* Burlington SP to Standish-Hickey SRA - 48.2 miles

After a big breakfast, Camille and I were off and away to the Redwood Visitor Information Center. I had a long conversation with a very nice Ranger and learned quite a bit about the local botany as well as a man named Charles Kellogg, a.k.a. the Bird Man. He traveled the country in a Redwood tree converted into a wagon called the "Travel Log" and entertained all with his amazing ability to use his voice to speak to the birds in their own language. He could even extinguish fire with his voice! He made a lot of records and they're amazing to listen to if you get the chance. I've been seeing Kestrels and lupine along the road a lot lately. Today the Eel River looked especially beautiful with blues and emerald greens as it snaked along its way, carving through the landscape of redwood covered hills, its sandy edge dotted with mauve sweet peas, violet verbena and purple primroses. The sun shines through the clouds and the birds are just going crazy with their springtime songs. I passed such curiosities as the "One Log House", the "Living Chimney Tree" and the "Drive Through Tree". Hobbiton was a town full of kitsch curiosities and Phillipsville was a tiny, wisteria-enveloped village that reminded me of visiting Monet's home in Giverny, France. I stopped for lunch at the "Getti Up Drive-Thru Espresso and Cafe" in Garberville. Country music was played proudly at this odd restaurant. I met Tom, a geologist who deplored the logging being done "with reckless abandonment" in Oregon. Happily, California logging has become more conservative. We discussed alternate route options and the gal behind the counter said of one previous cyclist's proposed route, "it was nice knowing you!" as the local traffic tends to drive fast.

Further on, I missed my exit onto Benbow Drive and stayed on the freeway as I was too distracted by the hitchhiker being picked up by the state patrol. There were lots of large birds soaring above and I enjoyed the respite from freeway riding as I went along Cooks Valley. There is an abundance of road construction which makes for difficult riding and some very uncomfortable moments in especially narrow places. I stopped for a moment at the Living Redwood Tree House to ponder the flagrant commercialism which seems so strange in conjunction with the stately grandeur of the redwood forest. Dinner was at the "Peg House", guarded by an old police car with a couple of mannequins dressed up inside...guaranteed to cut down on speeding tourists! I ate my dinner at the campsite, but worried a little about my food stores as it appeared the provided "bear box" had been torn to shreds and was missing a door! There was only one other camper in the whole park, which seemed odd. Lots of interesting looking places are still "closed for season" which seems too bad.

Eureka to Burlington SP in Humboldt Redwoods, CA - 55.6 miles

I tried sleeping last night without my air mattress or pillow. Silly me! It was a terrible night of sleep and I got up about 6:30 to do laundry and shower. Endless hot water is a glorious thing! Intermittent rain again, and I set off into town where I caught glimpses of the cute victorian buildings. People are very friendly in this town, and I enjoyed many conversations as I biked slowly through town. A lot more scary freeway riding and then the highlight of the day: Avenue of the Giants. Truly incredible. Tall trees reaching for heaven, massive trunks, spiraled branches, mossy weathered grey bark, vivid green ferns, and carpeting the ground red cones and needles...the sunlight visible in broken beams. The redwoods are magnificent and not easily put into words. One must definitely experience them to appreciate, but they bring you to your knees.

-from Foster City, CA

Elk Prarie SP to Eureka KOA, CA - 51 miles

It was an early start this morning and I said farewell to the elk as I rode off through the fog. I made an attempt to visit the Ladybird Johnston redwood grove, but the hill was just too long and steep. I finally turned around and hit over 40 mph on the way back down! The view of the ocean was as always amazing, with dark blues and a cloudy grey sky as a backdrop to the reflected grey-green of the ocean...white surf crashing on a black sand beach...freshwater lagoon behind me and a fog obscuring the redwood-covered hills...purple, yellow and white lupines line the roadside. The road went through the lagoon area and took an interesting route past Trinidad. Landslides had torn the road away and it was closed to traffic and I got off and walked the bicycle through on what was left of the gravel path. I enjoyed meeting Robin and Tiffany at one of the viewpoints and we encouraged each other. The sea lions looked like larvae on the rocks below and I was pleased to spot my first whale spouts! The sea lions made some very weird noises, moans and barks. As I was about to go down a hill, I saw a parade of about a hundred cows coming up and the dairy farmer at their head. I stopped to let them pass and learned all about the trials and joys of dairy farming in conversation with the farmer. It was a wild ride from there on the freeway and I had to cross four freeway lanes of traffic to get to the KOA campsite. Sid was in an RV behind me and once across I enjoyed hearing about his trip from Canada with his wife and granddaughter that they were schooling along the way. More rain!

-from Foster City, CA

Elk Prarie SP rest day - 2 miles

This morning I woke up early as usual and tried to remind myself that it's a rest day and I don't HAVE to get up! I slept in until about 8am and enjoyed the bright, warm rays of sun streaming through my tent walls! I felt pretty stiff and sore, but after burning my fingers a few times on my campstove, no longer noticed anything else! I worked on getting all my papers dry and thought through my route a bit more. I've decided not to do the Lost Coast option, and enjoyed a piping hot breakfast of oatmeal and cocoa. I spent some time getting to know the unicycle boys and their father. They're high-school seniors doing a senior project of designing a unicycle route. Definitely not your average senior project! I watched them ride off for the day and had to laugh! It was just too funny and it seemed like something out of a fairytale book! Today is a rest day for Camille, but I'm planning on spending the day hiking through the redwoods. I stopped by the visitor's center where I picked up a map and a chart for identifying the plants and animals of the redwoods. The first hike I took was the Cathedral Trees, a short one and a half mile trip each way. I just can't get over how amazing the redwood forest is! The trees are so tall and seem to stretch endlessly above, while giant trunks plant them firmly to the ground in small family groups that hold each other up. The silence and hush of the redwoods is something else too. I'm not sure I've ever heard such quiet and utter stillness in a place before. It was very peaceful and made me very much in awe of the creator.

