Since Mt.Vernon, I have hit a few milestones on the trip. I passed the Oregon/Idaho border(the Idaho River) and am now riding in Idaho. It seemed like forever, but after 781 miles I completed my first state. The same day I hit the highest speed I have on the trip 38.7 mph. Other milestones include highest peak yet, first dirt road, changing from Pacific to Mountain Time, first major repair while riding, my first century today, mile 1000, and the most consecutive riding days.
The last night in Mt. Vernon a young couple pulled into the "Bike Inn" where we were staying. They were both teachers in the San Fransico public schools and both originally from the Chicagoland area. She was even from my hometown, Naperville, IL. After arguing over the better high school, talking about favorite places to eat, and how much things in the area have changed, we realized we would be back in Naperville the same weekend. Hopefully I will get to meet up with them downtown in Da Ville! The next morning I rode with them and my two other friends Gabe and Clay. Nearly 20 miles outside of our destination and at least 100 miles from a bike shop, I began to feel my bike start wobbling. As I looked down I noticed the rear wheel was badly out of true and pulled over. After stopping and inspecting my back wheel, I found that I had broken a spoke. Damn! Luckily I was riding with the Oregon guys, because I didn't have my cassette removal tool. After replacing the spoke and truing it up the best I could, we rode on. It was somewhat of a confidence booster to get through the first repair and found a little weight had been lifted. Aside from the excitement of changing a spoke, the ride was one of the most boring yet. Only riding 60 miles landed us in Unity, OR.
There are 5 state parks within 10 miles of Unity, but not a single campground in town. We arrived around 6 and spoke with everyone we could find, a bartender, gas station clerk, the local ranger station, and finally the city council who was meeting in the community center. The only idea that everyone had was to stay in the field behind the community center. We were informed this was illegal, but were later told there was no sheriff in town to enforce the law. Needless to say, we stayed in the field. While asking for places to stay, I happened upon the Unity City Council meeting where they were conducting an appropriations meeting and using Robert's Rules of Order. I interrupted with a motion to table discussion until a later point in time and all of them loved it. They seemed very surprised that I knew what was going on and were happy to help me after that(never knew that anything that occurred in student senate meetings would actually have a real world application).
Shortly after finishing dinner I decided to sit down to read a bit. While reading I noticed the sun setting over some distant mountains. I watched it for a while took a few pictures and soaked it all in. I realized that at no other time in my life will I ever have so little to worry about or such a relaxing experience. This was a great day!
The ride the next day was equally boring and beautiful at the same time. It is strange how you can be surrounded by beautiful scenery for a few days and start to look for something new or different. From unity we rode to Ontario, OR where we stocked up on food and I was able to get my wheel trued at a shop. While touring around Ontario, which is not a big city, I redefined (or I guess defined for the first time what requirements an area must have to be considered a city. The list follows:
A Post Office
A Bank
A library
A grocery store
A cafe or fast food restaurant
A school
I started thinking about this when I came into Ontario and realize that this was the first time I had seen a McDonalds in almost 400 miles, and a bank or grocery store in 200.
Here we stayed at an RV park in the owners backyard. It wasn't much, but it was the first shower in a few days so there were no complaints. While in civilization, I took advantage of cell service and called Barb, Steve, and Emma Kerr (Yeah the former Bulls Coach!) who I had spoken with earlier in the summer for touring advice and who happen to live in Boise, ID. We connected and came up with a plan to meet up after the our ride the next day. The only entertainment of the ride was dead rattlesnakes on the road, a short climb, and an entertaining woman washing her car while we ate lunch. We stopped to eat on the side of a gas station and while sitting on the curb facing the car wash, a woman pulls up and blocks the wash entrance. She was driving a new looking Dodge Caliber that was a strange orange color. The dealer might call it "mars orange". She was wearing denim from head to toe, but it was all brown. She also had straight greying hair with a bowl cut to define bowl cuts. As she pulled up I could barely hear her music but saw her hand tapping to the beat. She hopped out of the car and did a little spin before reaching inside the car to crank up the radio. She was blasting Kenny Rogers or something loud enough that we could barely hear each other laughing at her. She then closed her door and started to clean the rest of the car while others waited behind her to get into the wash. We finished our ride in Boise where we stayed with the Kerr family. It was great staying with fellow bike tourists and hearing stories from the road. They showed us around Boise, took us to Fancy Freeze (a local ice cream shop), and treated us to a great meal! (Thanks again for everything Barb, Steve and Emma!!!) The day before I had my wheel trued and it was already a little out of shape. I talked to the Kerr's and Steve took me to a couple of local shops. The recommendation I was given was to buy a new wheel. Unfortunately, none of the shops that were still open had a decent touring wheel. The next day we called up the other shops and hit one of the same. After searching and searching, The Hyde Park Bicycle Shop found a set of custom built touring wheels, and though I only needed the one, I picked up the set.
After getting the bike all squared away we started riding Sunday at around 3pm. It was a terribly hot day, and after 20 miles we found ourselves in the middle of the Snake River Valley/the desert. We had directions and were planning to ride Interstate 84 to a local road and then turn toward Mountain Home, ID. We could have stayed on 84 to Mountain Home and made it there in 25 miles. Instead we took the back roads which turned to dirt roads and added another 40 miles to the day...awesome! We rode through sunset and pulled into a Mormon Church just outside of the Mountain Home Air force Base at around 10:15pm. All of the doors were open, but nobody was inside. After finding some brochures and event schedules we managed to pull together a couple of phone numbers and notified the Church Bishop that we would be sleeping behind the church.
The next morning we were woken up by the sprinkler at 5am! All of our stuff was SOAKED!!! Thanks for the heads up Bish! We quickly moved all of our gear and packed it up wet. The ride started just before 5:30 and took us until we saw a McDonald's, mmm...Hashbrowns! The rest of the day was terrible. From McDonald's in Mountain Home to Fairfield, ID, 54 miles away, there was not a single stop. I finished all 6 liters of water that I was carrying with 20 miles left to go. I felt like I was in the Never Ending Story where the nothing begins and just start to spread and engulf everything in its path. When I eventually arrived in Fairfield, home to Bruce Willis' ski resort, I found the City Park/Local campsite. It wasn't much, but it was free. Near the end of the night an 18 year old guy named Tyler rolled in. He is riding his bike from Prineville, OR where he attended boarding school, to Madison, WI where he is from. His original plan was to walk home, but realized he didn't have time if he wanted to start school on time. He will admit that he has never really ridden before. He longest ride before the first day was 14 miles and it was to go pick up some drugs before he had his license. He has been hanging with us for the past couple days. Everything that he has is new and looks like the guys that ride their bikes a few times a week but have all of the nicest stuff for those occasions. So far he has been a lot of fun and he jokes around a lot.
