Day 5

August 30, 2001

Manchester State Beach to Bodega Dunes State Beach

70.0 Miles

In the morning it was still foggy. Just past the campground was the Point Arena Lighthouse. When it's not foggy you can see it from the beach. I debated whether or not to go check it out, since it was 2.5 miles down a side road, and it was very foggy. But I finally decided that I could probably get a pretty cool shot in the fog.

Pt. Arenas lighthouseAt the turn off to the lighthouse there's a sign that says it's open from 10-4. It was only 8:00, but I didn't need to go inside, just see it from the outside. I ride down there, but 2-300 metres from the lighthouse was a gate. The sign said no trespassing. Guests at the lighthouse hotel only. From the fence you could make out the buildings where guests stayed. You couldn't see the lighthouse at all.

I decided I hadn't cycled all that way, with a climb back out, for nothing. So I hopped the fence, and walked to the lighthouse. When I got to the buildings, all was quiet. I still couldn't see the lighthouse. I walked to it. There was a chain link fence, with barbed wire on top surrounding it. The gate was about 50 feet from the lighthouse. I could just make it out from there. I got my picture, and walked back to my bike and rode off.

I stopped in Gualala to do some souvenir shopping, and found a bakery with sticky, pecan buns, still warm from the oven.

I caught up to and passed Scott. I stopped at a park for lunch, and Scott arrived a few minutes later.

After that I stopped at Fort Ross, a fort built by the Russians long ago.

After Fort Ross was a very long, winding hill. I passed Scott. He'd broken a spoke, his bike wouldn't go into the granny gear, and his knee was hurting.

I stopped in Jenner for ice cream. Scott arrived just as I was leaving. He'd manually put the chain on the granny gear.

Finally I made it to Bodega Dunes State Beach. There were already five people in the hiker/biker site. Wayne, a professor from Seattle, on a recumbent, riding with a German couple, Guido and Waltraud. And an Austrian couple.

Once again, as the sun was going down, Josh and Sam showed up.


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Pictures and Text Copyright © 2001 paul Stockton. All rights reserved.
Last updated: September 24, 2001