Back from the Cathedral trees, I walked the Prarie Creek trail to meet the James Irvine trail which would take me on a long 10 mile hike to Fern Canyon near the beach. I loved every minute of it, but my biking sandals started doing a number on my feet and it started to get dark, so I turned back just before reaching the canyon. I sure didn't want to get stuck out in the middle of the forest when it got dark! When I finally got back to camp, there were two girls set up beside me in the hiker-biker campsite! I was pretty amazed, but enjoyed meeting them briefly. They were riding from Portland, OR to San Francisco, CA. They were pretty giggly, and after a while I started to feel very old and serious! :) As I ate my dinner, the Roosevelt Elk started grazing all throughout the campground which was pretty much empty. They're amazing creatures and it was fun to munch my dinner while they grazed theirs. They would look up occasionally to watch as birds flew overhead. Sometimes this trip seems like a prolonged and extended search for a restroom, but a visit like this to the redwoods just puts it all back into perspective.

Brookings to Elk Prarie SP, CA - 70.7 miles

REALLY needed a shower this morning, and the water at this park is reputed to be very hot--true! :) My tent is finally dry, but was covered with spiders. Ugh. Set off about 9am and rode to the California border. HURRAH!!!!! I was overcome with happiness as I crossed the border into California. :) If nothing else, I've made it almost 1,000 miles! :) :) :) Lots of ocean, fields, cows, hills and forests today. As I rode through Fort Dick, I saw a goat tethered to someone's front lawn. Very efficient way to mow the lawn! Didn't see any hitchikers in the area of the state penitentiary, which was good! All the lily fields made me want to sneeze! Stopped for lunch in Crescent City. People there were very chatty and friendly and it was a nice afternoon. Headed out of town on the Redwoods Highway and passed the Citizen's Dock where many people were stopped to see the historic old boat that had come in. The lighthouse was driving me crazy with the foghorn! There were lots of surfers on the beach just outside of town and then it was into the big Crescent City hills. Wow. Talk about a LONG climb! I took it slowly and stopped to rest at the pullouts. Not much of a shoulder and it was pretty tough, but I finally made it to the top and saw another tourer coming up the other way. He was a proper tourer, but we were both so exhausted from our climbs that we nodded at each other wearily and kept trudging along. An exhilarating descent followed, but the road was a real challenge and not in very good condition, which made it quite exciting! Klameth was a mystery--much smaller, but way longer of a town than I had thought, so I ended up out of town and had to turn back to pick up groceries for my rest day. Everytime I go downhill at 35-40 mph and get hit in the face by the bugs, I always think of that V-8 commercial for some reason! I need to work on keeping my mouth shut, though! I hear that bugs are good protein, though. Perhaps it's not such a bad thing! The Golden Bear bridge was fun, and it was onto another long climb onto the Newton B. Drury scenic byway to the Redwoods park. It was pretty incredible, but I was too tired to be anything other than thankful that the last seven miles were downhill. On the way down I was stopped by a guy in a truck looking for his sons on unicycles. I think I would have noticed that! It was very late and cold to boot as I finally got into camp. All the food went into the bear box! There were lots of wild elk grazing around the park which was pretty amazing. All I wanted to do was to crawl into my sleeping bag!

-from Garberville, CA

Humbug Mountain SP to Brookings, OR - 58.1 miles

A saucy bluejay woke me bright and early this morning! A breakfast of granola and carrots got me off to an early start, though there was a lot of muttering under the breath about the cold! The bluejay inspected the packing up operation most carefully, and it seemed to meet his approval in the end. Great ride through the mountains and fantastic views coming into Wedderburn. I stopped at the Port Hole Cafe in Gold Beach for a much needed hot lunch. A double-bacon cheeseburger, fries and a blackberry pie, a la mode...yum! Cleaned my plate most thoroughly! It was a great boost for the next part of the trip, which included a big climb over Cape Sebastian. It looked worse on the elevation chart than it actually ended up being. I got to the top and thought...is this it? surely not! I was certain that I was going to go around another corner and it would be up again, but like the note on the pavement said, "just a warm-up". Pistol River looked like an interesting place, with many-colored dunes and grasses. Being in one of my time-stingy modes, I kept riding, but would have enjoyed hanging out for the day there. Further on, I met Joel, a not-very-well-prepared cyclist heading north. He had set out a few days earlier without raingear. It poured and then he had a flat and he didn't have anything to fix that either, so he ended up hitching a ride back into Brookings and was starting out again. He was of the "walk up all the hills" philosophy, but I didn't think any of it sounded like much fun. It takes all kinds, I guess. Another long climb to Cape Ferrelo and a wonderful, soaring descent! At the Brookings Fred Meyers, my cashier told me to look out for Ranger Dean in the state park if I had any trouble. Very kind! Dinner of bagels and cream cheese--I really miss milk products!!!

