Heading Home ... (August 19, 2011)

This two week long ride is done ... and the idea of heading toward New England has been scrapped.

Much like my ride two summers ago, I have grown weary of traveling alone ... guess I am just not good company for myself. I am tired, and have a desire to see familiar faces and places.

The riding has been terrific up here in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. Roads have been generally very ridable (bike lanes), and the scenery awe-inspiring ... but I did not meet-up with other touring cyclist as I had hoped I would. I did have some very nice conversations with other campers, but that is just not the same as the joyful conversations shared with other cyclist.

Speaking of "other campers" ... (and this is a very judgmental statement) do these "fifth-wheel and large mobile home campers" leave anything at home when they come out to the campgrounds? Good lord!

Once again my riding has allowed me to acquire a new appreciation for American History. I now have a little better knowledge of the struggle for territorial control between the up-start United States, the British and the French. Of course the Native Indian nations took it in the shorts, but that was the nature of European movement into the North American continent. For one thing I did not realize that there had been naval battles fought on the Great Lakes. The struggles between the various nations for control of the upper Midwest fur trading business was ongoing for many many decades.

Another aspect of this area that surprised me was the extent of traffic in the "sea lanes" through the Great Lakes. I stopped for a visit to the "ship wreck and lighthouse" museum at Whitefish Point. The number of ships hauling iron ore and other loads, and passing this Point, ran in the hundreds per day. Due to the great number of ships traversing these lanes of travel, there were a great number of collisions and, therefore, sinkings.

Back in the late 1970's, Gordon Lightfoot had a very successful song about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I had romanticized this ship as a wooden ship that had sunk around 1890, or so. Ah, not so! The Edmund Fitzgerald sank in November, 1975. Another incorrect fact carried in my head for many years. I can only guess as to the amount of other "incorrect facts" I am carrying around.

So, two weeks of riding the perimeter of the Michigan Upper Peninsula, two weeks of very joyous riding and two weeks of some not-so-enjoyable camping. The joy of doing this every summer is in seeing areas I have not seen before, and getting a new appreciation of those areas. This is a very large country, and there is a lot of, for me, unseen areas. Looking forward to seeing other parts of the country in years to come ... but for right now, I need some familiar faces and places

It's a dog's life ... (August 11, 2011)

This little guy has it figured out. Just sit and watch the world go by. Course he probably does not have any money invested in the stock market.

Yesterday I took the ferry from St. Ignace, MI, over to Mackinac Island ... about a 15 minute boat ride. The Island is primarily a summer home and tourist location. Cars have been banned since 1902 (or so), which leaves walking, bike riding and horse-drawn carriages as the primary means of travel. Very nice not having to deal with cars, but the thousands of cyclists careening around causes one to be very careful when stepping off of the curb. But, as I say, nice not to deal with cars.

Once again, my bike touring has allowed me to take in history lessons that I missed (or slept through) during my years of schooling. Mackinac Island (pronounced "Mack-a-naw") was a key location in the disputes regarding who controlled the upper midwest ... the French, the British, or the newly formed Americans. The Island was also key to the fur trading industry, in as much as it sits at the joining of Lakes Michigan and Huron, and is easily accessed from Lake Superior.

One historical fact regarding the fort on Mackinac Island is that it was the location of the first confrontation of the War of 1812. I say "confrontation" because there was no fighting. The British, who were based at Fort Charles (northeast of Mackinac Island), received word that war had been declared, so they formed a war party and landed on Mackinac Island. The American army, who occupied the fort, did not know war had been declared until they looked out at the approaching 650 British soldiers and allied Indian tribesmen. Since there were only 50 Americans in the fort, the 24 year-old commanding officer decided to surrender. Very wise decision. Very interesting history.

Today I head north to Sault Ste. Marie ... you can see Canada from there (you bet'cha). Then I will head west along Lake Superior. Not at all sure what I will do when I get back to my truck (by Aug. 21). Not really enthused about traveling at the moment ... may head back to Arizona.

Oh well, all of these trips can't be great.

Found Him!!! (August 6, 2011)

I don't quite know how the FBI can not find this guy ... his name is right there on the mail box.

I finally found a sympathetic Park Ranger. The truck is now safely parked for two weeks and I am on the bike again. While it feels good to be "back on the saddle, again", the body is a little sore this evening. It has been almost a month since I finished up my Pacific Coast ride, and it is clear to me that I have lost much of the fitness gained during that five week ride. Fortunately, this portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is quite flat. None-the-less, 35 miles in the heat and humidity has taken its' toll. Add that to several nights of sleeping ... or rather, trying to sleep ... in the heat and humidity and the end result is a night in an air conditioned hotel.

