Day 29 - 31

Day  29 to 31 were a serious slog, I had been trying to average 75 km's a day and my body did not feel like it was ready, as my legs got more sore and my energy levels dwindled, so did my motivation. I had to keep reminding myself of the end game, getting fit and loosing more weight. There would also be a sense of achievement and thousands of memories. All said multiples times daily I felt like giving up and going back to cycling 45 km's which had seemed relatively easy. I had chosen a bad time for the push because the hills had turned into mountains. This week I had cycled about 60% more than any other week, I was getting there just needed to hang in.

Day 29, I rode from Gold Beach out of Oregon and into California to Crescent city. The first 42 km's to Brookings was very tough with lots of hills. I had started the day by replacing another tube, a slow puncture. I replaced the tyre pumped it up when I tired to disconnect the pump all the air came out. I tried pumping it up again without success. Finally decided to try another tube. The new tube worked fine the other tube the valve had broken away from the tube.

 I got to Brookings about 1 and stopped for lunch. I left after 2, I suddenly realised that I was running very late, I still had another 45 km's so I would probably get to the motel at about 6. I was hoping for a tail wind but it wasn't to be, I was given a head wind but luckily it was gentle. I got to the motel at about 5.30 tired and looking forward to relaxing.

Day 30 my fitness had seemed to take 2 to 3 steps forward and then 1 to 2 steps back. Since I  had upped the distances my energy levels seemed non existent.  The previous day the first half was fine but the second half was just a slog, day 30 was just a slog from beginning to end. It didn't help that it started with a 10 mile mountain, with an average gradient of about 5%. It was also cold and misty, when I got to Orick on the outskirts of the Redwood national park, about 10 km's from my planned stop, it started to rain. I had been planning to camp but instead I found a very doggy motel and checked in. The next day would now be 78 km's instead of 68 km's and I expected it to be a very long hard slog. I guess my body needed to get used the extended distances. If I wanted to make it to The Laguna Beach i would just have to battle through it.

At least the scenery was incredible, riding through the redwood forest was an absolute treat, i had expected them to be spectacular but what surprised me is the sheer number of these giant. I had expected a lot of smaller trees and every now and then a giant, but there were giants everywhere. That said I wasn't sure whether I had seen any of the biggest trees yet.

Day 31

I woke up it was foggy and cold. I started cycling at just after 7.30, I was cold and a bit miserable. But to my surprise my energy levels seemed way better. At about 12, I was riding on a sand road bicycle/pedestrian path up this hill, there were 2 cyclists, I saw a broken chain so I thought they had a problem and stopped. I very quickly realised I shouldn't be chatting to these guys. There was an open flick knife under the bench. The one guy had a huge gash on his head,  the other guy had a smaller bike tied on to his bike and he quickly told me someone didn't want this bike so he was taking it. While the other told me the story that at 2am this car had swerved and driven in to him and he bashed his head onto a rock. I quietly excused myself and left. Just after 1 the sun had come out and the afternoon was great. I got to Eureka at about 3.30, by chance I found a bicycle shop so got an extra tyre and got them to tighten the spokes of my front wheel, a couple had seemed slightly loose. I hoped my energy levels were a sign of things to come, The next day I was going to cycle to Myers Flat also about 78 km's.

I could definitely tell that I had lost a few cm's and the extra distances and time on the saddle would be helping. My wind breaker that had been slightly tight was very loose and a pair of shorts that had fitted quite well looked way to big. I was really looking forward to getting onto a scale, hopefully I would not be disappointed.