-from Garberville, CA

North Bend to Humbug Mountain SP, OR - 65.6 miles

I had to make up the lost miles from the day before, so I got an early start. The sky threatened rain, but I outran it and enjoyed a beautiful day. The Seven Devils Road was a fantastic ride and I enjoyed reading the many funny comments left on the road obviously for cyclists. It looked a lot like the woods of Washington which was surprising after all the coastline I've been seeing recently. A stiff climb led to a fantastic descent on Whiskey Run Lane. "Let the fun begin" said the note on the road! Onto Bandon, my new favorite town. It helps the scenery so much when it's not pouring! The Face Rock viewpoint was a lovely little stop and I enjoyed a picnic lunch later on the roadside. There were no bungees today...maybe the rain is related to the bungees? Just a thought. :) An interesting sight on the road today was a mini-van pulling a small cannon...make of it what you will. I got the full range of scenery today: ocean, dunes, forest, mountains, lakes, rivers, rugged cliffs and sandy beaches. I could just go on and on about the sunshine, but suffice it to say that I was VERY grateful! I arrived in plenty of time to Humbug Mountain SP and set up in a lovely spot at the hiker/biker camp. I've come to enjoy the solitude of these campsites set apart, usually in a lovely spot. Much nicer than the regular tent sites. Some great road names to add to the collection:
Wind Jammer Ln.
Whale Watch Way
Tish-a-tang Rd.
Qua-Mah Rd.
Stonecypher Rd.

-from Gold Beach, OR

Honeyman SP to North Bend, OR - 43.7 miles

It was still raining in the morning and I waited until a lull to get packed up. I'm getting to be pretty good at cooking my breakfast just outside the tent door! It was a pretty late start, though. There were brief little moments of sunshine early in the day, but it soon turned to a steady downpour. It became an unending battle. Headwinds, crosswinds and huge gusts of rain. It was all I could do sometimes to stay upright. Moving forward and staying on the road were my only thoughts. I stopped for lunch in Reedsport and enjoyed a brief respite. Back on the road it only got worse. The rain poured from the sky in an unending, relentless downpour with the wind battering me from every side but the back. All I could do was keep my head down and my heels churning. Pretty soon I realized I couldn't feel my hands or legs from the knees down. I was cold, wet and felt very alone. After crossing the north side of the North Bend bridge on foot, I could finally feel my feet again, but entering into town, I realized that trying to make it another 15 miles and then setting up my already wet tent in the downpour was foolish. I found a very cheap motel and the receptionist had to help me fill out the form because I could hardly hold the pen. I was shaking with cold and once I got Camille into the room, turned the heater on full blast. It was a pretty miserable day. It was wonderful to be warm and have a dry roof overhead.

-from Gold Beach, OR

Waldport to Honeyman SP, OR - 40.8 miles

I got off early this morning in hopes of having plenty of time to enjoy the dunes. Rain. Lots of it today. The Devil's Churn was a fun stop and I met John, who runs a free bike program in Waldport. Lots of hills here and my last tunnel. Because I'm so early in the year, I haven't had to fight so much of the tourist traffic through these tougher bits like the tunnels and bridges. The tunnels are pretty interesting though. When you get to them, you have to press a button that activates lights to let traffic know that there is a cyclist in the tunnel. Lights on, you wait for a break in the traffic and then pedal as fast as you can, stopping to collapse at the rest point on the other end. I stopped at the Darlingtonia site where they have hundreds of pitcher plants...creepy! Another bridge into Florence through the pouring rain. As I rode through town, I got an encouraging "Keep Going!" and a thumbs up from a man on the sidewalk. Sure needed some cheer after all this depressing weather. I finally arrived at the Jessie M. Honeyman State Park and forced myself to trek through the dunes. There wasn't much to see in the rain, but I could tell that it would have been pretty incredible with some sunshine!

-from Gold Beach, OR

random thoughts from the road

There's plenty of time to ponder as you bike down the road. Whether you're on a flat stretch, fighting the wind or chugging your way up a long climb, very random thoughts are endless. Whether it's counting bungee cords, collecting interesting road names or stopping to enjoy the view, life on the road is pretty simple. Today was a three bungee day, and my collection of peculiar road names currently includes the following:

Mild Curry Road
Bear Trap Blvd.
Four Sisters Road
Goodspeed Road
Bear View Lane
Shark Creek Lane
Monkey Hill Road

I find myself scorning towns with road names that are simply mundane or follow obvious patterns such as all fruit trees, states or minerals. Centralia, WA was one such town. I am bored when I see the ever-present "Fir, Oak and Pine Streets" and view with mild horror those roads with the name "Hill" present.

Tunnels and bridges, though pleasant to look at are never enjoyable to cross. Chipseal roads though rough, are better than loose gravel or sand. Falling rocks, steep cliffs and tsunami zones tend to put me on edge but all are preferable to riding on a road without a shoulder. I will never tire of the view and sound of the ocean crashing on the shore. I am learning to be street-savvy and finding unique solutions to the problems of the day is a pleasant art. The hills I take one pedal-stroke at a time and always reach the top eventually. I find humor in the little things along the way, and persevere in keeping my passion though the road may be long. God is my strength and my song.

-from Waldport, OR

Otter Rock to Waldport, OR - 28 miles

More snow this morning, but it passed quickly. A bit of a late start, but not far to go today. It was, however, very windy and rainy. Crossing the bridge out of Newport was miserable. There was a strong crosswind that blew the rain straight sideways. I tried to thaw the right side of my face out at every turret I could find to hide behind. At Seal Rock I stopped at Kadi's Fudge Shop and had a couple of pieces in honor of Doris! :) Maple nut and straight chocolate...very good. It was nice to take a break from the battle against the wind and rain every couple of miles as I stopped at the many parks and waypoints along the coast. Once in Waldport, I stayed with friends of my brother David. It was fun to meet their family, play with the kids and hear their stories. Many thanks to Laura for sharing her room! :)

R&R with Dan and Doris

It's been really nice to be off the bike for a couple of days. I've been learning all about this part of my family from Doris and Dan, and a full history of the Otter Rock area as well. I've been very glad to be sleeping in a warm house instead of a tent as it's REALLY cold and there was over an inch of snow on the ground this morning. Yesterday it hailed repeatedly throughout the day and some of it was pretty good-sized. Highlights from a quick tour of the area were definitely: wine-tasting at the Flying Dutchman Winery, watching the Devil's Punchbowl in action, and a visit to the aquarium in Newport which was very fun. I'm learning a lot about the local animals and environment which has been quite interesting.