I am heading toward the Mackinaw City area, but have not decided if I will head south to the Traverse Bay area or stay up in the Upper Peninsula. The truck can be stored at Wells State Park for 15 days, so that limits the amount of miles I can cover on this trek (especially in this humid environment).

All-in-all, I am happy to be pedaling again ... just wish there was a way to spend time with familiar faces. Such is the fate of the lone traveler.

Many More Miles (August 3, 2011)

I have now traveled many miles ... very few on the bike.

Currently I am just south of Green Bay, Wisc., trying to figure out where and how to start my Lake Michigan/Lake Superior bike ride. My idea of leaving my truck at a Michigan State Campground is not happening ... seems the program of leaving a vehicle at a campground for several weeks only applies to camper trailers and large RVs. The program is intended to encourage campers to use less fuel if intending to frequent the same campground. My needs do not qualify.

Since last posting, I have covered a lot of miles ... Wyoming, South Dakota, Michigan and now Wisconsin. Cruising I-90 at 60 miles an hour is tedious, but traveling at that speed increases the "miles per gallon" number, so at 60 I go ... much to the displeasure of faster drivers.

I spent a couple of wonderful days in and around the Mount Rushmore area. Got two 30 mile rides in and spent time at both Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. No pun intended, but creating these sculptures is monumental. Starting with a mountain, the sculptures are created via blasting and air-hammering. I find it hard to believe the amount of man hours required ... the Crazy Horse work has been going on since 1947.

The bike riding was enjoyable ... on the second day's ride I took advantage of riding on the Mickleson Trail. This rails-to-trails path is 101 miles long, running along the west side of the park areas. I only rode a small segment, but riding without worrying about vehicles is wonderful. Felt good. The first day of riding I rode on the main road leading to Mount Rushmore. Of the thousands of people viewing the sculpture, I think I was the only one who arrived on a bike. Not bragging; merely an observation.

I was very fortunate to make a connection with Lisa and Marty Brandt in Sioux Falls, SD. Lisa and Marty had been in Oshkosh, Wisc at the annual air show gathering. It was so very nice to see familiar faces. The weather was horrid (very hot and very humid), so sharing their air conditioned trailer was greatly appreciated ... that and the fact that I managed to lock my keys in my truck precluded any attempt to sleep in the bed of my truck.

So here I am trying to figure out where to leave my truck ... no good solutions come to mind at the moment.

Looking forward to getting back on my bike.

Whole lot of sittin' ... (July 29, 2011)

Lot of miles ... not much else to speak of.

I am now in Hot Springs, South Dakota. Since leaving Tucson last Sunday, I have traveled through Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and now South Dakota. Campgrounds, hotels, grocery stores, convenience stores, visitor centers, and (of course) gas stations. I stop along the roadside whenever there is a "point of interest", which typically points out when some military group or rancher did something of importance back in 1840, or 1860, or whenever. I usually take the opportunity of taking a leak at these stops as well.

At this point I am not greatly enamored of this style of traveling ... very few opportunities to stop and talk with locals. I am just another driver instead of a long-distance cyclist. Buy your stuff and move on ... there are many more like you coming down the road.

I am planning to do a short ride here in Southwestern South Dakota ... heading up toward Mount Rushmore tomorrow on a "rails-to-trails" path. Hope this brings some enthusiasm into my psyche ... as of this moment, not so much. Weather is beautiful and the terrain is pleasing (similar to Williams, AZ).

High-point of the trip so far was at Three Rivers Petroglyphs campground, just north of Almagordo, NM. My nephew Rich, and his girlfriend, came up for a very enjoyable chat. Later that evening, feeling a wee bit stuffy in the back of my camper shell, I opened up the tail gate and fell asleep enjoying a wonderful breeze and (seemingly) no bugs.

I now have a large number of small scabs attesting to the fact that there were bugs ... and the intense scratching of the bite-sights hurts so good.

New Means of Travel (July 23, 2011)

So much for my solitary, slow pedal through the U.S. Time to speed things up a little and see more of the country than possible via my bike.

After a very enjoyable stay in Venice, CA, and an even more enjoyable couple of weeks seeing friends and family in Arizona, I am heading out for a new style (to me) adventure. I purchased a camper shell for my pick-up that will allow me to haul my touring bike in relative security and also provide me with a (hopefully) weather tight sleeping enclosure ... kind of a mini-R.V.

I am feeling a little strange embarking on travel in this mode as I feel I am abandoning my much loved bike touring. While the intent is to drive to various locations, then go bike touring, I feel as though I am not staying true to my bike. Oh well, the bike is an inanimate object, so I guess it will mean little to the bike.