Recently one of the other guys that I am riding with, Gabe, decided to buy a long sleeve shirt to prevent sunburn on his arms. He picked up a light colored collared shirt at a thrift store and wears it everyday along with a pair of plaid shorts. He looks like a Spanish exchange student. Also, he has some great stories about working for the Oregon Forest Service, preventing fires. He worked with a guy named Phil that might take the cake for the strangest/most ridiculous person you could ever work with. For example, the guy would shoot the stray cats in his yard with a shotgun just because he thought they rolled funny. Also, he would pick Gabe up each morning and pee in Gabe's yard after ringing the doorbell. But the thing about it was that he would go near a tree or a bush, just stand in the open peeing and wave to whoever answered the door.
On the way to Arco, ID from Fairfield, I hit mile 1000, but I was in for a surprise just before I hit it. As I watched my odometer roll forward to 999, I saw another biker standing beside his bike a ways ahead of me. Johnny was a middle aged guy who was clearly stoned out of his mind, riding his bike from, he didn't know where in Oregon to North Carolina. He rode an old Trek mountain bike and had it decked out with a full set of Panniers, a BOB trailer on the back, and a Kermit the Frog stuffed animal strapped on his handlebars. My favorite part of the encounter was hearing him try to explain how he used to get high and watch sesame street as kid and how Kermit always played music out of key. "Get it? Out of key...like a key". Which brings me to my next point, don't do drugs. Total his bike weighed over 300lbs. without him on it. He wore bleached blue jeans, a cotton t-shirt, and gym shoes. Johnny has ridden xcountry every summer for the past 9 years on the same bike with no maintenance other than a few sets of new tires and truing of the wheels. He is from Alaska where he works in a kitchen doing dishes $16.50/hr. and he works from 11:00am - 4:30am 5 days a week...he is clearly not a normal dude. It was hilarious to hear him talk about his stash and all of the random stuff he carries, 5 liters of water for motorists that might be stuck on the side of the road, for example. Aside from his ramblings, Johnny did have some great advice. He told us about a really cool local Hot Spring just off of the highway that was never used and probably the best I have heard about preventing animal attacks. Three years ago he was in the woods of Wyoming where a bear approached him while he was "gobblin' up some beans," at which point he grabbed a road flare and lit it in the bears face scaring it away. I am still not sure if this actually works but another local confirmed it for me, so I will be picking up some road flares shortly.
Speaking of animals, there are snakes EVERYWHERE! Riding down he road you see at least 1 dead snake every 5 miles, most of which are Rattlesnakes. I am quickly developing a fear of snakes after hearing local horror stories. Other animals include antelope, cows, sheep, bulls, and horses. I have only seen 5 antelope. Cows are scared of everything. As I ride by they usually back up or stand up really quick if they are laying. A simple "moo" generally sends all of them running. Sheep just stare at you as if you are treading on their turf. They hang out like a gang and glare at you as if they were saying, "get any closer and I'm 'bout to put you down for dirt nap!!!" Bulls are usually laying down and looking off in the distance like a fat kid dreaming of ice cream. They always seem so content. Horses are always eating and pretty much ignore everything going on. On occasion, the locals can be just as interesting as the wildlife.
Last night I stayed in Craters of the Moon National Monument. It is a huge lava rock field in the middle of nowhere Idaho. As filled out a campsite registration card for the night, an older woman who just finished doing the same began to ask me about riding. Eventually the conversation led to "where did you go to school?" and next to "If you died right now, are you %100 confident that you would go to heaven?". I couldn't believe it. This woman was trying to convert me at a campsite. After answering "no" she responded with, "Well if I'm not mistaken Jesuits are Catholic, and the problem with Catholics and their Church is..." I thought it was common sense that you didn't introduce a topic with "the problem with your religion is.." but apparently it is not. Heads up to everyone out there that hasn't picked up on this. I tuned back in after she asked if I was listening and she continued "No matter what sins you commit, as long as you accept Jesus into your life, you will go to Heaven." I strayed from her rambling again and started to day dream....You mean to tell me that I can drown cute and innocent puppies and kittens, steal everything I have ever wanted, even covet all of my neighbors wives, but as long I accept Jesus as the son of God, I get a "Get out of Hell free card"? Where do I sign up? I pictured myself walking up to the pearly gates after all of these sins and a deep bellowing voice saying "Marcus, you have broken each of the 10 commandments...twice. You're going to hell." But then I say "not so fast" and wave a magical card, just like I would to the lady at the entrance to Costco, and the voice says, "DAMN!" (Schmells...100 bucks says you slice it into the woods. -Gambling is illegal at Bushwood sir and I never slice... DAMN!). Just like that I'm in. And the would be samples of select products are now full sized entres of the items of my choosing! The woman decided that she wasn't getting anywhere and said she would write down some passages for me to read rather than reciting them to me. I kind of wanted to see what she would do if I said something about Gingers not having souls, but then decided I would rather go eat than mess with this lady. She said, "what a difference between you and my Joshua. Both of you spent four years and Christian colleges and he knows his bible so much better than you." I simply responded with "Mam, I didn't go to college to learn the bible". My friend Gabe bailed me out at this point by walking up and telling me that my tent was blowing away. I walked back with Gabe and just before getting to the campsite he yelled to the other guys, "hey watch out, there are some crazy Mormons trying to convert people around here!" Just then I noticed the woman standing beside her car looking at us...she was in the campsite next to ours. The next morning I woke up and as I was packing my things, the woman came up to me with a neatly folded sheet of paper that said, "Marcus - The Gift of Life". The letter contained a whole list of passages to read and some advice: Don't listen to anymore Rock music on the radio, just christian. Try BOTT.
Today I rode my first century, 100 miles in one day! We rode from Craters of the Moon to Rexburg, ID, home to BYU Idaho (Can't get enough of that good stuff Baby...Uh HUH!!). The ride was long, but not as bad as I thought it would be thanks to some minor seat adjustments and advice from the Kerr's about using chamois butter and two pairs of padded shorts. While researching for this trip I read an article that said, "buy a Brooks saddle or don't go". Brooks is a seat manufacturer that makes leather seats. They are suppose to be the most comfortable seat every because they mold to fit your butt. I had heard it takes between 300-1000 miles to break in, but personal experience says otherwise. Sticking with the painful theme, my friend Ed from the first few days of my trip gave up on his trip. After a few more days of limping around and not being able to ride his bike with weight, he packed up his stuff and caught a flight to New York. I was disappointed to hear this news, but was waiting for it. I didn't think he was going to make it out of Nedarts unless he had someone to ride with. I think this is why I stuck with him for so long.
I will end with good news. Tomorrow I will ride to the town of West Yellowstone, just outside of the entrance to the National Park where I hope to spend the 4th of July.