-from Otter Rock, OR

Cape Lookout to Otter Rock, OR - 52.8 miles

It was SO cold this morning! I was glad to eat my hot soup and quickly packed up. Lots to do today so I needed an earlier start. I was disappointed not to meet the other biker as they were still snug in their tent as I left the park. I started with a three mile climb to the top of Cape Lookout. There was a hang-glider getting set up at the top, but he was hoping for a lull in the driving rain before he took off! At the small grocery in Sandlake, the clerk informed me that there was snow in the forecast...not so good for me! Snow at the ocean in mid-April. go figure. I pretty much froze today. The miles and miles of sand dunes dotted with pine trees and wild grasses were another highlight today. Sadly, it was only a two bungee day.

Cape Kiwanda was a fun stop and I had to laugh at the surfer who was having a blast in the roaring surf and giant waves. I sat on a large piece of driftwood and enjoyed the busy scene around me but didn't climb to the top of the dunes. Where did my sense of adventure go? Every time I get off the bike and walk around to look at things I keep thinking about the miles I have left for the day and bemoaning the energy I'm expending to go and look at the sights! I feel pretty lazy and have resolved to be more energized in the near future. We'll see how that goes! Back on the bicycle to Lincoln City, where I visited the Pig N Pancake for another big lunch. Lincoln City had quite a bit of traffic, but once through, there were some spectacular views at little parks all along the way. I stopped briefly to watch the whale-watchers at Depoe Bay, but the water was pretty rough and I'm not sure if they could really see much even with binoculars. It wasn't far from there to Otter Rock, where I was excited to meet some relatives for the first time! We had a great evening of exchanging stories and working our way through the family tree.

-from Otter Rock, OR

Nehalem Bay to Cape Lookout SP, OR - 51 miles

I was awake early this morning, but when it's cold it takes a long time to convince myself to crawl out of the warm sleeping bag and start the packing up process. There was a light mist as I loaded up Camille and we set off to see the dunes in the park. It was too dark the night before to try to find them, but the roar of the ocean was nearby. It was incredible. I've been thinking a lot lately that there just aren't enough words to convey the vistas and scenes I've been privileged to see. Incredible, awe-inspiring, beautiful, amazing, great, glorious, phenomenal, and...to quote the princess bride... "inconceivable!" :) It was also at this point that I realized that I'd just used up all of my 1-GB memory card in my camera. So, photos are coming. Not all of them, mind you, but just the most interesting ones.

I decided not to follow my ACA map today and instead rode along Hwy. 101. I was very glad that I did that because I would have missed some great views of the sea stacks otherwise. It was also a pretty flat road and I zoomed along at a good clip. If it is truly flat, I can keep a steady 15mph going, but when the road goes up, I slow down real fast! I ate up the miles to Tillamook and stopped off to see the Cheese Factory. That was really interesting. I enjoyed watching the factory in action. It reminded me very much of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Oompaloompas. The workers dressed in white worked steadily to keep the cheese in line and at the proper weight while glancing up at the watchers above and giggling and pointing. Tasting the samples was most enjoyable...cheese curd, mild cheddar, medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, extra sharp white and jalapeno. The cheese curd was definitely my favorite, with its squeaky bland density. I studied the cow chart and think I should be able to properly identify the rest of the cows that I encounter on my journey! I visited the ice-cream shop and tried out a hot-fudge pistachio-pecan sundae. Delicious!

I rode into Tillamook and while I was parking Camille in front of the Safeway, had an interesting conversation with a man who lives with his girlfriend in a tent on his waterfront property. He's unable to work due to a broken neck and had a trailer home which he gave up to another family with young children who didn't have a place to live.

Onto the "Three Capes Scenic Route". The name alone warned me that my beloved flatland was soon to be a thing of the past...and it was so. It started off as rolling farmland with a stiff headwind, which wasn't such a bad thing as I passed field after field of cows! I rounded the first peninsula and the headwind was gone, but a huge climb awaited me. Cape Meares was one of the toughest I've seen so far. Not only was it a stiff climb on a narrow road with no shoulder, but the road was cracked with giant potholes and sloppy repair jobs turning into loose-packed large gravel where the road had washed down the cliffside. Whew! I began to despair ever making it to the top, but kept pedaling and watched the insects zoom past me. Finally at the top, I nearly cried as I rode downhill on the sideroad to visit the lighthouse and the octopus tree, knowing that I would have to climb right back up to the top again! The view was worth it, though and it was very interesting to see the short little lighthouse with its Fresnel lenses. I was also intensely curious about the "octopus tree" which turned out to be a Sitka spruce that the rough cape weather had formed into a many trunked tree. The climb back up wasn't as tough as the first one and I really booked it to Cape Lookout State Park as it was pretty late. I arrived in camp about 9pm and found a huge repavement project in process right by the hiker/biker sites. The flashing lights and beeping finally stopped about 10 and I was surprised to find another biker set up already in the site. It's still pretty early in the season, so not many are out yet. Today was a three bungee day.

