This article is an except from Jean’s monthly “At the Pond” feature in the Davis Enterprise, published on Nov. 2, 2025.
Arcata, six hours to the north, was our latest pond nature adventure.
We went on a superb, three-day active vacation that rivaled every exotic vacation I’ve ever been on. And this was inexpensive. My husband, Alan and I, are octogenarians now riding electric assist bikes, the kind you keep pedaling, for fast-moving tours.
The Humboldt County tour, a Davis Bike Club event, was led by Mary Elise Conzelmann, a first-time tour leader originally from Arcata. James Nelson was our sweep, the last rider to make sure nobody was left behind.
In three days, we experienced breathtaking coastal views, charming small towns, and riding through the redwoods. We even got to cycle with and meet local Humboldt cyclists and a county planner. Our leader secured a discounted hotel rate, and we paid one amount to the Davis Bike Club and we were good to go.
The first evening, we rode 10 miles from Arcata to Eureka for dinner, riding along the newly completed Humboldt Bay Trail — a fully separated, scenic path perfect for bikes and pedestrians.
It was pouring rain. However, we are not made of sugar. We were a little damp during dinner, but the rain stopped, and the ride back was spectacular looking over a bay with not a ripple and the ever-changing sky reflected perfectly as the night came on. Memorably beautiful.
There were big flocks of birds in the shallows along the shore that we saw and listened to on our return ride. One flock was all Canada geese, another was long-billed dowitchers.
I didn’t stop to take photos as I was unsure of directions and constantly trying to keep up with fast leaders while scanning the dark path for any obstacles. There were about 15 narrow bridges with bollards on either end that required careful navigation.
On Saturday, we biked 50 miles riding from Arcata to the town of Trinidad, then ventured into Sue-meg State Park (formerly Patrick’s Point State Park). There were scenic overlooks, a short section on Highway 101 and some gravel sections but mostly we were on quiet roads. We loved this tour. It was perfection.
On Sunday we did a short ride into the Avenue of the Giants. Because a marathon was taking place, we had a much-shortened ride but still, spectacular, riding through the quiet, tall redwoods.
Our base camp was Hotel Arcata, right on the town square. There was a farmers market there and a honey salesman came over and asked about what we were doing there. I told him about our Davis Bike Club and my biking history. He so enjoyed the story that he gave me a jar of organic River Bee’s honey. Delicious.
The price tag? $300 for our hotel room for two nights, breakfast was complimentary, lunches and dinner were on our own and $50 paid for group snacks. There was no sag driver (support vehicle). That worked just fine. A sterling vacation at a tiny price.
Scenery, camaraderie, exercise, new friendships — what more is needed on a vacation? This was the inaugural Humboldt Bay tour. I’ll be first to sign up when it happens again. We’ve been on many Davis Bike Club tours.