-Marcus
P.S. A special thanks to Barb, Steve, and Emma for letting us stay with them and treating us so well! Thanks to them as well as my Aunt Mary and Uncle Tom for getting me in touch with such great people!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Random notes from Mt. Vernon
6/24/09
Every time I have posted something, I realize the next day that I forgot to include something. I have tried to include most of those forgotten thought below.
I have ridden a total of 632 miles over 12 days and am just over half way through my first state (according to this map we've only gone about 2 inches). That is an average of 52 miles a day if you include rest days and 70 if you do not. High speed is 36.2 mph, average is 12.1mph, and total riding time is 52 hours. The lowest gas price I have seen is $2.31 and highest is $3.02. I was keeping track of roadkill but gave up three days ago after riding through what looked like the elephant graveyard from The Lion King. Its crazy what you keep track of when you have nothing to do but pedal. One of my favorites is keeping track of how far from one espresso stand to the next. Chicago may be the most caffeinated city, but Oregon is the most caffeinated state.
I have decided to abandoned the plan to race through the west to make it to the wedding on time and have instead decided to check out more of the sites along the ride. In addition to ditching that plan, I will begin riding off of the ACA route and cut straight through southern Idaho to Yellowstone NP rather than riding up to Missoula Montana. After speaking with other riders coming from there, all of them say that they are wasted miles with little to see.
Speaking of little to see, I have never seen so many small towns or such small towns. 1 in 4 towns has a motel or place to stay, even fewer have a grocery store, and if the place has sidewalks, chances are it is a bustling city to the locals. Since leaving Astoria, only 7 towns have had more residents than my high school had students! Why would you live in a town with no grocery store? Other questions and thoughts come to mind like, where do kids go to school? When am I going to meet Seabass from Dumb and Dummer? Who do the schools compete against? I bet I could score some great Meth around here and the new Windows XP is in stores now (where stores exist).
The other night I stayed in Mitchell. It was a big place with 190 residents. The main attraction was free camping in the town park and meeting the town pet Henry. Henry is a full grown Black Bear that lives in a cage in the middle of town and so it makes sense that the local school mascot would be the Tigers. Coming into town there are sign that say welcome to Tiger country. Henry's enclosure is roughly 20ft x 20ft, about half the size of a tennis court. He can't escape though, the cage is made of chain link fencing. On his cage there is a sign saying "stand back, Henry hits the fence". As I was taking a picture of Henry, he hit the fence with one paw. The whole thing bowed out and shook for a while after that. I remember thinking that one day Henry will unintentionally lean up against his cage and break it down, then proceed to eat the whole town. Another random sighting, about 30 miles from any town, I came across a tree with hundreds of pairs of shoes on it. I hope to post the picture soon.
People in these towns are either very kind and offer you everything they can or give you a strange look and try to avoid any contact with you. A woman yesterday came out of her house with a pitcher of ice water when we took a break in the shade of a tree by her house. Also, last night I stayed in the guest house of a family in Mt. Vernon. It is a very nice little place with a couple of rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Its like the Ritz compared to the campground in Mitchell. The woman who owns the house has a couple of kids in college and offers the guest house up to cyclists coming through that need a place to stay. She has a dog, a ton of chickens, ducks, goats and a couple of birds. She brought us fresh eggs for breakfast and even brought us into and back from John Day, the nearest "big" town. On the ride, she informed us that John Day has the only stop light for over 100 miles. I am typing this at the local library and will soon head into town to check out Thriftway, the big grocery store chain of Eastern Oregon.
Cell service isn't as bad as I thought it would be but there are still times when you get nothing. Sorry to anyone trying to track me on Google Latitude, I heard that I disappeared for a couple of days.
The change in climate and environments has been drastic. A few days ago I spent the night in a rain forest with trees a couple hundred ft. tall. Throughout the day I rode through a volcanic rock field followed by a highland desert. There are streams, small creeks, and waterfalls everywhere in OR! You can also see the snow capped Cascade mtns. in the distance which makes for some beautiful views. After speaking with other bikers and locals, I found out that we are in fact in Rattlesnake, cougar, and bear country. Pretty soon we will come to the John Day painted rock national monument and an old Chinese market museum. The market was boarded up for years after it shut down and has become something of a time capsule. I am excited to see this. The weather is changing as well. There were cloudy skies and rain in the morning, followed by clear skies in the afternoon for the first week of the trip. After making it through the first pass, things cleared up and the sun has been beating down on us, but don't worry, I am not as red as you might expect thanks to Banana Boats SPF 85 EXTREME sunSCREEN!!! The first choice of Albinos, Gingers, and Albino Gingers around the word (They need the extra protection since they don't have melanine or souls to protect them from the sun's harmful rays). My friend Gabe fried his arms, but I am still milk and honey colored thanks to the strongest sunscreen you can buy over the counter.
I am still hanging out with the two guys from Oregon that I met a couple of days ago. Both of them are 22 and on their way cross country. Gabe, the first guy I met, is quieter and seems to be enjoying the quiet time out on his own trying to catch up to Clay, who is in better shape. Gabe also seems to enjoy the small towns and easy going life style on a bike. Clay is an experienced tourist, used to work in a kitchen, and studied massage therapy. As a result, he can out ride us, out cook us, and can tell us how to stretch when we complain about soreness. I was surprised to see him buying a Sparks (an energy drink with malt liquor in it) and to hear him talk about Hyphy, a hip hop movement based out of Oakland. I get a kick out of hearing him talk about Hyphy rappers like Too Short, Mac Dre, and Mistah FAB and the ridiculous lines from songs he has memorized. I am enjoying hanging out with these guys and comparing how all of us have packed and prepared for the tours.
Overall I am sore everyday, but somehow can still ride as far as I want to everyday. My seat is not yet broken in and as a result my butt is killing me. My legs feel just fine while I ride but as soon as I stop they tighten up and I get really sore. During the first days my legs swelled up as if I had been lifting all day (Yeah I grunt when I get my swell on at the gym...thats cause everyone should see how JACKED and TAN I am!!!). Recently my legs have started to get smaller, but seem even stronger than before. I rode the bike for the first time without weight the other day. I raced a car from a stop sign and beat it to 30mph. I can't tell if I am losing weight or not. I seem to be getting skinnier, but I think I might be adding muscle to make up for it. My diet is still the same as it was to start, only I can eat as much as I want now. I am like a human garbage disposal, but I guess that's not really anything new. 2 days ago I ate 3 sandwiches off the McDonald's dollar menu, a thing of fries, 2 bananas, and an apple and was still hungry. Eating is the most expensive part of the trip.
I have spent a good amount of time trying to think of names for my bike. I have not come up with anything good and am open to suggestions, please write any in the comments for this blog. I have been reviewing famous horse names and characters from movies and books, but cant find anything I like or think it would seem creepy for my friends with the same names.
