Day Two

Saturday
The ride yesterday afternoon proved very interesting. A number of ridges work their way to the shore, necessitating several steep climbs of between 200 and 800 feet. I 'knew' they were coming from the map but, really didn't know 'till they arrived. Today there is but one 800 foot climb towards the end of the day. The scenery is beautiful if cloudy. Last night I stayed in a state park that featured raised platforms for tenting. I slept better on the therma-rest than I thought I would. Packed out early in a light rain only to wait 45 minutes for the local restaurant to open. Great breakfast: eggs, cottage potatoes, and a large bagel. Brunched in Garibaldi and plan to eat again in Seaside before the climb. Rain held off for awhile but I think it is here to stay. One good thing: the new shoes seemed to have solved the problems I was having with my feet. No excuses left.

At last nights campsite I was joined by three groups. Rob is traveling from Seattle to Oakland. He is a seasoned traveler. Lucky, from Australia, is riding from Seattle to Mexico than flying to Toronto where he will bike to Newfoundland. A German couple, retired, began in Whitehorse and will ride to Oakland as well.

On the Road At Last

Friday
This posting is from Seaside, Oregon, some 25 miles SW of Astoria. The sun has begun to shine for the first time since I hit the state. Everything arrived intact: now I have to do my part. Astoria is a beautiful town at the headwaters of the Colorado, and the route wound me around Lewis and Clark's winter encampment. On the bus from Portland to Astoria I met Bruce, who is taking the TransAm all the way to York, Virginia. If that wasn't enough he will then turn north and travel to Syracuse, N.Y. He will be taking most of today assembling his recumbent at Heuers' Bicycle Shop in Astoria, but I will imagine I'll be seeing him sooner rather than later. I hope to do another 40 miles today but we will see.

I Think I'm Ready

I am scheduled to arrive in Portland on 2 June and plan to begin riding south from Astoria on Friday, 3 June. The bike awaits me on the west coast. The longer I wait the heavier my panniers become: enought already. I'm about as ready as I can be: I have logged 1,000 miles this spring including two metric centuries over the last three weeks. The difference in my butt, thighs, and back are noticeable. After holding out in the hopes of saving money, I bought new shoes this weekend and am glad that I did. My feet thanked me profusely during today's ride.

Although I'm sure that numerous challenges and frustrations await, my concerns going in revolve around sleeping on a thin pad. Going in, I plan on restricting my use of motels to one night per week and any night when it is raining at the end of the ride or expected to be raining at the ride's beginning. We will see. I have few specific goals other than to have a good time, enjoy the people I meet and the land I pass through, and to persevere during the hard times.