Day 13

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Today has been a very different day to what I have become used to so far on my travels. It started far too early last night when I awoke to hear a family of raccoons sniffing around my tent which was quite unsetling.
My day proper started very pleasently with a spectacular ride along the coast on gently undulating roads which was great and the sun was shining which was even better.
After about 30km the road turned inland and with it came the start of a big hill. This hill lasted for about 10 miles all in all, not always too steep but constantly climbing for ages. This took me to the summit and then a 4 mile downhill section which was great and well earned. I think my average speed on this section was about 45km/h!
The main hazard on the roads today was big trucks. I've heard stories about logging trucks and I now have a very healthy fear of them, and for good reason. The roads of today have no shoulder so you are riding on the actual highway, which is fine if its cars passing you but when big fully loaded 50' trucks come past while your trying to negotiate hairpin bends its time to re-evaluate your priorities. I decided its better to escape off the road when you hear a logging truck coming and pause the uphill ascent than to keep on riding and risk falling off the road or under some of the 18 or so wheels that steam past.
Tonight has been a definate change from the usual too. I've run into a whole group of people and its been really great to chat to them all tonight. There is a group of 10 or so who are all on different journeys but have met each other en route and are together at the moment, so its been really great hanging out with them and hearing all their stories about whats ahead and telling them the best places to go down south.
Also a landmark decision was made to buy the guide book. Not because I'm scared I can't tell which way is north but because I want to make sure that I don’t miss out on the things that aren't on the side of the road that I can see on my way north.
Ok and so to today's stats, they're not all that impressive as its been a short day with lots of uphill:

Ride time - 4:01:44
Average speed - 17.6km/h
Max speed - 57.0km/h
Distance - 71.38km
Trip distance - 1250.99km

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