Day 23: First 100k and the Avenue of the Giants!
After last night’s entry, Phill gave an impromptu photography lesson. Have now at least opened the “master” settings on my phone camera now and have a vague idea how to take a long exposure photo which was a first. Photo attached but full credit for it goes to Phill.
Was up and out by 8pm as I knew today would be a 100km day, the longest day so far. Made a quick stop at Walmart to pick up a faster 60 watt charger and a USB-C to USB-C cable. My power bank was at 10% and likely won’t have power outlets tonight. So a more powerful charger would be great so an hour at a coffee shop would charge it more. Turns out it wasn’t a 60 watt input but dual 30 watt output. And the USB cable was a USB-C to IOS cable. So that was a total failure of a walmart expedition.
Met 2 other bike tourers on the road today. They were just finishing up a 4 day tour. They also recommended “to shake the sleeping self” which is now the 3rd recommendation for this book I have gotten in the last couple of weeks.
Was a stretch with a couple of hills. Got a call from a friend back home so talked shite for an hour which certainly made those hills easier.
The first half of the day was through rural countryside and back roads which was nice. The 2nd half of the day was through the redwood forests and the Avenue of the Giants. The Avenue of the Giants was Sunning. But I feel like I have overused that word. Phenomonial, Magical, Unbelievable. I am running out of ways to say stunning. Ancient trees as far as the eye can see on each side of the road, mile after mile, some of which are 1000’s of years old. Words fail me so I will add pictures which also don’t do it justice.
Today was a 100 km day. When I arrived at camp, my Garmin read 99.6 km. The question is am I mature enough to press finish on my Garmin or am I childish enough to cycle around camp to get another 400 meters to get my first 100 km of the tour?… Yeap, I cycled around camp…
Camp tonight is at Burlington and the Germans are here too. My camp cooking until now has been a packet of rice plus a can of some kind of beans or soup or stew or something thrown on top. But I have been super jealous of the great camp cooking of the Germans so today I decided to cook real food. Onions, Zucchini, minced pork meat, tomatoes, and tons of garlic powder. It is more weight to carry around, more time to cook, but definitely worth it.
Tomorrow’s goal is Standish-Hickey. Also seems like the map on my website is broken but motivation to fix it is hard to come by.
P.S: Garmin doesn’t seem to want to allow me to export GPX track for today so no map yet. Will try this again later.