I plan on heading out of Tucson tomorrow, and head to Silver City, NM. After a day or two of local Silver City riding, I will then head over to eastern New Mexico and then north through Colorado and Wyoming. When I was four or five years old, our family took a vacation trip to Mount Rushmore (of which I remember little), so I think I will make a stop in South Dakota ... possibly do a multi-day bike tour around the Mount Rushmore/Badlands area. After this, I will then head to Lake Michigan for a multi-week bike tour around the upper Great Lakes area.

Lots of thinking and map reading of late ... action starts tomorrow.

Hope the price of gas takes a serious dive.

At Rest (July 9, 2011)

No more Pacific Coast ride for me ... just too much traffic and too much urban noise and congestion. I have decided to halt this ride in Los Angeles, and forgo the last 130 miles to San Diego.

For the most part, the 500+ miles between San Francisco and L.A. were aesthetically pleasing, and the adjacent vehicular traffic bearable. There were many, many scenic views to be had, as well as some spectacular up-hills and down-hills. The route took me through such wonderful areas as Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, the Monterey/Carmel Peninsula, Big Sur and Morro Bay. There are some very nice campgrounds and some not-so-nice campgrounds.

One very vivid memory is the ride between Santa Cruz and Monterey. The route took me through miles and miles of agriculture ... primarily strawberry fields. The aroma of fresh strawberries is very sweet and enjoyable; the visual of artichoke plants/fields astounding and amusing. One memory that will stay with me for a long time is the sight of the workers picking strawberries ... how a person can work all day, bent over or squatting, is beyond me. Looking at the fresh strawberries in Trader Joe's now has a new meaning for me (that's not to say I won't still buy strawberries).

As happened in my riding prior to San Francisco, I met some great fellow touring cyclist. There was a couple (my age) from The Netherlands who had been riding for the past five months, having started their trek in Florida; a couple (younger than I) on a five-day trek from San Francisco to Morro Bay. Also, much to my surprise and great pleasure, I reconnected with a couple of riders I had camped with prior to San Francisco. Great joy in reconnecting.

I am very thankful for my short stay with Rod Paragas in Santa Barbara. Rod's parents and my parents were best friends when I was a kid in Creston, Iowa (back in the 1950s), prior to my family moving to Arizona. Rod and my older brother, Bob, were best friends. Other than a quick re-union in Havasupai Canyon back in the mid 1970s, I had not spent any time with Rod since childhood. The stay on his boat, in the Santa Barbara Marina, and the low-key conversations, were a true joy.

I arrived in Venice Beach two days ago, and have been enjoying a very relaxed rest ... my brother and my nephew (Bob and Sky) have been vacationing in Bob's friend's house (about a half a block from the beach). Reading, napping and watching the Tour de France have been the primary activities. Wonderful way to finish a 1500+ mile 40 day ride.

My thought on riding the coast is that it is an incredibly beautiful ride, but quite hard ... lots of climbing and (sometimes) very little in the way of bike lanes. I think if I were to do the ride again, I would start in Astoria, Oregon, and finish up the ride in San Luis Obispo, California. While Santa Barbara is beautiful, the ride from S.L.O. to Santa Barbara is difficult and, for the most part, unattractive.

So tomorrow I head back to Arizona and prepare for the second phase of this summer's travels. I am glad I rode the Pacific Coast ... the memories will stay with me for a long time (my mind willing).

Not sure I am ready for the Arizona heat.

Bike Friendly (June 26, 2011)

After taking the Larkspur Ferry across the Bay, I rode through downtown San Francisco to Lindsey and Chris's house ... this on Friday afternoon. I was surprised at how easy the riding is in SF. Fortunately, the route I took did not include any of the famous hills. Very nice bike lanes, and lots of bikes traveling about.

The adjacent photo is of a giant mural painted on the backside of a Safeway.

I had a great time with Lindsey and Chris ... they were gracious enough to give me a tour of the City, and we had some great meals. The architecture, both residential and commercial is captivating. I had a great time.

I do believe there are more single speed bikes in SF than anywhere else ... but I'll stick with my 27 gears.

Culture Shock (June 24, 2011)

Since leaving Crescent City, CA on June 12, the ensuing ride has been fairly rural.

Other than the towns of Arcata/Eureka and Ft. Bragg, there just isn't much in the way of 21st Century reminders (other than cars and logging trucks, of course). Camping has been the rule of the evenings. In the mornings I try to exit my tent prior to my co-campers so that they will not have to watch a 62 year-old stiff guy try to gracefully climb out of a small tent. Not a pretty picture, and not painless either.

