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A much appreciated shorter day after a long one yesterday.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and this good thing definitely came to an end too quickly. It was with a twinge of sadness that I left Gil & Becky’s, and headed out of Eureka.

Gil and I discussed my route for this day. Like him, I seem to derive much more enjoyment from wider, longer sweepers, then I do from the slow, tight technical bits.

Because of this, he recommended that I consider riding Hwy 299 instead of the famed 36. I’ve driven 299 numerous times in the car and enjoyed it, while my one trip on 36 in the car made me carsick – while I was driving!

So off onto 299 I went.

I didn’t regret it a bit.

I had a wonderful ride across the northern section of the state. Temps were a bit warm, so I made tracks and didn’t stop a whole lot.

A gas stop in Willow Creek. This picture is specifically for my wife (an inside joke).

I love you sweetie.

Traveling onward, I was dumbfounded by the amount of damage that the multiple fires of the past decade have done. I seem to have found myself on this route every couple of years since 1988. It looks so different with all the burned acreage, and so truly sad.

This is the only picture I could bear to take, as most of the scenery was far more depressing then this.

The were some happier images to take though…

Lunchtime brought me to Weaverville. The last time I was here in November 2006, it was freezing cold and raining. Today? Nearly 100 degrees. Fortunately I found a little shade for Stomper.

For those who don’t yet know, I am sorry to report that the last tight, twisty section of 299, between Weaverville and Whiskytown Lake, is being replaced/bypassed. The beginnings of the new road can be viewed on eastbound 299 about 10 miles east of Weaverville.

The project appears to be in its very early stages, and will likely take a few years to complete (if in fact they are replacing the entire stretch, which is about 10 miles long). So get out there while you can before this fun piece of highway disappears forever.

(In doing some research for the above, I also learned that one of my favorite pieces of road on planet earth – US 101 through Richardson Grove State Park, is going to be bypassed as well. Construction begins in late-2008. Get out there and experience these roads while you can. The very best ones are rapidly disappearing.)

There are no pictures of Redding (see Palmdale and Twentynine Palms for an explanation).

I slogged my way through the Redding heat, and made my way to Burney.

My butt, which has been pretty good on the new Sargent seat for most of the trip decided to start screaming at me, and so I stopped at a Rest Stop just 15 miles outside of Burney.

A few minutes later, I arrived in Burney, picked up a bite to eat, and settled down at the Sleepy Hollow Lodge, a *very* old single level Motel, but perfectly nice and clean.

Tomorrow is a day of meeting new friends, and visiting with old friends. I’m very much looking forward to it.

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