HPT - Humboldt County, California

As the HPT EuroVan arrived in Arcata, CA, I was on edge. The 12-hour journey from Idaho, combined with the stench of the hitchhiker next to me and the twists and turns of California's deadly highway 299, had my nerves all frazzled. Lucky for me, we pulled straight into Redwood Park, and straight into another world. Entering the parking lot was like driving through a third world country as throngs of dreadlocked youth came running up to the VW as if they were part of some welcoming committee. After this encounter, I understood what the hype surrounding Humboldt County was all about. Just then, the stinky hitchhiker asked if I wanted to see the "bumps in the forest". He told me about a bunch of "bumps" that people would ride their bikes over. Although his lack of bike knowledge was evident, I followed him anyway.

As we started up a trail right from the parking lot, my jaw hit the forest floor. Surrounding me were trees 200 feet tall, logs covered in moss, and huge green ferns that made up one of the most amazing forests I have ever seen. The hitchhiker explained that he needed to go wander the forest alone, but that the "bumps" were right around the bend. As I continued on, I came across the sickest handmade jump trail I have ever seen. On par with A-Line in Whistler's bike park, this trail had bermed turns, huge log gaps, and enough BMX style hits to satisfy any big air aficionado. The end of the trail led right to the Sciences Building at Humboldt State University, making it possible for students to go huck their meat on the way to Chemistry class. As I made my way out of the forest, I decided to head back into reality by checking out some bike shops in town.

Just minutes from the surreal forest scene lies the small town of Arcata, CA. Wanting to get a rider's perspective on the area, I headed into Adventure's Edge, one of the town's several bike shops. Rowan, a 17-year old super grom, told me he was planning a ride on the Tish Tang Trail with a couple of friends. Not knowing what I was getting into, I agreed to meet them all the next day. After an hour-long drive out of the cool, temperate coastal zone of Arcata, we were at the trailhead and ready to ride. Despite the 100-degree heat, we pedaled, hiked, and clawed our way to the top. After the hour-long sweatfest, we finally began our descent on some nice singletrack. A mere 10 minutes later, our guides became lost as a maze of old logging roads branched off in every direction. We rolled down one for several minutes before the group decided it was the wrong way. We pedaled back up and tried a different road, but with the same results. After a couple of hours of searching for the Tish Tang Trail, our water reserves long since gone, we decided to cut our losses, and head back the way we came.

For the first time all summer, the HPT hooligans were stifled in our search for singletrack, and had to endure a hell ride of climbing endless fire roads to get out of the sweltering woods. All was not lost on this day however, as we knew of a prime swimming hole, and spent the early evening cooling off in its refreshing waters. For added excitement, we sessioned the rope swing that required a leap of faith off a cliff and a wild ride over jagged rocks 20 feet below before finally swinging out over the river. Letting go at just the right time was the difference between a refreshing splash in the water, or a devastating splat back into the cliffside. With our collective stoke-o-meter redlining, we retreated back to Arcata for a fresh feast of salmon followed by a solid night of sleep. The next day started with a quick loop on a local trail dubbed The Couch, followed by a scenic drive down highway 101, through the Avenue of the Giants, where trees the size of skyscrapers line the road, and into the Bay Area. Tune in next time for a wild ride on the infamous Downieville downhill.

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