-from Otter Rock, OR

Astoria to Nehalem Bay SP, OR - 45 miles

The tent was finally dry, and I set off in search of a laundromat. I'm very sore from the day before, but it doesn't seem to hurt my riding at all. Dry tent, freshly showered, clean clothes and a good-as-new bike. A great way to start the day! As we rode away from Astoria, I was struck by how small it seemed. We crossed a drawbridge and rode along Fort Clatsop Road. I made some minor adjustments to my cleats and oiled that pesky clicking pedal again. Onto the Lewis and Clark Road where logging is everywhere. It's sad to see so many trees gone and forests cut to the ground. When I reached Seaside, I rode along the Promenade and enjoyed the ocean views. The end of the Lewis and Clark trail is here, and I look forward to returning in a few months. I amazed the waitress of the "Pig N Pancake" by practically inhaling a huge Denver omelet, 5 pancakes and a quarter of a merrionberry pie with ice-cream. Onto Cannon Beach, a real "must go back and stay for a week" kind of place. Many wonderful memories of playing on the beach and flying kites there as a child came back to me. I stopped at the post office in town to mail a small package home. I'm getting a better sense of what I really need to have and what isn't as important, so I'm cutting the weight down! Incredible views all along the coast here, and I'm soaking in the views along the way. There have been a few hills here, but nothing to compare with what I met in Washington so far! After a four-mile downhill into Manzanita, I set up camp at a hiker-biker site in Nehalem Bay SP. It was a late arrival since I spent so much time stopping along the way today, but I quickly set the tent up in the final rays of the sun. I saw one other touring biker heading the opposite way today, and one bungee cord. Tomorrow morning I plan to explore the sand dunes of the park.

- from Tillamook, OR

County Line Park to Astoria, OR - 42 miles

It was a cold, cold morning when I awoke, and I could even see my breath in the tent. I made a breakfast of oatmeal and hot cocoa on my little campstove, but just as I was finishing my cocoa it started to rain. I waited for a lull to pack up, and then set off. On my way out of the camp, an older gentleman staying in an RV asked me if I was afraid to bike and camp by myself. We had an interesting conversation and he informed me that his daughter travels in a similar fashion, but she now carries a P38 after an incident with a stalker! After riding to Cathlamet, I took the cute little ferry across to Westport, OR. The ferry was pretty small, with a spot to park Camille and quaint little passenger booths on the side. Onto Highway 30 and a beautiful shoulder all the way to Astoria. There was a lot less trash on the sides of the road, but a rather large assortment of bungee cords. I saw eight from Westport to Astoria. There were quite a few hills, but some great sweeping downhills as well. One of my new practices for climbing hills is to decide on a topic to think about at the bottom and see where I end up by the top. Some very interesting tangents result, but they all help to divert my attention from the "up-up-up". It rained pretty much all day, but I got to Astoria around 3:30. I was starving, but I thought I'd better hit the bike shop before it closed. Scott at Bikes and Beyond was very helpful, and adjusted my shifting, brakes and had a look at my pedal. I set off on a test ride to check out the adjustments and just yards from the bike shop had a crash. I was crossing some railroad tracks and the wood around it was very wet and slippery still. I must not have been at an exactly 90 degree angle, because the next thing I knew, Camille was wedged in the tracks, and I was ejected from the bike (minus my shoes which were still clipped in) and landed several feet away on my side. Poor Camille. Her front rim was an utter disaster. Back to the bike shop for some major surgery. Camille pulled through, but was ready for a quiet night. I got a motel room and hung the tent out to dry. It was lovely to be dry and warm and clean! :)

Toledo to Cowlitz-Wahkiakum County Line Park, WA - 41 miles

Yesterday I spent a lot of time thinking about dog chases and road names. More to follow on the road names. I've now got quite an interesting collection! Priscilla asked me if I was missing people yet, and it's true that I've been talking to Camille a lot lately. She's the perfect companion and always agrees with me! :) It was windy when I set up my tent last night, so I put out my guy lines to steady the tent, and came up one stake short...how did that happen? 1st bloody ankle yesterday. It's hard to keep the bike steady sometimes with all that gear loaded on and Camille has a tendancy to make a run for it on her own! Got up at 7:30 this morning and promptly crawled right back in the tent. It's raining pretty hard. A wet tent is never fun to pack. I decided to eat most of my food supplies so I wouldn't have so much to carry... Breakfast ended up being leftover Ritz crackers, a bag of trail mix and kiwi gatorade. Finally set off at almost 11, but I don't have far to go today. Rode to Castle Rock, WA and stopped for lunch. It started to hail! Glad I was indoors! I sat by the fireplace and listened to Beethoven piano sonatas while I wolfed down a double bacon cheeseburger, fries and cottage cheese. It was a long, grueling uphill climb to Coal Creek. Not only that, but I had a headwind and braved ice and rain showers on the way up as well. Halfway up one of the many climbs, a van going the opposite way stopped to tell me that Brownie, a dog at the top of the hill, was very fond of attacking cyclists, and told me what to tell her! As he drove off, a dog chased him down the hill, and I never did meet Brownie... There was a glorious downhill from Coal Creek (population 32) but it was freezing. Once on Highway 4, I enjoyed many amazing views of the Columbia River. It's part of the Lewis and Clark trail, so I spent a lot of time imagining what it must have looked like when they traveled through. It's a wonderful ride, but not much of a shoulder, so time is spent alternately enjoying the scenery and keeping a watchful eye to avoid being run over. A campground materialized right on the river at a historic Lewis and Clark spot. Beautiful black sand beach and quiet forests. A pan of hot cocoa soon warmed me up and I enjoyed watching the ships pass by as the sun set.

