Early in the 16th century, Spanish explorers were the first recorded Europeans to see the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, and they named the land Ajacán. The Spanish founded a stable settlement in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida, the first founded by Europeans. They subsequently established small Spanish outposts along the coast into Georgia and the Carolinas. In 1570, Father Juan Bautista de Segura wanted to found a mission in Ajacán without a military garrison. His superiors expressed concerns but permitted it. In August, he set out with Father Luis de Quirós, six Spanish brothers, a Spanish boy Alonso de Olmos, and an indigenous boy who had been kidnapped in 1561, converted, sent to Spain, and given the name Don Luis. He had been reurned to Ajacán, and served as their guide and interpreter. On this date in 1570, the party landed on the north shore of one of the lower Chesapeake peninsulas. They constructed a small wooden hut with an adjoining room where Mass could be celebrated. Don Luis soon left the Jesuits, settling with his own people at a distance of more than a day's travel. Around February 1571, three missionaries went to the village where they thought Don Luis was staying. Don Luis murdered them, then led other warriors to the main mission station, where they killed the priests and the remaining six brothers. Only the young servant boy Alonso de Olmos was spared. In August, 1572 Floridian Governor Pedro Menéndez de Avilés arrived with armed forces from Florida to avenge the massacre of the Spanish and hoping to capture Don Luis. His forces never discovered Don Luis, but forcibly baptized and hanged eight other people. The Spanish abandoned plans for further activity in the region. Credits: https://w.wiki/UPSf 100 km just feels like a good distance for me. An accomplishment, but just enough miles to enjoy the ride right to the finish, if there's not too much climbing, and especially when there's a promise of a tailwind to the finish. I planned to ride up the coast until I reached about 31 miles, so an out and back would be 100 km. I wanted to ride Swanton Road both out and back, just because why not? After I passed the Gazos Creek State Beach parking, I noticed Pigeon Point Lighthouse in the distance. I decided to turn around at the Lighthouse, even though I could see it was a litle farther than 31 miles. I had started the ride at Garfield Park, riding first to the east end of West Cliff, so I figured it'd work out if I didn't repeat those miles. And I arrived back at Garfield Park at almost exactly 62.2 miles. Pigeon Point is a beautiful place to visit. A docent told me the current renovation of the lighthouse will let visitors buy tickets climb to the top of the light. They plan to reinstall the original Fresnel lens, which served Cape Hatteras during the Civil War before going around Cape Horn to join us. She said they'll light it on special occasions. Yesterday my van's thermometer claimed it was 110 in Scotts Valley. In the evening, 100 degrees north of Mission Street, but 80 down West Cliff. So the shoreline was the right choice today. It was mostly 70 or 75 degrees alomg PCH, a bit warmer at the top of Swanton, 80 in the morning, 85 coming back in the afternoon. All very tolerable. Ttwo metric centuries in a row. Fun!