Well, I think this is about everything for the time being and I am almost out of time on the computer. I will be sure to write another random page soon to cover everything I have forgotten in this one. Thanks again for all of the support and encouragement!
Marcus
Every time I have posted something, I realize the next day that I forgot to include something. I have tried to include most of those forgotten thought below.
I have ridden a total of 632 miles over 12 days and am just over half way through my first state (according to this map we've only gone about 2 inches). That is an average of 52 miles a day if you include rest days and 70 if you do not. High speed is 36.2 mph, average is 12.1mph, and total riding time is 52 hours. The lowest gas price I have seen is $2.31 and highest is $3.02. I was keeping track of roadkill but gave up three days ago after riding through what looked like the elephant graveyard from The Lion King. Its crazy what you keep track of when you have nothing to do but pedal. One of my favorites is keeping track of how far from one espresso stand to the next. Chicago may be the most caffeinated city, but Oregon is the most caffeinated state.
I have decided to abandoned the plan to race through the west to make it to the wedding on time and have instead decided to check out more of the sites along the ride. In addition to ditching that plan, I will begin riding off of the ACA route and cut straight through southern Idaho to Yellowstone NP rather than riding up to Missoula Montana. After speaking with other riders coming from there, all of them say that they are wasted miles with little to see.
Speaking of little to see, I have never seen so many small towns or such small towns. 1 in 4 towns has a motel or place to stay, even fewer have a grocery store, and if the place has sidewalks, chances are it is a bustling city to the locals. Since leaving Astoria, only 7 towns have had more residents than my high school had students! Why would you live in a town with no grocery store? Other questions and thoughts come to mind like, where do kids go to school? When am I going to meet Seabass from Dumb and Dummer? Who do the schools compete against? I bet I could score some great Meth around here and the new Windows XP is in stores now (where stores exist).
The other night I stayed in Mitchell. It was a big place with 190 residents. The main attraction was free camping in the town park and meeting the town pet Henry. Henry is a full grown Black Bear that lives in a cage in the middle of town and so it makes sense that the local school mascot would be the Tigers. Coming into town there are sign that say welcome to Tiger country. Henry's enclosure is roughly 20ft x 20ft, about half the size of a tennis court. He can't escape though, the cage is made of chain link fencing. On his cage there is a sign saying "stand back, Henry hits the fence". As I was taking a picture of Henry, he hit the fence with one paw. The whole thing bowed out and shook for a while after that. I remember thinking that one day Henry will unintentionally lean up against his cage and break it down, then proceed to eat the whole town. Another random sighting, about 30 miles from any town, I came across a tree with hundreds of pairs of shoes on it. I hope to post the picture soon.
People in these towns are either very kind and offer you everything they can or give you a strange look and try to avoid any contact with you. A woman yesterday came out of her house with a pitcher of ice water when we took a break in the shade of a tree by her house. Also, last night I stayed in the guest house of a family in Mt. Vernon. It is a very nice little place with a couple of rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Its like the Ritz compared to the campground in Mitchell. The woman who owns the house has a couple of kids in college and offers the guest house up to cyclists coming through that need a place to stay. She has a dog, a ton of chickens, ducks, goats and a couple of birds. She brought us fresh eggs for breakfast and even brought us into and back from John Day, the nearest "big" town. On the ride, she informed us that John Day has the only stop light for over 100 miles. I am typing this at the local library and will soon head into town to check out Thriftway, the big grocery store chain of Eastern Oregon.
Cell service isn't as bad as I thought it would be but there are still times when you get nothing. Sorry to anyone trying to track me on Google Latitude, I heard that I disappeared for a couple of days.
The change in climate and environments has been drastic. A few days ago I spent the night in a rain forest with trees a couple hundred ft. tall. Throughout the day I rode through a volcanic rock field followed by a highland desert. There are streams, small creeks, and waterfalls everywhere in OR! You can also see the snow capped Cascade mtns. in the distance which makes for some beautiful views. After speaking with other bikers and locals, I found out that we are in fact in Rattlesnake, cougar, and bear country. Pretty soon we will come to the John Day painted rock national monument and an old Chinese market museum. The market was boarded up for years after it shut down and has become something of a time capsule. I am excited to see this. The weather is changing as well. There were cloudy skies and rain in the morning, followed by clear skies in the afternoon for the first week of the trip. After making it through the first pass, things cleared up and the sun has been beating down on us, but don't worry, I am not as red as you might expect thanks to Banana Boats SPF 85 EXTREME sunSCREEN!!! The first choice of Albinos, Gingers, and Albino Gingers around the word (They need the extra protection since they don't have melanine or souls to protect them from the sun's harmful rays). My friend Gabe fried his arms, but I am still milk and honey colored thanks to the strongest sunscreen you can buy over the counter.
I am still hanging out with the two guys from Oregon that I met a couple of days ago. Both of them are 22 and on their way cross country. Gabe, the first guy I met, is quieter and seems to be enjoying the quiet time out on his own trying to catch up to Clay, who is in better shape. Gabe also seems to enjoy the small towns and easy going life style on a bike. Clay is an experienced tourist, used to work in a kitchen, and studied massage therapy. As a result, he can out ride us, out cook us, and can tell us how to stretch when we complain about soreness. I was surprised to see him buying a Sparks (an energy drink with malt liquor in it) and to hear him talk about Hyphy, a hip hop movement based out of Oakland. I get a kick out of hearing him talk about Hyphy rappers like Too Short, Mac Dre, and Mistah FAB and the ridiculous lines from songs he has memorized. I am enjoying hanging out with these guys and comparing how all of us have packed and prepared for the tours.
Overall I am sore everyday, but somehow can still ride as far as I want to everyday. My seat is not yet broken in and as a result my butt is killing me. My legs feel just fine while I ride but as soon as I stop they tighten up and I get really sore. During the first days my legs swelled up as if I had been lifting all day (Yeah I grunt when I get my swell on at the gym...thats cause everyone should see how JACKED and TAN I am!!!). Recently my legs have started to get smaller, but seem even stronger than before. I rode the bike for the first time without weight the other day. I raced a car from a stop sign and beat it to 30mph. I can't tell if I am losing weight or not. I seem to be getting skinnier, but I think I might be adding muscle to make up for it. My diet is still the same as it was to start, only I can eat as much as I want now. I am like a human garbage disposal, but I guess that's not really anything new. 2 days ago I ate 3 sandwiches off the McDonald's dollar menu, a thing of fries, 2 bananas, and an apple and was still hungry. Eating is the most expensive part of the trip.
I have spent a good amount of time trying to think of names for my bike. I have not come up with anything good and am open to suggestions, please write any in the comments for this blog. I have been reviewing famous horse names and characters from movies and books, but cant find anything I like or think it would seem creepy for my friends with the same names.
Well, I think this is about everything for the time being and I am almost out of time on the computer. I will be sure to write another random page soon to cover everything I have forgotten in this one. Thanks again for all of the support and encouragement!
