Day 28. Mendicino via the "lost" coast.

So far on this trip we have enjoyed wonderful motorcycling roads and trouble free navigating thanks to pre-planning our routes in a Garmin program and uploading the GPX files onto our GPS units which are wired into our bikes. I spent many hours researching routes, consulting various motorcycling forums, reviewing maps and looking at Google Maps. Today's route ended up being a nightmare! Somewhere in my research I had read a description of the road leading to the Lost Coast, South and West of Ferndale. The route was plotted and off we went. We both took some pause at the sign stating the road was not suitable for RV's, trailers or camper vans but we stuck to the plan. A few miles in we both commented on how bad the road surface was and noted how smoky the atmosphere was. We should have turned around at that point but somehow the promise of a "lost coast" lured us onward.

The 70 mile side trip ended up taking 3 hours as we struggled along a rough, potholed road. The smoke and haze persisted so even the views which probably would have been stellar were almost non-existent. We barely saw any traffic - just an occasional pick-up truck which we would pull over to let by.

The Lost Coast - The only photo we took!

Finally, we made it back onto Route 101 - the road we have been following down the coast. We took the Redwood Highway and rode through the Redwoods, retracing our steps from three years ago. 

We even had our picnic in the same spot! 

After a while we turned off 101 and took CA State Route 1 and the fun began as we twisted and turned our way down the California Coast. Eventually, we arrived in Mendocino and checked into a lovely B&B for the night. We took a walk along the coast pathway - just beautiful.

We ate Supper at the local Pub and I enjoyed a good Fish and Chips. Ultimately, it was a good day!