Day 14: Rest day!

Today is rest day for me and Hank.  I think we both deserve it.  We've ridden over 500 miles in 12 of the last 14 days.  That's pretty good!  That's a rough average of 42 miles per day.  That's right around where I wanted to average with some longer days and some shorter days.  I just figured out roughly where we will hit the halfway mark.  Right around Duncan Mills, California should be the 702 mile mark, which should be about halfway through the planned route.  The thin about that is the halfway mark changes as I take a side ride that isn't on the planned route or I ride on a day off like today. Today we rode a few miles here in Fort Bragg just to check out the town.

Today Hank and I are very tired.  This morning we both slept in and took our time waking up and getting our day started.  Normally, when camping and riding each day we get up fairly early, take down the tent, have breakfast, pack everything back up into the panniers, and hit the road.  We've gotten pretty good at the morning camp routine.  At first it would take roughly an hour and a half, but the last few times we have been much quicker to get to riding, maybe 45 minutes.  That is one of the things I was testing myself with this trip was adapting to new routines.  I knew that I would be able to adapt eventually, but I didn't know how long it would take.  It amazes me what people can adapt to.  I went from teaching everyday, eating meals cooked at home, and sleeping in a bed everyday to riding a bike everyday, eating meals cooked in camp or from restaurants, and sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent.  Physically and mentally this is a very big lifestyle change.  With that big change I have to keep in mind that I will need to rest my mind and body along the way.  So today Hank and I did just that! We slept in, we ate food (well I did. Hank still isn't eating very much), we went to the store and got more things we need for the camping nights, I stretched all of the muscles that are tired from all those hills, we relaxed, we ate more food (riding all day builds quite an appetite), and I took over an hour and checked almost every nut and bolt on Hank to make sure everything was tight and ready for more riding.  Oh and I patched the tube that went flat yesterday so we can use it again.  I almost forgot...we did laundry!  Well I did, Hank was being very lazy, so I had to do it all.  There's nothing like fresh clean clothes after riding and camping in the woods for many days.

It was a rest day, but it was a productive day.  I now have 9 oatmeal, fruit, and nut breakfasts packed and ready for camping.  I also stocked up on snacks for along the way.  In a few days we will be going through San Francisco.  We are still thinking about staying there a day or two.  That is one of my favorite cities I've ever been to, so it would be fun to roam around a bit.

The only picture I have today is of Hank posing next to a fire truck.  He loves to have his picture taken!





















Tomorrow we ride once again!  South we go to another campground.  This one near Manchester, California.

More to come tomorrow if I have internet.  If not it will come as soon as possible!