I rose early, the moon is bright in the sky and the stars are out. Everyone else is sleeping, I am awake making coffee and shivering. Today I need to climb to 600 meters of elevation, my biggest climb of the entire ride. I have been thinking about this for months. 

I am the first to leave the campground. I am on the bike by 8:30. Already by 9:15 I am at the top! I think I have gotten fitter and stronger during this ride. Then comes 600 meters of straight descents which are amazing. Rolling through the mountains on tight, narrow roads, switching back again and again, it's exhilarating.

Dropping into the coast in Mendocino county is the first time it's felt like California. There is something about this rolling coastline which elicits my strongest images and memories of California. It's nice to be back on a clear day.

Mike and I find the same riding cadence, we met at the top of Legget hill and rode together until just before Fort Bragg. He is so much stronger and faster than I am and he's 60 years old. He could probably jump into the Tour De France at any moment. Bravo!

I stop in Fort Bragg and make my way down to Noto Harbor, which is a true fisherman's wharf. It smells, the buildings are covered in rust, there are sea gulls everywhere, but great fresh fish. I stop for fish and chips to load up on carbohydrates and recharge before the next 45km. 

The weather is starting to turn, I can massive rain clouds forming off the coast, I know time is limited and it would be best to push on to Elk, to meet my warmshowers host for the evening.