Most of the campgrounds offer camping areas specifically for hikers/bikers. Cost is $5.00 each, and is a great way to meet-up with other cyclists (I have yet to meet a hiker other than the guy walking the Oregon Coast). Some of the areas set aside for hikers/bikers are quite nice, and spread out enough so that the tents are not on top of one another. Other campsites are clearly an after thought. It is not uncommon that four to eight cyclist share the sites ... makes for interesting conversations and new friends.

Most of the riding along the California Coast, starting just north of Mendocino and running through Bodega Bay, is difficult, to say the least. Generally, the road runs parallel with the coast, maybe 100' to 200' above sea level ... but at every river crossing, the road swings inland and down to sea level, then back up. This is repeated, seemingly every quarter to half mile (exaggeration on my part, no doubt). The bike lanes are often not to be found, so this area is somewhat stressful.

At one particular climb up from a river crossing near Elk, CA., the road levels out at an elevation well above the usual 200'. Prior to getting to the top of the climb there are two switchbacks. The first switchback takes you back away from the ocean and is followed by a second switchback. The inside curve of this second switchback is almost a vertical wall (again, I exaggerate). Talking with other cyclists, it was pointed out that this is the steepest climb on the entire Pacific Coast ride (Seattle to San Diego). The numbers discussed were 17% for 25'. When I saw what lay ahead when approaching this second switchback, the primary thought passing through my mind was "HOLY SHIT!!!!", followed by a liberal stream of sexual and biblical references.

As an aside, a magic road moment occurred once I reached the level road above that nasty climb ... as I rode past a mini-van with Wisconsin plates, a family (mother, father and three kids) were standing next to the van clapping and cheering me on. I smiled and they smiled ... laughter all around.

Yesterday I rode back into urbanization in Fairfax, CA (just north of San Francisco). As I rode, I was stopped by a red light, and I realized that this was the first traffic control light I had encountered since Ft. Bragg (150+/- miles) ... other than Ft. Bragg, the previous town was Eureka (over 400 miles).

I checked into a hotel last night, which is located adjacent to a massive shopping center. While it is nice to have a comfortable bed to sleep in and a wide variety of stores in which to shop, there is much to be said for the simpler pace of life offered by Northern California.

Culture shock ... judging by the looks I got checking into the hotel (after having camped for the last week or so), that shock apparently works both ways.

Big Tree (June 24, 2011)

Riding through the redwood forests is simply amazing.

I rode for about five or six days through the some of the remaining stands of redwood trees ... trees that are so massive that you tend to feel quite small when amongst these giants. The size (300' to 350' tall with diameters of 10' to 15' at the base) and age (1000s of years) of these trees is quite humbling. One of the parkways, The Avenue of the Giants, is very quiet (traffic-wise), which allows one to ride with only the sound of one's tires meeting the road ... very, very quiet ... similar to a giant cathedral.

Sadly, of the 2,000,000+ acres of redwoods growing in this area in the late 1800s, only about 250,000 acres remain thanks to the lumber industry ... so much for progress.

On one of the scenic drives, Prairie Creek Parkway, there is a sign that points into the forest and states "Big Tree". This evoked laughter amongst my riding companions as we wondered how this one sign, designating one specific tree, made all of the other trees feel.

Big Tree, indeed.

Foodies (June 17, 2011)

One of the best things about touring on a bike is the people you meet along the way.

The last several days I have had the good fortune to have been camping alongside several young and extremely entertaining fellow cyclist. Besides sharing the joys/pains of riding, this group discusses, plans, prepares and eats the most amazing meals I have ever seen at cycling campgrounds. The meals they consume would probably be considered a glorious repast at most peoples' homes. And the laughter ...

The interesting thing about this group of twenty-something-year-old cyclists is that, other than Corrina and Dave (a couple from Saskatchewan, Canada), this is group that met along the road ... and a diverse group they are. In the picture above, left to right are Wilson (a recent college graduate from Fort Collins, CO who taught English in Thailand last year), Diego (21 year-old food connoisseur from Guadalajara, Mexico), Corrina and Dave, Warren (currently a college student at Washington State University who was deployed to Iraq three times during his seven years in the Army), and Kenny (Kenny has traveled extensively through-out North and South America via local buses, trains, cars, bikes, etc ... train travel included hopping freights). A most amazing collection of individuals, and as I say ... the laughter.

