Oregon coast day 5-7

Day 5
Tilamook smells like poop
Riding in the rain is no fun.
Riding on unlit streets is especially no fun. Raccoons eating all your food makes for an exceptionally memorable evening.

Day 6
Took a detour to an artichoke farm. Sampled the world's finest jams, salsas, humus, and syrups. Rode a lot of miles but didnt make it too far south. Found camp kiwanda. Met a fellow from Scotland named Sandy who is on his way to Mexico. We all hiked in the dunes that night to watch the sunset, enjoyed hot beans, tortillas and hummus over a fire and Washed it all down with a local IPA. A man named grizzly, who tours the west coast on his wheelchair, kept us great company with a hearty laugh and stories of Woodstock.

Day 7

Sandy joined our riding team since we are all heading the same way. Enjoyed amazing scenery along the coastal ride today. Made some stops at lookout points and made it down to south beach with our new friend. Had a campfire and cooked some beans and snacked on more salty tortillas. I learned the hardway not to trust the critters that hang out at campsites, so sandy helped me tie our food in a tree to keep the raccoons out. With a spliff hanging out his mouth, Sandy shimmyed up the slimey moss tree to adjust our rope. We all slept peacefully and woke up dry.

Inspiration

I wanted to mention that upon arriving in Seattle, I had a straight 2 mile uphill ride. A STEEP 2 mile uphill ride. I had to get off my bike a few times and I wanted to vomit, thinking to myself, "What did I get myself into...." I vented to one of my bike mechanic friends and he provided me with some great advice I wanted to share...

"You got this! Lil ring, spin spin spin! Think about each hill like an individual obstacle that better prepares you for the next individual obstacle. Breath even, and don't get bothered by your pace. Take it as slow as you need. Be like Winnie the Pooh! Confront only the problem immediately in front of you, be anxious for nothing, stop for honey whenever you please." 

Thanks Jarod. 

Also...

Matthew Jarrett has been a biking hero of mine and helped me revise my gear list when he told me he's been touring with just one pair of socks...He just completed a coast to coast, border to border ride at 6500 miles. As an Iraqi Vet, he's riding to spread awareness about veteran suicide which is at a staggering 22 a day. Check out this guy and support his cause   

And my little baby bears! These little dumpling pies are the most amazing nieces and I hope that I am inspiring them just as much as they inspire me. I miss them usually the most.

Day 4

We wanted to push out a long day on Day 3 so we could have a relaxing 29 mile ride into Portland. And it was. We stopped in St. John's for a snack at a really awesome vegan co-op. Sarah and I shared a burrito with all my favorite ingredients: plantains, beets, greens, sweet potatoes, black beans and quinoa topped with guacamole. One of my favorite meals, possibly ever.

St. John's Bridge

Portland has been wonderful. I'm staying with my best friend Sydney's older sister Carmen and her husband Peter and their lovely roommates who have all been so good to me. Carmen and Peter are in a band called The Marvins... www.themarvinsmusic.com Check them out! They played a show last night at a local pub called the White Eagle and Carmen's upright bass playing knocked my socks off!

We are leaving tomorrow and taking a bus called The Wave to Tilamook, OR which is just straight west of Portland and it will drop us off right on the coast where we will start our official Pacific Coast riding on the 101. The Wave has bike racks and takes about 2 hours to get to the coast....not to shabby.

Day 3

Oh hello damp everything.
Left camp around noon. We spent time drying off our wet tents and a man entered the bath house/gym and tried to guess my birthday....one of my favorite games! So we played and he showed me a book pertaining to the time I was born. Love it!

As we sailed away from harrison RV park, we stopped to get some apples, bananas, and carrots at the local grocer. Our bike journey was so magnificently gorgeous. With Mount St Helen by our side, we took smaller roads through rural Washington, passing alpacas, sheep, horses, and healthy bovine. Even got chased by dogs. Twice!!

And then...we meet the Lewis and Clark bridge. One of the most terrifying bridges I've ever climbed. Not only are we next to high speed motorists, but again, our "bike lane" is filled will massive chunks of tree. But we did it and now have mad street cred...

Just google imaged this...just wanted to demonstrate the lack of a shoulder on this bridge 

At about 60 miles, the sun had finally set. My body ached in places it never ached before. My neck was strained. My muscles were tired. My mind was tired. And we still had 17 miles to go. Crying on a bicycle is not so easy, with the deep breathing, and emotional exhales, it starts to feel like hyperventilating. Sarah was so far ahead of me, I couldn't stop. I had to muscle through. And finally we reach our destination.

77 miles. One rest stop for a gaterade chug. Straight 8 hours of cycling.

What we woke up to

Made a clothes line

Day 2

Our warm showers host told us about "the hill" a 1 mile straight uphill. We were on the shoulder of a small but busy highway. What's unfortunate about this, as obstacles such as rocks, tree branches, and other earthly debris sprinkle our "bike path", cyclists have little to no opportunity to veer. Not to mention thw trucks that carry horses and their excrements. I think i can understand a new meaning to "eating s***". As David Byrne once said "there's nothing romantic about cycling on a highway."  I concur, David. I concur. I think we pushed out around 50...maybe 55 and still made it to camp with the sun in sky. Ample time to pitch our tents for an early snooze.

Also...there are annual rides from Seattle to Portland every year. It's known as STP and there are sprayed painted signs in the road that tell you which direction to turn and to let you know that you are on the right path.

Day 1

Rode along lake Washington feeling euphoric, screaming to people "were going to portland!!" We accumulated 40 miles and ended up in puyallup, wa. We found a warm showers host who cooked us Beans and rice as we exchanged stories. She even offered us oatmeal and soy milk in the morning. All in all, great first day on the road! Also....perhaps the high light of the ride as we rode down the interurban trail was getting mooned by some teen agers hanging out in a freight train.

Seattle!!

Seattle is amazing. Josie is my lady raincorn from adventure time. What wonderful positive words she has embedded in our minds, not to mention the lovely beaches and neighborhoods she took us to. Will write more when i'm not on my phone....but for now enjoy our pictures!!!