-from Tillamook, OR

Porter to Toledo, WA - 58.5 miles

It was 56 degrees when I woke up this morning! It's a lot easier to get up and moving when it's warmer. I had Chinese leftovers for breakfast and found new stiff and aching muscles. They're getting stronger! The ride to Centralia was blissfully flat and very rural. Lots of animal sightings: horses, shetland ponies, cows, buffalo and sheep. Tiny baby ones too...so cute! I've definitely decided that chipseal roads are not my favorite. The constant vibrations really do a number on the nerves in my hands. A lot of loose dogs chased me today...one of those things that takes me right back to some truly scary childhood memories. I contemplated the pepper spray a few times though! The road became very hilly again right after Centralia. Centralia Alpha Road was pretty brutal, but the 16% grade going down was a blast! At one point, I passed the "Denture Cup Inn- Adult Family Hotel" and noticed with some amusement that there was a vacancy... :) Rode to the Lewis and Clark SP and was hoping to camp there for the night, but it was pretty much closed down due to a construction project. Onward to Toledo, where I ended up camping right next to the playground in a public park! It started raining right after I put up the tent and continued most of the night. Knees are hurting pretty badly tonight, but tomorrow should be an easier day.

-from Castle Rock, WA.

Twanoh SP to Porter, WA - 59 miles

An early start today and found some big climbs right off. Glad I didn't try to get further yesterday...those hills would have finished me right off! It was 39 degrees in the morning but I warmed up on the hills around Mason Lake quickly enough! I spotted a lot of moto-cross cyclists gearing up to race through the mountainous terrain. Gorgeous, gorgeous views of the Olympic mountains in the distance and lakes close by. Played tag with the rural mail jeep and won... It's really lovely to lazily cycle through these back roads through giant swathes of timber. Lots of logging going on here. Cloquallam Road was a great ride and the sun was shining! For the first time I got down to my short-sleeve jersey, shorts and no socks! It was about 89 degrees in the afternoon...sunburn! I'm going to have the weirdest looking tan when I'm through with this! I rode into Elma and met Ken mowing his yard. We had a great conversation out in the middle of the road and I really enjoyed hearing his story! Onto the tiny town of Porter where I camped behind a grocery-deli about 20 yards off of Highway 12! I met the most fascinating Korean lady who made me an amazing dinner of chow mein and sweet and sour pork with a molassas-blackberry sauce. I hadn't really eaten since breakfast, so I put an incredible amount of food away! I laid down in my tent and wondered if I should put earplugs in since I was so close to the highway and that was the last thought I had until I woke the next morning!

-from Castle Rock.

Kitsap Memorial SP to Twanoh SP, WA - 46 miles

It was so late last night when I arrived, that I never had dinner, so I was starved when I got up. It was pretty cold again, so I had a more leisurely start and left about 10am. Slow going at first while my muscles ached and protested, but they warmed up and I picked up the pace. On the way to Bremerton, the road was closed (apparently the bridge was out) and so I had to navigate by general direction. I was stopped at an intersection, trying to decide whether to go straight or turn right, when Brian and Pete cycled past and asked if I was lost. They kindly took me a shorter but also very hilly route around Bremerton and patiently waited as I huffed and puffed my way up the hills behind them! :) Once back on track, I enjoyed some very welcome sunshine and warmed up. While at a stop in Belfair for some hot food, an older gentleman informed me that I looked like I'd been through a blender. I'm not sure what that was about, but was amused nevertheless. I've been finding water at interesting places...mostly city parks. A short ride today and a nice stop at Twanoh SP. A shower...finally! But only 3 minutes. I've gotten so that I can shower and do laundry in under 3 minutes. It's a miracle! :)

Anacortes to Kitsap Memorial SP, WA - 69 miles

Up at 6:30, a lovely breakfast with Terri, and an early start for a long day ahead. It was a very good thing that I didn't know what was ahead of me. A little way into the day, I began a system of classification for hills. One of my new categories is the "BYHOH" (bust yo heart out hill). Deception Pass was incredible and I wish I had had a week to hike the paths and enjoy the views, but I enjoyed watching the water swirl menacingly below rugged cliffs edged with pines. When I think of Washington, this is it. As I climbed Monkey Hill Road (is it just me, or do all the road names on Whidbey Island have or should have the word "hill" in them??) I heard a lot of shooting and was a little alarmed until I saw the sign for "Greene's Gun Shop". The cows along the way gave me some seriously inquiring looks. I think the neon yellow rain covers on my panniers intrigued them! Whidbey Island = HILLS. I seemed to go up and up and hardly ever down. I'd climb a steep knoll only to find another up just around the corner, or the summit would turn into a flat stretch. Camille did her best, but she just plain doesn't like carrying that extra 50-60 lbs. of gear. Some of it may be going home shortly... Finally a real downhill right before the Keystone Ferry that would take me to Port Townsend! The ferry ride was fun, but very chilly. Once on the other side, I found more hills, but finally a bit of reward on these! I was exhausted and thought about stopping at Oak Bay, but didn't like the looks of it, so kept going and arrived at the Hood Canal Bridge about 7pm. That was one of the more scary things that I've done in recent years. There was no shoulder for a lot of it, and it was grated and slippery with hardly any railing on the narrow ledge that I was trying to fit myself and my bike onto. As trucks passed me with inches to spare, I would be sucked into their draft and have to pull back towards the watery edge. My legs were already rubbery and ready to give out, but I finally made it over and biked the last miles to Kitsap Memorial State Park. This was not a very fun day, and though exhausted way beyond my limits, thanked God for it all.

