We traveled 77 miles from Eureka to Garberville today. The initial 5 miles were on Highway 101 before we got off onto side roads that took us through lots of dairy country. Or, as Doc said "That is a lot of milk out there."

We went through the nice town of Ferndale at 18 miles. It had many fine Victorian homes and businesses. My wife Robin really liked the town when we traveled through it in June. After leaving Ferndale, we were back out into dairy country. You could tell where the cows are moved from pasture to pasture across the road by the amount of deposits they make on the road. We had several climbs and descents from mile 26 through 29. On one wicked descent, the carcass of a animal was spread across the road. I should have said several body parts. My concentration was on the road, but I did see a fresh rib cage in front of me and several other remnants in my peripheral vision. It did not give me a lot of immediate confidence for the upcoming sharp bend near the bottom. Jim H. reminded me later that the animal was killed crossing the road, not descending it. I managed to negotiate it safely as well as two more steep but short descents.

We then went through the lumber towns of Rio Dell and Scotia. Four miles later we entered the Avenue of the Giants, a 32 mile stretch that travels through the coastal redwood forest. The road surface was nice. Perhaps as many cyclists were on the road as cars. At times the tree canopy arched over the road while tall redwoods stood as sentinels to the side. Magnificent!

After leaving the Avenue of the Giants, the road was gradually uphill to the hotel, adding insult to injury. At least it was on the cool side.

Nice view of the Eel River and surrounding dairy pasture. We were near the top of a 14 percent grade and the steep descent mentioned above.

Clowning around in a tree.

Some of the big trees on the Avenue of the Giants. Actually, these are small ones by comparison.