So as not to imply that youth prevails out here, I have also met a collection of most interesting "older" guys. I met John in a restaurant across the street from the World Famous Trees of Mystery. We rode together and later camped together at the Elk Prairie campground (north of Orik, CA). John follows the seasons in his Toyota Pick-up (with camper), so has no set "home location". In his younger years he did a stint with the Peace Corp in Chile, lived in India for three years, drove a truck for a living and is a certified Yoga instructor. Met a gentleman from India a couple of nights later in Burlington Campground (near Weott, CA, along the Avenue of the Giants scenic road). This gentleman flew into San Francisco, got on his bike and is riding to a Lions Convention in Seattle. Interesting thing about this guy is that he carries minimum equipment ... no tent ... good luck in Oregon and Washington. Another interesting guy has been at the last few campgrounds as well. Dave is 70 years old, and is very excited about his new "Lady" that he recently met via the internet. Dave has toured for the past 30 years, usually two to three weeks at a go, but has done some cross country treks. In his youth, he hitched-hiked around the world. Very interesting, fit and vibrant fellow.

So the rides and campgrounds have been good over the past few days. Since leaving Crescent City, the daily mileage has been 36 miles to Elk Prairie, 56 miles to Eureka, 58 miles to Burlington, 48 miles to Standish-Hickey Campground (north of Leggett), and 47 miles to Ft. Bragg. Today's ride included an 1000 foot climb ... five miles of climbing starting within a mile of campground ... a real grind (signs indicated 7% slope)that cooked my legs for the remaining miles.

I hope to be in San Francisco next week, then head on down the coast. I am still debating if I intend to stop in Santa Barbara or continue on to San Diego. But that is a decision for another day. Going to take a slow, short day today and try to get the legs some rest.

The sun is shining.

Short Days (June 12, 2011)

After the day of rest in Gold Beach, I headed south, but I chose not to push too hard. Coming out of Gold Beach there is a substantial climb, one that put the fear of riding into me (thus the day of rest).

Prior to leaving Gold Beach, I stopped at a cafe for breakfast. In the cafe sat a fellow cycling tourist, so we struck up a conversation. Turns out he, Joel, is a retired general contractor from Sedona, AZ. Also, as it turns out, he chose to take a rest day due to the pending climb. We talked of things cycling, and things Arizona, and things affecting "camping or hoteling" decisions. Lots in common and a very enjoyable conversation. Upon leaving the cafe, Joel headed back to his hotel for a day of rest and I headed to a very nice bookstore looking for the second book in the Stieg Larsson trilogy.

Oddly enough, the bookstore did not have a copy, but a nearby grocery store did ... I was very happy as I did not have another book for reading in the evenings.

After my gleeful purchase of the book, I headed south toward Brookings, OR. The climb was not as difficult as I had anticipated ... tailwinds will do that for a person. Even though the day's mileage was only 33 miles, it was tiring as there were many short climbs and quick descents. To steal a phrase from Leo Woodland (touring cyclist I met last summer), "The hills went up and down faster than a bride's nightie."

Today's ride to Crescent City. CA was only 28 miles, and was fairly uneventful regarding climbs ... so much for references to lingerie. Joel had said he intended to make a day of Gold Beach-to-Crescent City, so I hope to re-connect. He is also planning on riding down to the Central Coast area ... I think we would make for good traveling companions.

I think it is safe to say that the Oregon Coast, from Bandon to Gold Beach, provides some of the most beautiful and stunning scenery to be seen anywhere. I can only imagine what it must look like when the sun and blue skies are part of the package.

Over the past two weeks I have met quite a few touring cyclist. One of the standard questions discussed is, "To where are you headed?" (Actually the question is usually phrased as "where you headin' to", but I do not want to offend Ralph or any other "English Language" dweeb (and you know who you are). Anyway, back to the topic at hand) I am usually thinking in terms of the end-of-day destination. Several younger, college-age guys have responded (with no humility what-so-ever), "Virgina Beach!"

I met two young guys today who started north from L.A., and were headed to Seattle. They were to meet some friends in Seattle, then head to Florida. I asked what route they intended to take to get to Florida ... "Don't know." Ah, the innocence and exuberance of youth. One of these two guys was all-the-while writing a message on a white-board he had strapped to the rear of his bike ... "We like to PARTY!" Now that is a touring journal that I would like to follow.

Tomorrow I will be riding up another scary (on paper) climb to get to the Redwood National Park areas.

This should be good.

Windy (June 10,2011)

Finally, sunny days with strong tailwinds. Two days of climbing to be sure,but the warmth of the sun and the push of the wind was a moral boost, to say the least.

The 34 mile ride from Coos Bay to Bandon was relatively easy, and the 55 mile ride, yesterday, to Gold Beach were indeed wind-assisted. Saw one rider heading north, and it was clear from his body language that he was not having any fun what-so-ever. Winds were out of the north at about 10 to 15 MPH.