Marcus
Sunday, June 21, 2009
6/21/09
The last time I wrote was in Eugene, OR while hanging out with a guy named Chris. What a time! After another fun night Friday, we went down to the saturday market in downtown Eugene. There were stands full of produce, homemade goods, and tons of random stuff that you would expect to find at a street market in Eugene. Chris and I were both on bikes and had to fight the mob of people there. I had an especially hard time as my bike was loaded with all of my stuff. I had hoped to pick up some fresh veggies or fruit, since my diet is mainly oatmeal, peanut butter, tortillas, and granola, but a few minutes in the market killed that craving and I went on my way. I was disappointed to say bye to chris but I bet I will see him again.
Saturday I picked up 58 miles and nearly 1000ft before stopping in Blue River, just outside of Mckenzie pass. The ride wasn't bad, boring as usual, but easy enough. Speaking with some friends shortly after arriving really boosted moral around the camp, especially after eating a 6 serving box of red beans and rice with tortillas and still being hungry. I can eat as much as I want...I am never full! At the camp, I was thrilled to speak with the ranger of the Willamette National Forest. He told me some cool waterfalls to check out on my rides in the next few days and informed me that the route on my maps was closed and instead I would be taking a detour which added 20 miles and had steeper grades. This helped me to fall asleep earlier than usual.
I woke up in a rain storm and did my best to make a good breakfast and shake the water off of my tent before packing it away. The ride was going to be at least 60 miles to Sisters, OR and a climb of 4000ft in 12 miles. To make things more interesting, there wasn't a campground or place to fill up water for 50 miles of them. As a result I carried and extra 3 liters of water/almost 10lbs.
The ride wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I rode about 30 miles in, was feeling strong still and had a lot of energy left. Then I saw the actual pass. Santiam Pass has 3 consecutive peaks that you climb roughly 800ft to reach. Each climb adding to the previous. The final climb is almost is accounts for the rest until you reach the summit at 4800ft. After the final climb I was ready to quit, but I still had 20 miles to a town. Along the ride, I was elated to meet the first couple bikers I have seen this trip who are also riding the Trans-Am. Gabe is the first guy I met. He is 22 still in school at OSU and he is doing his first tour with a friend, Clayton, who I would meet later in the day in Sisters,OR. Gabe and Clayton were riding together, but Clayton apparently didn't feel like riding with Gabe and started riding this morning before Gabe woke up. After hanging with Gabe for awhile, I took off and started putting some serious miles behind me. By the time I reached sisters, I had caught up to Clayton. They were riding for Bend, OR but weren't sure if they would make it. I will probably bump into them again soon. Also, increased alone time on the bike has resulted in me talking and singing to myself as well as laughing hysterically at things that are in no way humorous, such as signs that say "Elk" or "Deer". Oregon does have other signs that are funny though. Today I saw a sign that said "Three finger Jack. Left 1/4 mile".
From Sisters, I continued riding highway 126 until I arrived in Redmond,OR with high spirits and hopes of finding a grocery store. Redmond happens to be the last name of a good friend of mine, Kathryn. I took pictures of everything that said Redmond on it and am also going to send her family so travel brochures on the area. A well known fact about the Redmonds is that they love wine. So, being that I was in their town, I picked up a nice bottle of wine while at the grocery store. It was mine after just 2 easy payments of $1...that's how you know its good! I have retired for the night, with my wine, at the Redmond Inn. I was able to cook a meal on a real stove in the full kitchen in my room and have a spectacular view of highway 97 and an ice machine just outside my door.
Total for the day was 82 miles, second longest yet. I have my sights set on Mitchell for tomorrow. In the mean time, I'm going to do my laundry in the tub, drink some wine, and maybe go down to the pool...NAKED! Jk
Marcus
The last time I wrote was in Eugene, OR while hanging out with a guy named Chris. What a time! After another fun night Friday, we went down to the saturday market in downtown Eugene. There were stands full of produce, homemade goods, and tons of random stuff that you would expect to find at a street market in Eugene. Chris and I were both on bikes and had to fight the mob of people there. I had an especially hard time as my bike was loaded with all of my stuff. I had hoped to pick up some fresh veggies or fruit, since my diet is mainly oatmeal, peanut butter, tortillas, and granola, but a few minutes in the market killed that craving and I went on my way. I was disappointed to say bye to chris but I bet I will see him again.
Saturday I picked up 58 miles and nearly 1000ft before stopping in Blue River, just outside of Mckenzie pass. The ride wasn't bad, boring as usual, but easy enough. Speaking with some friends shortly after arriving really boosted moral around the camp, especially after eating a 6 serving box of red beans and rice with tortillas and still being hungry. I can eat as much as I want...I am never full! At the camp, I was thrilled to speak with the ranger of the Willamette National Forest. He told me some cool waterfalls to check out on my rides in the next few days and informed me that the route on my maps was closed and instead I would be taking a detour which added 20 miles and had steeper grades. This helped me to fall asleep earlier than usual.
I woke up in a rain storm and did my best to make a good breakfast and shake the water off of my tent before packing it away. The ride was going to be at least 60 miles to Sisters, OR and a climb of 4000ft in 12 miles. To make things more interesting, there wasn't a campground or place to fill up water for 50 miles of them. As a result I carried and extra 3 liters of water/almost 10lbs.
The ride wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I rode about 30 miles in, was feeling strong still and had a lot of energy left. Then I saw the actual pass. Santiam Pass has 3 consecutive peaks that you climb roughly 800ft to reach. Each climb adding to the previous. The final climb is almost is accounts for the rest until you reach the summit at 4800ft. After the final climb I was ready to quit, but I still had 20 miles to a town. Along the ride, I was elated to meet the first couple bikers I have seen this trip who are also riding the Trans-Am. Gabe is the first guy I met. He is 22 still in school at OSU and he is doing his first tour with a friend, Clayton, who I would meet later in the day in Sisters,OR. Gabe and Clayton were riding together, but Clayton apparently didn't feel like riding with Gabe and started riding this morning before Gabe woke up. After hanging with Gabe for awhile, I took off and started putting some serious miles behind me. By the time I reached sisters, I had caught up to Clayton. They were riding for Bend, OR but weren't sure if they would make it. I will probably bump into them again soon. Also, increased alone time on the bike has resulted in me talking and singing to myself as well as laughing hysterically at things that are in no way humorous, such as signs that say "Elk" or "Deer". Oregon does have other signs that are funny though. Today I saw a sign that said "Three finger Jack. Left 1/4 mile".
