Sky Walking

Rolling into Eureka we stop into the motor company outpost store Redwood H-D. This dealer has always treated me well, getting me in for repairs, and I would have gotten service here instead of Salem, but I could never reach the service department. The store is almost empty, of merchandise and my traveling compadre can’t even find a t shirt to buy. Makes me wonder if this outpost will be here next time I pass through.

Rust Never Sleeps

We spent large for our room here tonight in a chain we have frequented on this trip. There is really no reason to spend $300.00 for a hotel in Eureka except the alternatives are sleazy,  and the other chain we have utilized is the same price, and well this joint is nicer. Our room is large, and the bikes are outside in a very secure parking area, watched by multiple cameras, and we can see their red dash security lights do synchronized blinking, right from our room. 

Decorated Trees Just Outside Our Door

Just staying under electric palm trees in the heart of the Redwoods, makes it all seem worthwhile. After settling in and freshening up we head off on foot to  Old Town for some refreshment and dinner. Our destination is the Sea Grill. An establishment where we have dined before, but I think the name was different. Our table isn’t ready when we arrive, so we enjoy some libation in the bar, and interesting conversation with the locals, one even shuffles people around the bar so we can have to seats together. 

Dinner was excellent and we take the long way home enjoying some of the Murals of Eureka and enjoying that we are not being accosted by the mentally ill who usually wander the streets of Eureka in mass. Hopefully they are getting the help they need.

Local Shop Window

I guess Eureka is one of my favorite towns. I even follow their local news online by reading the local paper,  The Lost Coast Outpost

Its because of reading the online paper I know that a couple of months ago a Sky Walk through the redwoods was opened, and our mission today is to walk in the redwood canopy. We have no idea where it is but a google search reveals that the skywalk is located at the zoo. Who knew Eureka even had a zoo?

One Of The Zoos Guanaco's

With the route programed we head out towards the zoo, that we find is located at the edge of town. We can hear the roar of the animals as we approach, and since we are a few minutes early we explore the surrounding area and discover a delightful flower garden next to the zoo.

Brilliant Colors In Eureka's Community Flower Garden

The zoo is small, and doesn’t have any large animals, so I guess the roar I heard earlier was the sound of my compadre going around the block to turn around so she could park near me. The zoo does have a very interesting red panda.

Adorable Red Panda Ready To Rip Out The Keepers Lungs

This creature must be the cutest wild animal every and draws a large crowd of toddlers and their parents. Not wanting to be near these baby makers we stroll off to find the Skywalk.

Up On The Skywalk

The Skywalk turned out to be just as cool as the red panda, and the only thing that would have made it better would be a zip line into the gift shop/exit, that would have avoided the children and the zoo's turd chucking monkeys, that I observed from afar.

Eureka's Zoo Skywalk

Back on the road we head south on 101 through the redwoods, traffic is light, and we enjoy the curves with a couple of other riders that we caught up to.

The once mighty Eel River is nothing more that a puddle as we pass by places that were swimming holes years ago. Even the creeks that cross the roads are bone dry. We don’t even see water until the Russian River crosses the highway, and its swimming hole parking spots are jammed with cars.

It’s a short run to Santa Rosa our stop for the night as its better to approach The City not at rush hour. Our lodging at the chain we most frequently used on this trip doesn’t even have coffee in the lobby and utilizes the covid excuse for not providing  the nasty coffee that every other hotel across the country has. I really only want the liquid creamers as I brew my own, but those are missing also.

We charter an Uber, and our driver arrives promptly in a right off the showroom floor,  new vehicle, whos seats are so sensitive that if you rest your hand on the seat next to you it sets off the seat belt alarm.

We have a delightful dinner at Monty's  pick up some coffee cream at the store and call for another Uber. Again, our ride arrives promptly, and it’s the same driver. We know about the seat belts this trip, and it’s better to appreciate a new car than figure this dude is stocking us…

Tomorrow into The City.