August 3-Magnificent Moments Making My Way to Mill Valley
Magnificent views abounded on today’s ride from Gualala, California to Mill Valley along the California Coast, with the thick, towering redwoods from yesterday disappearing in my rear-view mirror and the landscape ahead opening onto large sun-bleached pastures with grazing livestock, hairpin coastal curves, and graceful groves of eucalyptus.
Heading out this morning towards a stretch of highway 1 that had been closed due to fires earlier, I was hopeful that enough headway had been made with the hotspots and hazardous trees to allow me to continue south. Thankfully the road was open in both directions, and we were re-routed around the firefighting equipment, riding over the red-tinted residue of the Phos-Check retardant on the asphalt as we went.
Continuing along the shoreline to Bodega Bay, I was treated to a breathtaking vista of the large rugged brown offshore rocks and sea stacks rising up from the turquoise waters beyond the sheer seaside cliffs topped with brittle scrub brush and white and yellow wildflowers blowing in the wind. Stopping to soak in the sun and salt air, I listened to the waves crashing against the craggy rocks below.
The vivid blue ocean provided a beautiful contrast to the large wide-open expanses of light brown and green fields dotted with cows and sheep scattered on both sides of the road. One herd of Highland Cattle caught my eye, and I stopped to admire their long, curved horns and black-, brown-, and honey-colored shaggy coats. Munching on grass, they occasionally raised their heads to peer out from under their thick bangs with deep brown eyes.
As I zigged and zagged along the curvy roads towards Stinson Beach, I tunneled my way though more glorious clusters of eucalyptus trees, their long grey branches arching over the road and providing a shady canopy for the bright sun above. With motorists behind me in a great deal of hurry, I pulled over several times so that I could continue enjoying the view at a slower pace. Another great day on the road!