From Sisters, I continued riding highway 126 until I arrived in Redmond,OR with high spirits and hopes of finding a grocery store. Redmond happens to be the last name of a good friend of mine, Kathryn. I took pictures of everything that said Redmond on it and am also going to send her family so travel brochures on the area. A well known fact about the Redmonds is that they love wine. So, being that I was in their town, I picked up a nice bottle of wine while at the grocery store. It was mine after just 2 easy payments of $1...that's how you know its good! I have retired for the night, with my wine, at the Redmond Inn. I was able to cook a meal on a real stove in the full kitchen in my room and have a spectacular view of highway 97 and an ice machine just outside my door.
Total for the day was 82 miles, second longest yet. I have my sights set on Mitchell for tomorrow. In the mean time, I'm going to do my laundry in the tub, drink some wine, and maybe go down to the pool...NAKED! Jk
Marcus
Friday, June 19, 2009
Eugene, OR and the ride to get there
6/19/09
I left for Eugene yesterday and was quite sore as I started the ride from Rickreall. I didn't eat breakfast since I ran out of oatmeal the day before and Rickreall doesn't have a grocery store. Instead, I stopped about 10 miles out in Monmouth at a gas station. I picked up some coffee, an apple, and some sort of danish (a flute with no holes is not a flute, and a doughnut with no hole is a danish). It wasn't much but it was enough to get by on, plus it was nice to wake up with the cup of coffee. While checking out I asked the woman behind the counter how far it was to Eugene. She looked like she was in her 50's and hadn't been out of Monmouth in a while. Her answer to my question confirmed my suspicion. She responded to my question by saying "um...50 miles? I don't really know, haha. I haven't been that far out of town in a really, really long time". I was silent. I could understand not leaving if you were in a big town or if the next largest town was a few hours away, but both Eugene and Portland were less than an hour drive away and Monmouth didn't exactly have it all. It really made me appreciate my life and wonder what living in that town, and not leaving would be like. I got back on the bike and after a slight detour due to my inability to pay attention to road signs, was on my way to Eugene.
I left for Eugene yesterday and was quite sore as I started the ride from Rickreall. I didn't eat breakfast since I ran out of oatmeal the day before and Rickreall doesn't have a grocery store. Instead, I stopped about 10 miles out in Monmouth at a gas station. I picked up some coffee, an apple, and some sort of danish (a flute with no holes is not a flute, and a doughnut with no hole is a danish). It wasn't much but it was enough to get by on, plus it was nice to wake up with the cup of coffee. While checking out I asked the woman behind the counter how far it was to Eugene. She looked like she was in her 50's and hadn't been out of Monmouth in a while. Her answer to my question confirmed my suspicion. She responded to my question by saying "um...50 miles? I don't really know, haha. I haven't been that far out of town in a really, really long time". I was silent. I could understand not leaving if you were in a big town or if the next largest town was a few hours away, but both Eugene and Portland were less than an hour drive away and Monmouth didn't exactly have it all. It really made me appreciate my life and wonder what living in that town, and not leaving would be like. I got back on the bike and after a slight detour due to my inability to pay attention to road signs, was on my way to Eugene.
The first real break of the day was in Corvallis, home of the OSU Beavers. I took the opportunity to get on a normal computer here, but ended up wasting my time when the computer restarted after 15 min. The librarian failed to inform me that guests are only allowed 15min on the computers and then they restart on their own. Without knowing this, I continued updating my blog until the computer shut off and I lost everything I had written...awesome.
I rode along Peoria Rd. for a long time with cars every 10 min or so. The next town that I came to was Harrisburg. I stopped in at a local mini market and grabbed a Gatorade and a couple of apples. At the register the cashier informed me that the card reader was broken. Being out of cash I walked and began to put the items back. As I made my way to the fridge the cashier said "wait, wait, she just paid for your things" pointing to an older woman on her way out the door. I immediately went outside to thank the woman and asked her if there was anything that I could do for her. She responded with "just pass it on...help out the next person you see that needs it and enjoy your bike ride. Your doing something I wish I could do." I told her she could borrow my bike and go for a quick ride while I was taking a break. I was very grateful for her generosity and thanked her a few more times before she left. I still haven't found the person to help out yet, but soon enough. As I ate the apples a middle aged guy wearing a bunch of Oregon University stuff came out and asked me where I was riding to and where I was from. I told him about it and asked if he was from Eugene or if he went to school there, and what I should check out. He seemed somewhat disappointed when I asked him this and quieted up. He said "no, I just worked at OU for a while and I did a lot of the pipes below some of the buildings." Then with an ashamed look on his face, he said "I'm just a plumber..." I have not seen someone so embarrassed about their occupation before. I said to him, "what do you mean, just a plumber? There is nothing wrong with that. My dad sells plumbing supplies and equipment, plumbing paid for me to go to school." He seemed to perk up after I said this and shook my hand before telling me goodluck and wishing me all the best.
As I pulled into Eugene about an hour and a half later, I received a text from a good friend of mine, Christie. She said that she had a friend who just moved up here from San Fran. and if I wanted someone to hang with, should call him up. I was just about to pull up directions to the nearest hostel, so I figured I would give him a call first just to see what his story was. His name is Chris and after calling him and asking him about where he was staying, ended up meeting up with him. He is living here for the month in a friend's parent's guest house. Its a really cool little place with a full kitchen, bath, loft, and a spare futon for me to crash on. After hanging out for a bit and eating some dinner, we met up with a friend of his from high school, Peter. We all had a few beers and then went out to some bar and had a few more before walking home. It was nice to hang out with people my age and have a normal night out.
When I woke up today, I was more sore than I have been the rest of the trip. I decided to stay an extra day to relax and recharge. I restocked my pantry/food bag with peanut butter, granola, tortillas, some rice and beans, and a pack of Red Vines (Mr. Pib + Red Vines = CRAZY DELICIOUS!!!) After that we rode around town and checked the place out. It has been a nice, unproductive day and I look forward to my first week of grueling climbs.
-Marcus (...and I'm ghost like Swayze)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Longest day yet
6/18/09
Yesterday was one hell of a day! I stayed in Netarts for an extra day, killing my average for the week but giving me the energy i needed to get through today. I started off the ride with Ed to see how he was doing and to make sure he was alright to ride. He rode with me for the first 10 miles and up what was to be the worst hill of the day. At the top, I left Ed and began riding a lot faster with my destination being Grand Ronde, OR. I was sad to leave Ed, but I think I might see him later in the trip along the Northern Tier. I was cruising pretty fast all day long until just after lunch.
For lunch I stopped in Neskowin and had the usual peanut butter tortillas with granola. In addition I ate, an apple, banana, 3 tootsie rolls, a pack of powdered donuts and about 2 liters of water (a mistake because I had to stop an pee about 5 times). The day was long and dragging on, but I finally reached Grand Ronde and was disappointed to find that the campground was a field beside an RV/Mobile home park. It was just down the street from the local Indian reservation and casino. After calling around and speaking with my Dad who was looking things up for me, I continued on to Rickreall. Total miles on the day were 91. I was one hell of a day.
