Anchorage to Phoenix Bike Ride: Day 83

I woke up at 7:30am it was chilly. I knew I would have a long day of riding so I paced myself in the morning. Highway 1 hugs cliffs overlooking the ocean and in some places you can look straight down off the edge.

The weather was sunny with a faint breeze. The temperature was in the 80’s and it was a little hot for riding on hills.

Eventually the terrain flattened into grasslands and I approached Cambria. The sunsets every night on the coast had been spectacular and this night was no exception. I watched the sunset before I turned inland on Santa Rosa Creek Road.

Soon it was dark and I was riding on a winding road through a scary forest. Branches loomed overhead. There were big dark farm houses back from the road. I could hear crickets but there were no cars on the road at all. Some raccoons ran out onto the road and ran next to my bike as I rode. I could barely see them in the dark but I could hear their claws on the pavement. A skunk also ran next to me on the road but it didn’t smell bad. There were some steep climbs over a pass. Going down the other side was scary because the road was steep and curvy and it was dark.

I turned on highway 46 and rode 10 miles before I stopped at a gas station to get coffee.

Diane was my CouchSurfing host in Paso Robles. I arrived at her house at 11:30pm and she fed me. Diane lived in a community housing neighborhood with shared guest rooms and common areas.

I took a shower and went to sleep in one of the guest rooms.