A hard ride today.  It felt like it was all uphill and all upwind.  I felt I was slogging along, slow, in pain, complaining all the way. 

It didn‘t start out bad.  The first half was still through the Avenue of the Giants, which follows the Eel River.  Beautiful, serene, awe inspiring.  But I was tired, and I hurt from my head to my tail.  I think I got dehydrated yesterday on the long haul.  I worked to drink more water today than I wanted, and it helped a lot.  But the day ended with 5 long hills in a row.  They weren‘t really that bad.  I guess I just needed a day to whine and feel lousey. 

Tomorrow will start with the biggest climb of the Pacific Coast Bike Trail – Leggett Hill, a summit of nearly 2000 feet.  And then I plunge down to the Mendocino Coast, to my birthplace, Fort Bragg.  It will be good to get back to the coast again.  Good night!