In Rickreall, I settled at the Polk County Fairgrounds. It was a much nicer camp site even though I was the only camping there last night. I had almost a pound of spaghetti, this time with real sauce, and some tuna for dinner. I was feeling just fine, but was a bit sore when I woke up. Today I will be heading for Eugene. Home to the University of Oregon and Nike. Yesterday while riding, I heard about a site called WarmShowers.org. It is a database of people willing to host touring cyclists. I am going to test it out tonight if I can find someone to host me in Eugene. As I type this, I am in the Corvallis Public Library on a 15 minute limit computer...type fast. I will add more tonight, but need to get going time is almost up.
Thank you to everyone who is reading this and for all of your support! It really does help to know you are all behind me!
-Marcus
Yesterday was one hell of a day! I stayed in Netarts for an extra day, killing my average for the week but giving me the energy i needed to get through today. I started off the ride with Ed to see how he was doing and to make sure he was alright to ride. He rode with me for the first 10 miles and up what was to be the worst hill of the day. At the top, I left Ed and began riding a lot faster with my destination being Grand Ronde, OR. I was sad to leave Ed, but I think I might see him later in the trip along the Northern Tier. I was cruising pretty fast all day long until just after lunch.
For lunch I stopped in Neskowin and had the usual peanut butter tortillas with granola. In addition I ate, an apple, banana, 3 tootsie rolls, a pack of powdered donuts and about 2 liters of water (a mistake because I had to stop an pee about 5 times). The day was long and dragging on, but I finally reached Grand Ronde and was disappointed to find that the campground was a field beside an RV/Mobile home park. It was just down the street from the local Indian reservation and casino. After calling around and speaking with my Dad who was looking things up for me, I continued on to Rickreall. Total miles on the day were 91. I was one hell of a day.
In Rickreall, I settled at the Polk County Fairgrounds. It was a much nicer camp site even though I was the only camping there last night. I had almost a pound of spaghetti, this time with real sauce, and some tuna for dinner. I was feeling just fine, but was a bit sore when I woke up. Today I will be heading for Eugene. Home to the University of Oregon and Nike. Yesterday while riding, I heard about a site called WarmShowers.org. It is a database of people willing to host touring cyclists. I am going to test it out tonight if I can find someone to host me in Eugene. As I type this, I am in the Corvallis Public Library on a 15 minute limit computer...type fast. I will add more tonight, but need to get going time is almost up.
Thank you to everyone who is reading this and for all of your support! It really does help to know you are all behind me!
-Marcus
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A day with more highs and lows than the hills i am riding.
6/16/09
Yesterday was my first day actually riding along the transamerican trail. it took me roughly 100 miles and two days to get there, but it was worth every minute. The night before I started the ride, I woke up around 1am wheezing, congested, and eyes more red than my now sunburned face. I had no idea what the hell was going on! I imediately took some benadryl with a couple glasses of water and blew my nose as best as possible. I went back to bed scared I might wake up worse and need to get some help. I did wake up again, several times in fact, but with fewer symptoms of this allergy each time. At around 6:30 I got out of bed fed up with restlessly laying in bed. I got ready for my ride and grabbed some breakfast with my friend Ed. We were going to ride south on highway 101 to Netarts after dropping some weight at the post office. The entire morning, Ed was complaining of poor control of his bike with a BOB trailer on it.
As I have mentioned before, Ed is a 69 year old guy who is riding cross country on the Northern Tier trail. He is a smaller guy, about 5'6" and he looks like Willy Nelson with a glasses. When he rides he puts on an american flag bandana, so he really looks like Willy! He moved.to upstate New York after living in NYC and New Jersey. He is retired and used to sell Encylopedia Brittanica's until internet and the more reliable source Wikipedia came on the scene. He rides an old miyata with tons of really cool new components and carries his stuff on a BOB trailer, which he has never toured with before. His experience is mainly week long tours, about each year, with panniers or a support car.
I was excited to start my first day on the trans am and was ready to really cruise! As we staryed the ride Ed was a bit unsure about his trailer and riding a little slower to play it safe and to take it easy with all the weight. We stopped in a little surfer town called Seasised for lunch. I decided to switch it up and had a tortilla with peanut butter and granola rather than the banana and honey. While eating a women witha baby stroller walked past and commented on my tail light which was still on "you just leave your light on to waste batteries?" She was genuinely pissed off that I left my light on. I imagined her going home and telling her husband that she would never believe what she saw today, a kid with his bike light on while he wasn't using it. I wanted to say "yeah, because I'm trying to see how much energy I can waste and fill a landfill in the process." Instead I said "oh thank you I didn't know it was on" to which she shook her head and sighed.
After eating Ed and I forged on into the hills which were suppose to be the hardest part of the day. The road was in good condition and the weather was getting better by the minute. As we came down our second big hill of the day, we were coasting at around 25mph (slow compared to the usual 30-35 that you hit on bigger hills) there was a large truck carrying lumber coming down the hill behind us and tracking ahead getting ready to take the incline. With Ed ahead of me, I saw his trailer begin to swing back and forth, slowing to 15i20mph he started loosing control. Eventually he gave up and took it down before letting it carry him into oncoming traffic. He hit really hard landing on his right hip and rolling onto his left shoulder. The stuff in his bag went everywhere across the road as cars stopped to help and the large truck behind us blocked traffic. He was fine, aside from a sore right hip and a torn up jersey. Soon after the crash a few tourist showed up to start their day. They were riding with a support car that gave Ed a lift back to Netarts as I continued down the 101. Continuing on I was dissappointed to have lost my friend for the day, possibly the lowest point of the trip so far.
After another 10 miles I started to see a glimpse of the beach and then the ocean with large rocks sticking out of the water in rnadom spots. The views were amazing and I took pictures every opportunity I had. While stopped at a viewpoint, I read a sign that said "The Goonies" was filmed on the beach I was looking at. The first ebtrance to the beach I saw I hiked down and took pictures. Here I also completed on of my goals for the trip, taking a picture wuth my rear wheel in the Pacific Ocean. There weren't many people around to take it for me so its hard to make out what is going on, but I have it. When I first hike down to the water the bike was sinking into the sand making it seem 200 lbs heavier, and once I got down to the water a huge wave came splashing up covering the wheels, chain, derailler, and me, ankle deep in salt water and sand. I heard that this is good for corrosion and breaking down necessary grease on moving parts. I saw all of it and just smiled and laughed, having completed one of the items on my checklist. As I turned to leave the beach looking at the bike as the wet parts were quickly covered in even more sand, I imagined Walter from The Big Lebowski saying, "f@*# it Dude. Let's go bowling." I laughed to myself some more. Good thing there weren't many people on the beach,be cause the one or two who were there must have thought I was a schitzo with a bike fetish and I was just getting some pics of my new girlfriend on the beach.
