May 11th--Eureka to Pigeon Rock

Some highlights:

Left early, around 6:45am
Stopped at Longs to get batteries and headlamp (Adrienne realized she forgot her light), just as they were opening
Planned to get breakfast in Myrtletown, but there was nothing
Myrtletown seemed a lot bigger when i rolled through the first time
Eventually got some breakfast burritos at the local grocery/deli
Got three, but two was plenty
Continued down Myrtle Ave., then right onto Freshwater-Kneeland Rd.
Stopped for a while at Freshwater Park, used the bathroom, changed gears
Freshwater Park had a swimming hole along Freshwater Creek which was being rebuilt with a fish ladder
Made steep climb up to Kneeland, making stops every 300' in elevation or so
Stopped at Kneeland Post Office, which mostly looked like a house, and asked about conditions on the road to Bridgeville
A woman advised us that the old dirt road would not be good because it was so dusty, but instead advised a paved road with logging trucks
We ignored that advice
She warned, also about people taking corners very quickly and cutting the corners
Fog cleared just after Kneeland
Stopped about 4mi further up the road, near the airport, for lunch at the top of the first climb, around 2600'
Views of rolling green hills with rock outcroppings and occassional trees
Ate under oak trees, salmon and gouda with crackers
I also ate the last breakfast burrito
Continued down a steep road, with occassional unpaved sections, past small streams, more pasture land and barns
Down to 1450'
Another steep incline
Herd of goats, who gathered on a hilltop to watch us, bleeting
One very old goat with very long "beard" and horns
Peacocks
Undermined road
Old farm house with old farm implements
More peacocks, making their loud, screeching calls
Cows kicking at the peacocks
Almost entirely dirt from this point
Guy who stopped and wanted to talk
Said this would probably be the most beautiful part of our trip
He was excited that we were coming through to see his part of California
"Gravel" not "dirt"
Asked us to say "Hi" to Emperor Norton in SF
This was one of only two cars we passed all day after the airport
Peak at about 2500'
Another descent, on dirt to Yager Creek at 1300'
Last, difficult climb up steep gravel roads in afternoon sun with cattle excrement
Adrienne did not deal well with this last of the three climbs, cursing at me for thinking she could do this
Iaqua Ranch land held in public trust against development
Road followed general course of powerlines much of the time
Stopped in the shade at what i thought was the top, around 2800'
Talked for a while and calmed down and determined to find a place to camp
It turned out the road climbed another 100', with hills going up and down
Stopped again at Pigeon Rock, the real peak, and looked around for a place to camp.
Descended another 1/4mi and saw a place on the side of the road, near a creek, that had some flat, sheltered spots to camp on what seemed to be public right-of-way
Had trouble telling oak from poison oak
Pointed out Miners' Lettuce, of which Adrienne consumed a great deal
Eventually made camp just on the other side of the fence, underneath some oak trees
Ate dinner of Tasty Bites and other random food