Thanksgiving, solo style.

Well after spending the past 20+ years going to the coast for Thanksgiving I decided that alone or not I would head that way for the holiday. It took a bit of soul searching for me to decide to go, I was in the WinCo at 8pm on Wednesday night shopping on the way out of town, not optimal trip planning....

I hit the Chinese food place on the way out of town only to get this...shit.

Your'e Fing kidding me right?

I made it out past Williams before I was wandering between the lines too much for my tastes and decided to find an old farm road off of Hwy 20 to sleep for awhile. I actually slept pretty good for being in the back seat of the truck, I didn't want to get the trailer set up for just a few hours of sleep so that was my best option. The alarm went off at 4:30 and I really was glad I had stopped. Got some coffee in Lakeport before the tweakers woke up and landed in Fort Bragg  by 7am, sweet.

I got the trailer set up in a nice sweet spot and hit the trails for a pre-thanksgiving ride. I headed out to Mendocino via some trail and road. Much to my surprise the market in Mendocino was open so I stopped for something to eat and drug it out to the headlands.

Fun trail out on the Headlands

Pretty bitchin lunch spot...

The weather was absolutely stunning for a November day, it's always a crapshoot when you come to the coast in winter.
I made my way back to camp to get dinner ready. It took a bit of time and effort, but a couple of hours later I had a turkey dinner on my table. Not nearly as festive as years past with Mary, but I pulled it off none the less

Thanksgiving dinner minus the margarita in my hand!

Friday I awoke to another stellar day. Sasha and I spent a bit of time on the beach and I headed out for a ride with our friend Jesse, a lifelong resident and one of the best guys in the world to ride with if you are on the coast. Jesse and I rolled around in the forest for almost 4 hours on trails old and new to me. All in all a really great day and the perfect distraction for an otherwise kind of bleak day for me.

Sasha, sitting still for once...

Beautiful day!

Jesse waiting while I fix a flat because I'm an idiot and let the Stans dry out in my front tire. 

North Coast goodness

Ho Hum, more stellar redwood riding.

 I said my goodbyes to Jesse and we talked about meeting up on Saturday, it didn't happen but I had a great ride out in the forest anyways. I've been coming to Fort Bragg for a very long time and even though I still feel like I never know where I am, I've come to be able to put some biggish rides together without a guide. I'm not always sure of where I'm at but I always seem to make it back to civilization.

It all looks the same, but I love it's uniqueness all the same. 

No, I didn't ride it....

It's a dark place deep in the forest.

Hmmm, hallucinations or death.....

 Upon coming out of the forest I was surprised to see a massive fog layer had developed along the coast. I made my chilly way back to camp for a fire and leftover turkey dinner! Sasha and I headed out for a little beach time but were turned back pretty quick by the wet fog and a pretty gusty north wind. Sasha didn't much care, fur coat and all, but I was less enthusiastic about it.

"Let's go, what's the problem?"

I had planned on doing the club ride on Sunday, but I really should have been at work the whole time I was off screwing around. I decided the grown up thing to do was to get out early and get set up for Monday's work day instead of riding that day. It was till pretty foggy as we left the coast for this years version of a family holiday, not the plan I had in life, but the one I have to work with.

 All in all I'm very glad I made the call to go with tradition.....