Eureka

So I crossed into California yesterday, after a week of rain and headwinds in Oregon. The clouds immediately parted, and I've had two days of sun and tailwinds. I kid you not, this state is magical. The next week is supposed to be wet again, but I'm not thinking about that at the moment, only how nice and warm it is outside! I had a short days ride today, 46 miles from Elk Prairie to the Eureka KOA. Not particularly scenic, as the 101 travels away from the coast in this region. I did take a couple of side trips towards the water during the course of the day, among them Patrick's Point State Park. Sheer cliff walls drop down to a shoreline dotted with sea stacks and a number of colonies of seals and sea lions. A stunning view, paired with the beautiful sunny weather. Yesterday afternoon at Elk Prairie I met a group of extremely Granola outdoor ed teachers preparing to lead a class of kids into the redwood forests. They were a great group, and I took full advantage of their exceptional generosity, eating dinner and breakfast with them as well as generally mooching human company around their campsite. Tomorrow I'm off to Marine Grove, a relatively flat day of about 55 miles. It's a fairly short ride, so I may take the time to check out the town of Eureka in the morning; it's supposed to be a great tourist destination, so maybe I'll see what it's all about.
-Nick