Yesterday was supposed to be my “slow day”. I woke up in my tent by the Big Lagoon to the crackle of crows and the smell of a camp fire. After a quick cup from my AeroPress with my neighbors, I began to explore the surrounding area in the early morning light.

Check out nine more photos below!

Meet the Banana Slug. These little suckers really grow to the size of bananas here in the Redwoods. You’ll find them everywhere and unlike other gastropods, they’re fast!

Their latin name, dolichophallus translates roughly to “hung”. Since they’re hermaphrodites, they have to select a mate that’s their size because their pricks are the length of their bodies. Enough of the science lesson…

I was beat yesterday. Tired, sore, cranky, hungry, thirsty. Everything! I felt like shit.

So I chatted with my neighbors.

One of which is a chocolate maker by trade. Check out their stuff here. It’s damn good! Adam, if you’re reading this (I know you are!) – THANKS!

Bummed I was leaving my new friends, I took it slow out of the area. Solitary morning climbs with tired legs and salty skin.

I’m gonna miss waking up to this!

Arcata was beautiful but I had an agenda. My road cleats had gotten torn apart after having to walk a mile over a bridge by North Bend. People question my choice to wear road shoes on a tour but I’ll swear by a good pair of road shoes over MTB shoes for long days. I should have brought a spare pair of cleats but after determining the left cleat was the culprit behind my knee pain, I decided to pick up a new pair.

I swung through Revolution Bicycle Repair in Arcata and chatted for a bit as I charged my GPS and iPhone. The crew there is super friendly and didn’t mind me hanging around for a little bit. From there I headed to Eugene where I rested for 12 hours and now I’m off to hunt down Leggett, the biggest climb on my route.

Here’s the slow roll route from today:

What did I learn today?

-Enjoy the slow days.
-You really can smell the weed in Arcata.
-Eat and drink local beer, juice, veggies, meat, etc.
-Pizza is great after 540 miles!
-Chap stick.
-Hotels are a nice treat, don’t be afraid to stay in one to get a good night’s rest.
-Never be ashamed to stop “early”. If your body is tired, acknowledge it and give it rest!