Just as last year I woke up to low coastal clouds making the morning riding positively wet. The early morning coastal ride I couldn’t see the sea through the fog, and I cycled in and out of misty green valleys, climbing up Old Highway 101 into a lush green forest. Here is where I left the Trans America route and returned to the coast.

The rest of the day was how I imagine people think of my trip when I tell them I’m cycling down the Pacific coast. The highway hugged the coastline and all day I was treated to cliff side views of hidden beaches, long sandy beaches, and the mist rolling off the sea into the green forests. The highway got busier as the day went on, but the shoulders were generally good, and some of the side routes were amazing, in particular Otter Crest Loop.

Tonight I’m camped at Beachside, and as you might guess from the name I can hear the waves from my tent, the beach is huge and seemingly endless, as it disappears into mist at either end. Tomorrow I will cross the halfway distance and be closer to home than Vancouver.