The ride between Bandon and Gold Beach was an on-going visual delight. Seemed as though every time I came around a corner there was an even more spectacular view to be absorbed. Just incredible. Then, out in the middle of nowhere, I came across a tourist spot with giant dinosaurs. Good for a laugh. I suspect parents with young boys hope the boys are absorbed in their electronic games so they do not notice. Can only guess what it must cost to enter this wonderland.

Taking a rest day today. Just laying back and reading. Good way to rest these legs of mine prior to attacking some nasty climbs between Gold Beach and Brookings.

Will be exiting Oregon in the next few days of riding, and heading into Redwood country.

Hope the winds are with me tomorrow.

Solar Panel (June 7, 2011)

Three days of riding under the gloom of overcast skies. Three days of not-so-great emotional energy.

Riding from Lincoln City to Newport was a short ride, just 27 miles. While the ride itself was not extremely enjoyable, spending the afternoon with Nancy O'Brien was very nice. Nancy, although a long-time Arizonan, has lived in Eugene for a number of years ... enough years to take on the view that an overcast, cool(ish), windy day is a beautiful day because it is not raining. This desert boy has a different view of such days. We spent the afternoon at a nice little Irish cafe and walking on the beach. Very nice day indeed.

The following two days (53 miles to Newport and 49 miles to Coos Bay) were difficult. Overcast (as mentioned), rain and general lack of tailwinds created a mental tone that just flat out was depressing. Lots of climbing and little in the way of energy made these two days painful. Speaking of pain, I have developed a lower-back soreness that makes it difficult to stand erect, and sometimes the first few steps are very uncomfortable. I plan on doing a short ride to Bandon tomorrow in the hopes that the reduced effort will allow my back to rest.

The weather predictions for the coming days calls for sunny skies, for which I will be very grateful. I have come to understand that I am much like a solar panel ... not too efficient without direct (and warm) sunlight.

Come on, sun, warm me up!

Off Route (June 4, 2011)

Today's 50 mile route to Lincoln City was partially off of the (cycling) beaten path.

Along with the various road and cycling maps issued by the State of Oregon, I often use the very detailed maps issued by the Adventure Cycling Association. I think most touring cyclist also use these Adventure Cycling maps.

Coming out of Tillamook, if you follow the Adventure Cycling maps, you ride toward the Three Capes Scenic Route. This route includes two difficult climbs ... climbs I did last year traveling the opposite direction.

Instead of taking this route, I took Highway 101 which took me inland away from the coastal climbs. This route provided a gently meandering and slightly downhill ride through beautiful dairy farming country. This route allowed me to rest my legs tired by the previous day's climbing. Once back to the coast, I was back on the "approved route" which includes a wonderful side-road ride on Old Highway 101/Slab Creek Road. This ten mile detour off of Highway 101 is a joy. The first two miles are fairly flat and follows a stream ... lots of blue jays and robins. The next three miles consist of a fairly difficult steady climb which leads to a most enjoyable five miles of coasting down hill, to return to Highway 101. This side route allows cyclist to avoid a horrendous climb, and is a wonderful break from traffic.

Yes, I am very glad I took Highway 101 out of Tillamook, but truth be known, I missed the turn to the Cape route. Oh well, if given a lemon, make lemonade.

Humbling (June 3, 2011)

Just after cresting a double climb (400 ft. climb followed shortly by a 600 ft. climb), I was feeling quite full of myself. To add to my sense of super-human achievement, I came upon a large view-point parking lot filled with those wimpy car and RV people (at which I scoffed).

As I left the parking lot, I came across a guy walking along the road, heading south. Mark is walking the Oregon Coast. He said he was averaging about 16 miles a day, and that he thought he could reach the California boarder in a total of 30 days.

I told him that if I met someone crawling on hands and knees that I would have to take him down off of the "top hero pedestal", but until then he is number one.

I rode away on my two-wheeled vehicle, down hill at about 35 mph, and felt quite humbled.

A Day in the Sun (June 3, 2001)

Finally, a day in the sun. Riding in a short-sleeved shirt, and enjoying a soft wind at my back. Indeed, a cyclist's joy.

Although there is an incredible amount of climbing to be had along the coast, it is so beautiful that one does not suffer greatly. The area is heavily wooded, and the shafts of light penetrating through the darkness of the forest is stunning. Of course the visible coastline (from the multiple view points along the highway) are equally as stunning. What a difference a bright sunny day has on one's psyche. The 48 miles to Tillamook were not easy, but they were enjoyable.

Tomorrow promises to be another good weather day ... and I think the winds, from the north, are expected to be stronger than today.

Makes me smile.

Two Easier Days (June 2, 2011)

After the two previous hard days, I was rewarded by two easier days ... sorta.