Birch Bay SP to Anacortes, WA - 61.7 miles

It was a long, cold night. About 3 am, there was a huge fight between a couple of campers that went on for about an hour and featured a great deal of yelling before it finally was over. Sleep was disturbed early in the morning by the birds. No need for any other alarm clock! It was about 39 degrees when I got going and my feet were pretty frozen. Some light rain showers to start off the day accompanied by a lot of sorrow about my uncle. My legs were feeling sluggish and I realized I probably wouldn't make Deception Pass SP like I had hoped. A stop at Denny's in Ferndale for a big lunch energized me right into a snow pellet storm which didn't last too long. I rode through Bellingham. It's a pretty nice city and has some great trails. Lots of bikers everywhere. Bison and buffalo sighting! Chuckanut Drive was very scenic with trees, lots of moss, and incredible views. At one of the scenic stops, you could see oyster fields... I never knew that there were such things before! Some extra miles were logged trying to find the right road in Edison, such a small town that it's amazing I even could manage to get lost in the first place! For me, no problem. :) It's taking some time to get used to reading these maps properly. Also sometimes the name of the road has changed from what the map says it should be, which doesn't help! Scenic fields with rich dark dirt, cows and snow-capped mountains in the background. I was really tired at this point, so I decided to try to make it to Similk Beach. The ride through the Padilla Bay Trail was spectacular and it was really interesting to see the tidal marsh and mud flats on one side of the trail, while on the other side, green fields and a flowing stream. I followed SR 20 to Anacortes and made it over another big bridge. Just a bit after, I was met by two cyclists, Chuck and Keith. A generous invitation by Chuck was followed by a wonderful evening with Chuck, his wife Terri, and Keith. I stayed the night with Chuck and Terri and enjoyed some delightful conversation! Thanks! :)

We got off to a good start!

We are on our way! even though it began in the rain! The rain only lasted the first 1 1/2 hours and then the sun came out.

Vancouver, BC to Birch Bay, WA - 67.5 miles

Started off at the Space Museum in Vanier Park. It was 48 degrees with a light shower. After some emotional good-byes, I started off on the Cypress bike route through the city. The route was great and other than some confusion in crossing the bridges, things went smoothly. As I rode down the Fraser River, it was interesting to watch the tugboats manuever giant logs chained in big sections down the river. One to pull and two on the sides to navigate the turns. I got pretty lost once and ended up on a bike trail through a bog. When I finally found a road again, a very kind Canadian-Irish lady put me back on the right track. Just before the border, a 13% + grade hill forced me off the bike. I could barely push the bike up the hill, much less ride! That extra 50 pounds sure is good for the upper-body work-out. :) The border crossing was interesting as I navigated the trucks and cars on Highway 15. I had to park my bike and go into a building and was about to opent the door when I realized there was a bottle of pepper spray in my hand bag! Oops... Once across, I was on my way to Birch Bay for the night. I was chased by my first dog, but with some persistent yelling, he finally quit trying to take a bite out of my heels! I met up with my grandparents again and received some news that put a giant big hole in my heart. My dad's twin brother died a day or two ago. It will take some time to work through that. I spent the night at the Birch Bay State Park and enjoyed a brilliant sunset. Pretty exhausting first day.

(Seattle) Vancouver - 6.8 miles

When I was finally packed at 8:30, my grandparents, brothers and I drove off with bikes to Vancouver, BC. I didn't get much sleep the night before due to some last minute final packing, so I slept most of the way. It was raining pretty hard most of the morning and early afternoon, but we saw some llamas braving the wet weather. The boys and I visited the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and then after a big lunch, we all rode through Stanley Park. We saw the Lion's Gate bridge, and I'm still wondering why the lions were only on one side... Stanley Park was beautiful! The "world-famous" seawall was fun to follow around the park and the totem poles were pretty incredible! We just missed the big bus of Korean tourists, but were caught on camera by some Japanese tourists who mistook us for locals! Once we started riding, the weather cleared up and we enjoyed fantastic views. A quick drive-through of Vanier Park followed and we found a perfect spot for me to start off at the next morning. Off to bed for a long night's sleep!

zero hour

Well, this is it. The bags are packed and in a few minutes my grandparents, brothers and I will be driving up to Vancouver, BC to bike through the tulip fields, Stanley Park and the Suspension Bridge. Tomorrow I set off on my own and head for the border. I am really excited! :)

two days and counting!

This has been a week full of goodbyes. I've been thankful to have made so many wonderful friends here in Seattle. These final few days have been full of last minute projects. A final bike-shop stop to change my brake pads and one last bike fit, and a last trip to REI for water purification tablets and a small fuel canister were part of yesterday's schedule. My brothers spent the evening with me, and we tested my camp-stove. The roasted marshmallows and s'mores were fabulous. Mmm! We timed getting a pot of water to boil, and timed fuel burning. That little stove is pretty awesome! I'm sleeping in my tent from now on, just to get used to its atmosphere. I'm still a bit sick, so I'm doing that inside the house. I figure I'll have plenty of sleeping outdoors time soon enough! 

 

I have to say that the nervous jitters are pretty much gone, and that I've reached the plain-old impatient and excited state! I felt very strong on the bike yesterday, and am nearly packed up. A very few final things to organize and it'll all be set. Two days to go, so that's good. I'm trying to eat and eat and eat. I have a feeling I'll be needing all the reserves I can get on this long journey. 

detailed gear list: for those interested in what I REALLY have in those funny looking bike bags

