Museum which was just lovely.

　

Heading south out of Fort Bragg. An awesome bridge we actually crossed over on # 1.

　

And a shot through Anderson Valley as we headed from the coast towards our hotel in Sonoma.

　

Almost into Sonoma.

　

A Sonoma street view. Some of many attractive buildings. A lovely comfortable feel here.

　

The Town Hall.

Last Night's Accommodation:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Eureka, 815 West Wabash Avenue (the opposite direction to all the GPS maps) Eureka, CA 95501.

Another nice comfortable space. Walking distance to dinner, included breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi.