March 31st

To Ferndale
21.5 mi, 2 hrs

We decided to ease back into riding with a short day. So Ferndale has a big fairgrounds (which is where the campground is) it was scouted to use to film Sea Biscuit, but the folks didn't want to interrupt their fair so said no (its been held there since the late 1800s I think it is?) Lots and lots of more cows- driving Surly crazy. Her whining and barking is driving us crazy too. She is a Cattle Dog- and cattle mean 'chase me!' urgh. I shouldn't have gotten a herding dog...

After setting up camp we walked to town, just over a mile away. It was definitely a cool little town- they don't have a single chain store! It started to mist/ran so we got a beer and chips to eat in the tent later, since we didn't want to sit out in the rain. There is a local brewery- Lost Coast Brewery that makes some really delicious beer. The tangerine wheat is our favorite! Yum. Also got some breadsticks from a pizza place.

Between the campground and town there was a subdivion/neighborhood that was abandoned. Itw as incredibly weird. Every other house in town and in surrounding neighborhoods were occupied- but this had dozens of houses, nearly all identical, all totally empty and all with freshly mowed lawns.

Mail boxes for the neighborhood ????




Julia and Regis met us at the campsite later in the evening. They are brave I tell ya- they are opting to do the Lost Coast Alternative. It is an extra 40 miles, and 8500 feet of climbing. Major hills and in the middle of no where. I think its Petrolia, half way though the alternative, that has an airstrip in the middle of town. They used to fly in rich people to convince them to buy real estate here- with out telling them the clifs/hills are subject to slides, and there is only a dirt road out to there.... the road is now paved but its still really isolated as its so far from 101. For their first major bike tour they are bold ones- I hope they make it ok! I'd like to drive out there one day and do the ride on my road bike :) but not hauling the dog around and Cook with two peoples's worth of gear.