The 44 mile ride from South Bend to Long Beach, WA was a joy. Other than about fifteen minutes of rain (enough rain to require donning rain gear), the day turned into a glorious weather day. Although there were a few short climbs, for the most part the ride was fairly level. Riding along Willapa Bay on Highway 101 was very enjoyable, and included some of the most beautiful landscapes a person could view.

Met a fellow cycling tourist by the name of Simon. Simon, who is from London, was heading north toward Banff, then heading east to Montreal. He has been touring the western United States for the past seven weeks. Very interesting fellow ... you can follow his travels at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=8391&v=qg

Long Beach proved to be a typical beach town, but not as expensive as some of the beach communities in Oregon, California or Cape Cod.

The 46 mile ride from Long Beach to Seaside, OR was a mixture of climbing and very wet and cold weather. I decided to go off route a little bit to go and visit the Lewis and Clark Museum, up on top of Cape Disappointment. I say "up on top" because it was about 4 miles of serious climbing. I now know why it is called Cape Disappointment ... the museum was closed. Ouch.

Shortly after enjoying the down hill from the museum, I headed toward Astoria, OR. It began to rain almost immediately. Then the wind picked-up. Into the rain gear once again. When I purchased the rain jacket and pants, I opted for the mid-dollar range of product, hence I sweat profusely when being protected from the rain. Makes for very uncomfortable and clammy clothing under the jacket.

The ride to Astoria, from Washington, includes crossing the Columbia River on a four mile bridge. My assumption is that when the bridge was designed, the idea of providing a bike lane was the farthest thing from the designer's mind. On a beautiful day the crossing would be stressful. On this day, there were very high cross winds, accompanied by very cold rain.

Earlier in the day I had met a couple who were also riding south. They were on single bikes, and he was pulling a Burley-type trailer with their two year-old son in the trailer. I followed them across the bridge and marveled at what kind of stress they must have been feeling ... lots of traffic and not much room for the trailer. Thankfully we all made it across without any incidents.

The sixteen mile ride on into Seaside (a real upscale and gaudy beach town) was an easy pull. Stopped at a bike shop and bought some new brake pads, as the previous riding in the rain and multiple down hills had provided great amounts of brake pad eating grit.

Weather predictions call for several warm and dry days over the next three or four days ... ahhhhhh.

Two Hard Days (May 31, 2011)

Even though the past two days were relatively short, I was well worn out by the time I reached South Bend, WA.

The ride from Balfair State Park to Elma was 62 miles of continuous ups and downs. The weather was okay (other than on the cool side for this Arizona boy). There was one horrendously long climb coming off of Highway 106 onto Trails Road. Lady in an antique shop(at the bottom of the climb) said once you get to the top of the short climb, it is pretty easy getting into Shelton. Clearly, the lady is not a cyclist ... in her mind a very steep 2 mile hill is short.

The 42 miles from Elma to South Bend was equally as difficult regarding climbs ... plus it rained all day. I had planned on camping in a hotel in Raymond, which is on the usual economic level of most towns in Southwestern Washington. I asked a young police officer about accommodations in Raymond. He asked if I had 4 more miles in me, and if I did I should ride on to South Bend. He suggested a motel by the name of Seaquest (of course it is "up the hill" from the highway!). I am very glad he suggested the Seaquest as it was very nice and very comfortable. The owner/managers were extremely accommodating. Included in the furnishings was one of the most comfortable leather easy chairs I have had the pleasure of resting my butt. This chair forced me to take a two-hour nap ... forced me I say.

After the day's ride in the rain I once again have come to the conclusion that riding in the (cold)rain sucks.

But life is good.

Out Onto the Road (May 29, 2011)

As with most things in life, with bad comes good.

My two days in Seattle were spectacular (the good following my train travels). Linda and Ned Scary's hospitality is unrivaled in my travels. Seattle is an amazingly beautiful (read green) area. Along with my many visits to The Urban Bakery and walks around the Green Lake area, I enjoyed a beautiful ride with Ned.

Ned and I had planned on doing a three-day ride west of Seattle, but due to some ongoing health issues and impending rain forecasts, Ned felt it wise not to head out for an extended ride. Ned and I did go out on a 52 mile ride on Saturday on an urban bike/pedestrian path that runs along the shore of Lake Washington. What a great day ... good weather and great conversation. I cannot thank Linda and Ned enough for a wonderful stay.

Sunday found me boarding the Seattle-to-Bremerton ferry. The one-hour crossing went quickly as I had met a young lady who was also traveling via bike. Stacy, who lives in Seattle, was also heading to Balfair State Park. We talked cycling and touring ... she has done extensive touring and has that "far away" look of most touring cyclist when speaking of past travels. As I had a few things to do in Bremerton, we separated at the landing.

