By: Andrew Freeman 

Fickle Hill Road fits the cyclist like peanut butter goes with jelly. Sure, it’s a good haul, and yes that first mile is one heck of a steep grade to climb. That early push — accomplished nicely with a good biking partner or two, deep breaths, and confidence — leads to a casual jaunt along a meandering ridge-line. Within fifteen minutes, the hardest section of the hill is behind and you’ve transcended the hustle and bustle of downtown Arcata to arrive on a quiet country road with your heart a – pumping and legs feeling great.

Another mile, the dotted lines on the road fade away and homes become sparse. You pass the Lazy L Horse Ranch on your right and then descend deep into the woods. A climb out of the woods and you come upon an open prairie with a fantastic view of Humboldt Bay, Eureka and the ocean beyond. On some days it might be a wall of white fog, and on others you’ve popped out of the fog and are up in the blue looking down on a sea of clouds. Spectacular.

Whatever goes up must come down, and there are few downhill rides more exhilarating than Fickle Hill. The final section, flying at high speeds (Sara recorded 53mph one week) with great views of the bay and town below is a natural rush unlike no other that brings out hoots and hollers that bounce off the trees and penetrate the windows of homes we’re passing. You’ll cruise into town feeling high as a kite, and you feel as though the whole world has changed while you’ve been gone.

So, join the unofficial Fickle Hill Friday bike ride! We ride the hill every Friday afternoon, rain or shine. It’s a growing movement here in Arcata to ride the Fickle after a long hard week of work and you don’t want to miss out on this fun-filled community cycling phenomenon. Bring your light, sometimes we are out till dark. Meet on Fickle Hill Road at the upper Community Forest entrance. If nobody is there, just start riding baby. If you want to check-in by email first, contact Sara, sara.dykman at gmail.com.Ficlr