June 2, was an overcast, cool, low 60's, morning. The ride through the Redwoods was very mellow, minimal traffic, perhaps 2 or 3 cars, in either direction. We were headed for Garberville today.
We stopped in a small village called Myer's Flat. There was a grocery store and a coffee shop. Frank and Geno were ensconced in outdoor chairs enjoying the mellow morning when Bob and I pulled up. I was ready for a second cup of coffee and something to eat. As I entered I couldn't help but notice two women engaged in a very animated conversation. During the time we were here one woman in particular would escalate, her voice and animation increasing, while her friend would interject comments, when possible, at an equally intense level. The proprietor was engaged with an acquaintence and seemed friendly, smiling, engaged. During the preceding I was scanning the menu boards determining what was available and what did I want. When I had made a decision I turned back toward the proprietor and was casually listening to their conversation, which seemed to be about upcoming music festivals and one just past. The propietor noticed me and immediatly stopped the conversation indicating he had a customer. When he turned to me his whole attitude seemed to change. Instead of the smiling, friendly person he had been a few seconds before he became perfunctory with a bit of surliness thrown in. I ordered a coffee drink and a bagel and cream cheese. I inquired if the bagel could be toasted? He replied he was not a mind reader. I thought what does that have to do with toasting a bagel and asked again if toasting the bagel was possible? He said again he was not a mind reader and the bagel would be toasted. I paid for the purchase wondering what was it about me to cause this personality change. Bob had wandered in as I was ordering and did not seem to set off in the proprietor the same attitude. I asked Bob later when we were seated outside if he had noticed anything about the guy inside and he hadn't noticed anything at all. This incident was the only unpleasant interchange with a local I experienced during our whole trip.
Thinking back, now, I wonder if it was some sort of psychic overlap from the morning when I learned the plan was not to eat breakfast in Redcrest around 9 AM, but to travel on down the road. I take fosomax once a week for osteopenia. Fosomax requires one to take only water for 30 to 60 minutes first thing in the morning. I had anticipated a very laid back morning, which was not going to happen. I thought this was a disruption of my routine, but later realized riding for an hour before eating was not anything unusual in my fosomax routine or my biking routine in general. I had barked at Geno when I learned about the change in plans. I could not know of the change in plans because I was not a mind reader and Geno could not know of my once a week fosomax routine because he is not a mind reader either.
After Myer's Flat we had to travel on Highway 101. Although the traffic was fast and dense, compared to what we had been experiencing, the shoulder was wide. We had a real breakfast in Miranda. After breakfast we plugged along and rolled into Garberville in the early afternoon. We selected a motel and as we entered our room the rain started. Weather forecasts had indicated rain through the night into the next day. We elected to layover in Garberville for an extra day.
Before dinner Bob and I saw Ironman 2 in the local movie theater. The theater impressed me as a building created during the heyday of logging, luxurious appointments, but had seen a few decades of neglect, and now was starting to see some revitalization although there was a lot of work needed to restore it to its former glory. The theater may be used for concerts and plays also as the stage seemed to indicate use. Ironman 2 is a pleasant distraction. I will rent it for Marcia, (my wife, for those who do not know) to see in the future.
Day 10 Layover in Garberville
One task I accomplished was to change the rear tire to my spare foldable and insert a 700 x 28c tube. This tube was purchased in the local hardware store which had a respectable amount of bicycle necessities, especially tubes, and camping gear, including gas cannisters for my Primus stove.
We walked all over town using about an hour of spare time. We couldn't help but notice the influx of alternate lifestyle vagabonds, in the '60's and 70's they would have been called hippies. Our interpretation was the marijuana crop workers had come in out of the rain and to see a reggae festival scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Benbow, just down the road. I shopped for some needed necessities of the personal hygiene type. We engaged a gentleman who was pulling a trailer with his bike outside the store. He indicated he had traveled extensivley on his bike from inland around Ukiah to as far north as Eureka and Arcata doing various short term jobs. He said he was going to work security at the reggae festival this weekend. He stated he did not like Highway 20 because of the traffic and no shoulder. We took this into consideration as one of our plans was to ride to Willits then Highway 20 to the coast. As usual during our motel stays we watched the weather forecasts and determined to go rain or shine Friday, June 4.
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