Later, at the State Park, Stacy and her husband stopped by for a leisurely chat. Along with our discussing bike touring, they spoke of a planned boating trip they hope to experience in the near future. The route is called "The Loop" (or something like that), which includes boating up the Atlantic Coast, across the Erie Canal, through the Great Lakes, then (somehow) to and down the Mississippi River, returning to the starting point via the Gulf. Goes to show there are all kind of adventures out there. A most enjoyable conversation.

First day of travel felt good at only 29 miles of pedaling. Will do several days of relatively short days so as to get the legs strengthened. I have opted to head southwest toward Astoria, OR, rather than up and over Olympic National Park due to the forecasts of daily rain ... Olympic National Park is listed as a "rain forest" for a reason, so opted to avoid that area.

Feels good to be out on the road.

Mind Numbing (May 27, 2011)

44 hours ... 44 hours trapped in a traveling container populated by a wide variety of, like me, cheapskates.

Not heeding Steve Wilson's advice, I opted to ride the rails in the "Coach" section in my train trip from Tucson to Seattle. I am sure that the salesman who sold Amtrak the seating for the Coach Section promised very comfortable and "sleepable" chairs. Ha!! True, there is sleep to be had, but usually in short and "sore inducing" moments of time.

Waking hours were filled with reading, crosswords (24 separate puzzles), observing in the Observation Car, and eating substandard food. Once you have struck-up a conversation you have developed a trip-long friend. Because I was reading a book about the native societies in North and South America prior to the arrival of Europeans, one fellow traveler felt compelled to share his belief that the first people to travel to North America were led by space aliens. This was initially amusing.

As it turned out, my BFoA (Best Friend on Amtrak) was a guy I met outside the Tucson train station. He lives in Coos Bay, OR, and works on various high-end yachts anchored in the Coos Bay area. He was drunk in Tucson, and pretty much stayed that way for the entire 44 hours. Yeah, he and I were good buddies. At $5.00 per can of beer, he must have spent as much on beer as the price of his ticket to get on the train. Oh, and another thing ... there are few places to hide in the coach section.

My primary reason for taking the train was that it is an easy and inexpensive means to transport a bike to Seattle. Any future overnight train travel will be in "first class" ... a bed to sleep in and good food included.

Lesson learned.

Chapter 3: Starting Soon (May 14, 2011)

Here I go again,

Out for another summer of pointless pedaling, as a friend once described my travels.

This summer’s mode of traveling will be a little different than the past two summers. This year I will be incorporating Amtrak and my pickup truck into some of the longer stretches of the road.

Come Tuesday, May 24, I will be heading to Seattle, from Tucson, on Amtrak … 44 hours of bliss, I am sure. Amtrak offers a very economical means of transporting a bike, as opposed to the airlines or UPS/FedEx. But still … 44 hours??!!! Sheeeesh.

I’m looking forward to spending three days bike touring west of Seattle with long-time friend (and ex-brother-in-law) Ned Scarey. We will be riding during the Memorial Day Weekend … poor Ned, you see, works and needs to be very careful how he uses his vacations days (again, sheeesh!). These three days of riding, assuming little or no rain, will be a great way to ease into the summer’s touring.

After parting ways with Ned, I will be heading north and west of the Olympic National Forest, then south along the Pacific Coast. While I had originally planned on riding all the way to San Diego, I may well terminate this segment of the summer’s travel in Los Angeles. I have ridden the L.A.-to-S.D. route a couple of times, and am not sure if I really want to see all of those vehicles (and I will probably have had my fill of ocean views at that point).

Upon completion of the Pacific Coast ride, in early to mid July, I will be returning to Tucson to get my truck and head east. While I hope to stop along the way for a few short rides, I will primarily be heading to the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan. My goal is to ride from Manitowoc, WI north along the shoreline, then around Lake Superior, and finally ride south along the Michigan side of Lake Michigan. There is a ferry that runs from Ludington, MI back to Manitowoc to return me to my truck.

Next stop, via the truck, will be the East Coast in early September . Not real sure of exactly where I will be riding other than the possibility of a 300 mile rails-to-trails path between Pittsburgh and Washington D.C., and/or experiencing the Atlantic Coastal areas. Ideas and suggestions will be appreciated.

The ultimate goal is to be up in New England in mid October,as I have yet to see the leaves change colors in New England.

So that is the plan … but as of this moment I have not started doing any of the things that need to be done prior to leaving, other than having created a partial list of things to do prior to leaving..

Much like during my school days, I will probably wait until the last minute. And, most likely, much like my school days, I will also receive a just barely passing grade of a “C” (but he gets along well with the other students).