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What a great ride day 15 brought! When cycling Elk Prairie to Eureka, the views are fabulous, the climbs aren’t too bad, and there are so many great places to stop and relax or get good food! Day 15 cycling Seattle to San Fransisco was one for the books!
Cycling Elk Prairie to Eureka is the 16th of nearly 30 daily diaries of our cycle trip from Seattle to San Francisco.
If you’d like to read from the beginning, check out, getting to Seattle. Each post in this cycle series will contain our daily journal entries that we kept via Track My Tour, photos captured throughout the day, and the exact route, duration, and elevation gains for the given ride.
Read Our Complete Guide to Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway Here
Let’s dive into Biking the Pacific Coast Highway, Day 15, Elk Prairie to Eureka.
Cycling Elk Prairie to Eureka
Wow, we loved cycling by ourselves, but boy was our first day cycling with four other people as a group was awesome! It was so fun getting to know the other people in our little pack, and, with moderate elevation gains today it was a great first ride together!
I still laugh at us stopping in Trinidad after seeing a waffle cone sign, only to see they serve savory, hot waffle cones filled with mashed potatoes, gravy, cheese, chicken.. all the works. It was absolutely drool-worthy, and still makes my mouth water to this day!
Overall, the ride today was gorgeous! We went through the Redwoods for a bit longer, found sunflower fields and farm shops, and even stopped at Finnish Baths and had a quick soak!
Today was the day Jack and Michelle introduced us to camp ice cream. It’s a mix of heavy whipping cream and frozen berries, mashed until it’s the consistency you like! Even not on a bike trip, everyone should try this!
Biking Elk Prairie to Eureka Day 15 Quick Facts
- Miles // 50.12 miles
- Saddle Time // 4 hrs 25 min
- Elevation // 2,158 feet
- Accommodation // WarmShowers in Eureka
- Water // lots of shops and towns you can stop at to fill up
- Food // stop in Trinidad at the Lighthouse Grill for lunch, and in Arcata for dinner
Pacific Coast Highway Day 15 Journal Entry
Thursday 20 Aug 2015 22:59
Day 15: This morning we woke up at 7 and were on the road by 8:15.
The 6 people, 5 bikes, and 4 micro-groups merged together to form the wolf pack. We road together from Elk Prairie to Eureka, having a spectacular day together.
We took so many pictures, stopped at an ice cream shop in Trinidad to have ice cream and left having an everything mashed potato waffle cone meal- seriously one of the most flavorful and delicious meals we have ever eaten. After Trinidad, we continued south along the 101 and stumbled upon a bike route that paralleled the highway, so we backtracked on the road a hundred yards or so and took it into Arcata for the last 10 or 15 miles. Which turned out to be some of the best riding we have done thus far on our 700+ miles on the road.
Arcata to Eureka
Once we arrived in Arcata, we planned on going into the Finnish saunas and hot tubs, but little did we know you had to have a reservation to use the baths, especially in a college town when 8,500 kids are flocking back for school this week. We arrived at 2:18 and the lady said, sorry we have no availability, but maybe if you hang out the 2:30 appointment doesn’t show you can have their spot. We will just let you know 5 minutes past.
Sure enough, this appointment was a no show and the wolf pack was able to soak in the hot tubs for a solid half-hour. It was so nice and relaxing to have this luxury. After this treatment, we ventured over to the Humboldt Brews for a fabulous burger, sweet potato fries, and a beer.
Then we only had 5.7 more miles to our WarmShowers host in nearby Eureka. In the evening, we played Bananagrams and made camp ice cream out of heavy whipping cream and berries. Seriously so delicious!
In total for the day, we traveled 50.1 miles with 2,157 feet of elevation gain. Overall we are at 714.38 miles.
Cycler’s Tips for Cycling Elk Prairie to Eureka | PCH Day 15
- Head out on the road early today. The ride is gorgeous, so you’ll really want to take your time and make a few stops along the way!
- Be sure to stop in Trinidad and treat yourself to the best savory waffle cone around! We recommend this stop to everyone, and can’t wait to get back there and indulge in the mashed potato cone again!
- Book a slot to soak in the Finnish Baths in Arcata. It’s amazing how great your body will feel after!
- Be sure to eat in Arcata, unless you plan on cooking a meal on your own stove at the Warm Showers stay in Eureka.
- 10-15 miles before Arcata, take the bike route that parallels the highway. It’s some great riding, especially if you want to ride side by side with no cars!
More on Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway
Cycle Packing Equipment List
Our complete list of all the bike gear we took on our trip from Seattle to San Fransisco. Ideas of where to get your bike gear so you don’t spend an arm and a leg, and a printable checklist for ensuring you pack all the gear you need!
Cycle Rules in Oregon | A Bicyclist’s Manual
Did you know, in Oregon, as a cyclist you’re technically considered a car and must oblige by vehicle road rules? Use that knowledge as confidence to take over the lane when there’s not a safe shoulder and really own the road!
Cycling Seattle to San Francisco Start to Finish Guide
This post contains our gear list, all our daily journal entries, FAQs on cycling the PCH, and downloads to make your PCH cycle trip easier!
Next Daily Journal Entry on our Pacific Coast Highway Bike Tour
Interested in seeing what the next day of the tour holds? This post is for you! We have an unexpected climb, and some beautiful riding through an old-growth Redwood forest!
Previous Daily Journal Entry on our Pacific Coast Highway Bike Tour
The biggest single climb yet, and five miles of downhill riding!
Camping for Free on your Bike Tour
Interested in learning more about camping for free on your bike tour? We’re sharing ways to find free camping, what you need to know about free camping, and even our favorite places!
Have questions about day 15, cycling Elk Prairie to Eureka? Need a bit more information about the trip as a whole? Or just want to share your experiences? We’d love to hear from you.. start a conversation below!