::Camille: a Specialized Tricross Sport bicycle::
Technical Specs:
FRAME Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum, fully manipulated tubing, semi-compact Freeroad design, integrated headset, rack and fender fittings
FORK Specialized FACT carbon Tricross fork, carbon legs, aluminum steerer, SpeedZertz inserts, full rack and fender mounts
HEADSET Specialized Mindset Plus, 1 1/8" integrated threadless, cartridge sealed bearings, alloy 20mm cone w/ one 10mm and two 5mm alloy spacers
STEM ???
HANDLEBARS Specialized Comp, racing drop, 31.8
TAPE/GRIPS Body Geometry Bar Phat, cork ribbon w/ 2.5mm gel padding
FRONT BRAKE Tricross-specific forged linear pull, road-lever specific length
REAR BRAKE Tricross-specific forged linear pull, road-lever specific length
BRAKE LEVERS Shimano Tiagra, 9-speed STI, flight deck compatible w/ brake lever extensions
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano Tiagra, 31.8mm clamp, bottom pull
REAR DERAILLEUR Deore LX, 9-speed, long cage
SHIFT LEVERS Shimano Tiagra, 9-speed STI, flight deck compatible
CASSETTE FREEWHEEL Shimano HG-50, 9-speed 11-34t
CHAIN original was replaced, no idea what the new one is, 9-speed
CRANKSET FSA Vero, cold-forged crankset
BOTTOM BRACKET Sport cartridge, square taper, 68 x 113mm
PEDALS Time ATAC XS Clipless

RIMS Alex ACE-19, double wall rim, machined sidewalls w/ eyelets
FRONT-REAR HUB Specialized forged alloy, 32 hole, double sealed bearings, QR
SPOKES DT Competition Stainless 14g
FRONT-REAR TIRE Specialized Borough CX Armadillo Elite, 700x32c, aramid bead, 120 TPI
TUBES Specialized standard presta tube
SADDLE Specialized Women's Jett Saddle
SEAT POST Specialized carbon fiber wrapped, 27.2mm
SEAT BINDER Specialized CNC, alloy, 31.8mm clamp

FRONT RACK Jandd

REAR RACK Axiom

FENDERS full set 

BIKE COMPUTER Specialized Sport Wireless (this irritates me because it doesn't start on its own...I have to remember to turn it on to record mileage)

FRONT LIGHT Cateye

REAR LIGHT Topeak RedLite UFO (not nearly as visible as I'd hoped it would be...it also runs on a weird sized battery)

3 bottle cages (will be carrying 5 water bottles through the southwest)

Topeak Master Blaster Harpoon S2 pump

::The bike is a dream to ride and handles exceptionally well. I've been very pleased with the range of hand positions it offers and the overall strength of the bike::

gear:

PANNIERS: Lone Peak P100 and P500 with rain covers
SLEEPING BAG: REI Sub-Kilo +15 degrees

SLEEPING BAG LINER: REI Merino Wool Liner (I've found I sleep very cold, so this will help warm things up a bit and in warmer weather can use this instead of the sleeping bag)
SLEEPING PAD: Pacific Outdoor Equipment Ether Thermo 6 (excellent...rolls up to Nalgene bottle size, very light and pretty tough)

All weather space blanket (just in case)
TENT: Lightning 2 with footprint, attic and sand stakes by Sierra Designs (extra stakes and seam sealer)

STOVE: mini Trangia Denatured Alcohol Stove, windscreen and MSR fuel bottle

KITCHEN: small aluminum pot with non-stick fry-pan lid, switchblade, fork and spoon, lighter, waterproof matches, Campsuds soap, bag of seasonings, powdered milk, very compact can opener, olive oil, small plastic cutting board and a MSR ultralite dish towel

TOOLS: zip ties, twist ties, rubber bands, krazy glue, bungee cords, ziplocks, garbage bags, White Lightening Epic chain lube, chain brush and rag, spare front and rear spokes, bike tool, multi-tool, 3 spare tubes, chain link, 1 spare tire, spare brake cable, spare brake blocks, spare derailler cable, 50 ft of 550 rope, Scabs patch kit, bike lock, small padlock, 100 MPH tape (also known as duct tape), safety pins and sewing kit

ELECTRONICS: Compass with thermometer, cellphone + charger, ipod + charger, Nikon Coolpix P4 + extra battery, extra memory, USB cord, tripod and charger, Solio solar charger, memory stick, mini maglight flashlight and extra batteries

BOOKS: (just can't live without them...) Bicycling the Pacific Coast by Spring and Kirkendall, Bible, pages from a bike repair book, journal, Adventure Cycling maps and a glow-in-the-dark constellation chart

FIRST AID KIT: sunscreen, bug spray, pepper spray, hand sanitizer, bandages, gauze pads, moleskin, Neosporin, Aleve, Dramamine, Benadryl Spray, Tiger Balm and Aloe Vera gel

SHOWER BAG: earplugs, tp, razor, chapstick, shampoo, ultralite towel, toothpaste and brush, comb, scissors, lotion, floss, q-tips and deodorant

SET game: this should be self-explanatory

4 Sea-to-Summit dry bags

ID, passport, credit-card, keys and cash

clothes:
OUTERLAYER/RAIN JACKET: Novara Stratos Bike Jacket
WIND/RAIN PANTS: Showers Pass Rain Pant

SealSkinz waterproof gloves and socks (tried Sugoi, but the inner lining tore easily and leaked)

Fleece zip jacket and Merino wool sweater

1 long sleeve jersey, 2 short sleeve

2 road shorts, 1 mtb short

3 wool socks (will add some thinner socks as the weather warms up)

1 full fingered riding gloves, 1 fingerless and 1 pair of thin knit gloves for extra warmth

arm and leg warmers

baclava, wool-fleece hat and bandana

shower cap to cover helmet in rain

sunglasses

a short skirt and blouse to cover up riding clothes

fleece pants and thermal shirt for sleepwear

swim suit

Giro helmet

the Specialized Women's BG Motodiva Comp MTB Shoes are being left behind in favor of the Keen biking sandals which don't get waterlogged and can be worn without socks!