Eureka California {Yuma Trip)

5:30 pm and we’re in another Motel 6 in Eureka.  We left from the Motel 6 on I5,  296 miles south of San Francisco.  The distance from San Francisco to Eureka is 271 miles or 4 hours and 37 minutes. Today I drove 9 hours and the distance was 271 plus 296, a total of 562 miles or 1247.4 km.  I didn’t stop for lunch.  Had a Egg sausage at Mac Donalds.  

I didn’t get off the free way.  The highlight was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.  

Memories of coming into harbour with Gilbert and Angel and memories of leaving harbour with Gilbert and Angel, and watching land disappear and I began sailing 24 solo in winter through a hurricane to the Kona , Hawaii.  

I am so thankful to have made Eureka. I arrived at 4 50 just in time to buy a warm coat that was water resistant. I lost my fall jacket I drove down with.  The last few hours the weather became quite cold .  I am glad I made it and now have a winter fall winter coat that will serve me well tomorrow . Tonight I ‘ll use it for walking the Madigan on the lawn out back.  

The time I drove Pendergast  my Baha VW Beatle from Canada en route to San Francisco I’ll just dropped my companion off to hitchhike to Eureka after hitting a deer. I pulled into a diner and as I got out of the car the two front wheels fell off. The fellow in the diner said he was a Volkswagen mechanic and would help me fix it the next day.  Sheered lug nuts from hitting the deer that had been hit by the big truck ahead of us.  We’d just sailed over the carcass.  I always thought it was one of the most godly synchronistic moments.  

That’s when I first heard of Eureka. I’ve passed this way before and here I am again.  

It was a lot of territory today , going from south of SF heat then the bare hillls to the Red wood Forest. Major transitions.  

It says it’s 12 hours on the I5 and I’m taking the coast 101.  It says that’s 17 hours. I want to miss the altitude at Grant’s Pass and Sisykou.  Rain and snow are forecast for tomorrow. It’s actually a shorter distance taking the 101 Pacific Coast route.  I could cross back to the I5 there or go on through Aberdeen,   I expect that decision can wait for tomorrow night after a 9 hour drive.  I am driving in the Mini Cooper with all wheel tires .  I expect it can do it just fine but I wouldn’t like wind and rain and snow. I’m also considering coming down and back with the camper or hauling an RV or taking a bus so figure this is a good recannaisance.  Wind rain and snow are less than ideal conditions so we’ll take longer getting back.  

I’ve not been driving at night as well.  No need for speed. I’m exhausted each night from a long day of driving.  

Great scenery.