The other bikers I had seen in the day said to prepare for Manzanita hill. This was my next climb and I got to the top without a problem. As I rode down the back side, I began to realize that I am getting in great shape and fast! The view from the top was beautiful, so I took the chance to sit on a ledge and relax with the Pacific and some beach town in my sights.
As I rode into the town I saw on the hill, I realize it was almost 4 and it was starting to get really hot. I didn't hesitate to stop at the Dairy Queen in town when I rode past. I had the most delicious orea blizzard of my life sitting on the side of the road in some town 14 miles out of Tillamook, OR. I also used this as an opportunity to put on my spf 85 sunscreen. Supposedly it doesn't do anything after 30, but I need all the help I can get so I picked up albino strength $. The money sign is a typo but I like it, so it will stay. It was too late for sunscreen, my face was burned and my eyebrows stood out like the letters on a stop sign when I saw myself in a mirror.
I continued my ride refreshed and ready to eat some cheese as I pedaled on to Tillamook, home of the Tillamook Cheese Company. When I arrived at the factory I was dissappointed to see their were no more tours that day, but was still excited to pick up a brick...I need my cheese! At the factory I received a call from Ed, who had since gone to the ER to get thing checked out. I met him their and was dissappointed to see him with what looked like a crushed spirit and some Xrays. Nothing was busted but he had a partial tear in something. He caught a cab to his friends place and I rode there.
I ended the day with 75 miles under my belt and a bike that needed to be cleaned. Ed and I ordered some pizza and looked at the maps before calling it a night. I am still unsure whether I will hang around with him tomorrow, but I think I might just because I am really sore!
-Marcus
Yesterday was my first day actually riding along the transamerican trail. it took me roughly 100 miles and two days to get there, but it was worth every minute. The night before I started the ride, I woke up around 1am wheezing, congested, and eyes more red than my now sunburned face. I had no idea what the hell was going on! I imediately took some benadryl with a couple glasses of water and blew my nose as best as possible. I went back to bed scared I might wake up worse and need to get some help. I did wake up again, several times in fact, but with fewer symptoms of this allergy each time. At around 6:30 I got out of bed fed up with restlessly laying in bed. I got ready for my ride and grabbed some breakfast with my friend Ed. We were going to ride south on highway 101 to Netarts after dropping some weight at the post office. The entire morning, Ed was complaining of poor control of his bike with a BOB trailer on it.
As I have mentioned before, Ed is a 69 year old guy who is riding cross country on the Northern Tier trail. He is a smaller guy, about 5'6" and he looks like Willy Nelson with a glasses. When he rides he puts on an american flag bandana, so he really looks like Willy! He moved.to upstate New York after living in NYC and New Jersey. He is retired and used to sell Encylopedia Brittanica's until internet and the more reliable source Wikipedia came on the scene. He rides an old miyata with tons of really cool new components and carries his stuff on a BOB trailer, which he has never toured with before. His experience is mainly week long tours, about each year, with panniers or a support car.
I was excited to start my first day on the trans am and was ready to really cruise! As we staryed the ride Ed was a bit unsure about his trailer and riding a little slower to play it safe and to take it easy with all the weight. We stopped in a little surfer town called Seasised for lunch. I decided to switch it up and had a tortilla with peanut butter and granola rather than the banana and honey. While eating a women witha baby stroller walked past and commented on my tail light which was still on "you just leave your light on to waste batteries?" She was genuinely pissed off that I left my light on. I imagined her going home and telling her husband that she would never believe what she saw today, a kid with his bike light on while he wasn't using it. I wanted to say "yeah, because I'm trying to see how much energy I can waste and fill a landfill in the process." Instead I said "oh thank you I didn't know it was on" to which she shook her head and sighed.
After eating Ed and I forged on into the hills which were suppose to be the hardest part of the day. The road was in good condition and the weather was getting better by the minute. As we came down our second big hill of the day, we were coasting at around 25mph (slow compared to the usual 30-35 that you hit on bigger hills) there was a large truck carrying lumber coming down the hill behind us and tracking ahead getting ready to take the incline. With Ed ahead of me, I saw his trailer begin to swing back and forth, slowing to 15i20mph he started loosing control. Eventually he gave up and took it down before letting it carry him into oncoming traffic. He hit really hard landing on his right hip and rolling onto his left shoulder. The stuff in his bag went everywhere across the road as cars stopped to help and the large truck behind us blocked traffic. He was fine, aside from a sore right hip and a torn up jersey. Soon after the crash a few tourist showed up to start their day. They were riding with a support car that gave Ed a lift back to Netarts as I continued down the 101. Continuing on I was dissappointed to have lost my friend for the day, possibly the lowest point of the trip so far.
After another 10 miles I started to see a glimpse of the beach and then the ocean with large rocks sticking out of the water in rnadom spots. The views were amazing and I took pictures every opportunity I had. While stopped at a viewpoint, I read a sign that said "The Goonies" was filmed on the beach I was looking at. The first ebtrance to the beach I saw I hiked down and took pictures. Here I also completed on of my goals for the trip, taking a picture wuth my rear wheel in the Pacific Ocean. There weren't many people around to take it for me so its hard to make out what is going on, but I have it. When I first hike down to the water the bike was sinking into the sand making it seem 200 lbs heavier, and once I got down to the water a huge wave came splashing up covering the wheels, chain, derailler, and me, ankle deep in salt water and sand. I heard that this is good for corrosion and breaking down necessary grease on moving parts. I saw all of it and just smiled and laughed, having completed one of the items on my checklist. As I turned to leave the beach looking at the bike as the wet parts were quickly covered in even more sand, I imagined Walter from The Big Lebowski saying, "f@*# it Dude. Let's go bowling." I laughed to myself some more. Good thing there weren't many people on the beach,be cause the one or two who were there must have thought I was a schitzo with a bike fetish and I was just getting some pics of my new girlfriend on the beach.
The other bikers I had seen in the day said to prepare for Manzanita hill. This was my next climb and I got to the top without a problem. As I rode down the back side, I began to realize that I am getting in great shape and fast! The view from the top was beautiful, so I took the chance to sit on a ledge and relax with the Pacific and some beach town in my sights.
As I rode into the town I saw on the hill, I realize it was almost 4 and it was starting to get really hot. I didn't hesitate to stop at the Dairy Queen in town when I rode past. I had the most delicious orea blizzard of my life sitting on the side of the road in some town 14 miles out of Tillamook, OR. I also used this as an opportunity to put on my spf 85 sunscreen. Supposedly it doesn't do anything after 30, but I need all the help I can get so I picked up albino strength $. The money sign is a typo but I like it, so it will stay. It was too late for sunscreen, my face was burned and my eyebrows stood out like the letters on a stop sign when I saw myself in a mirror.
I continued my ride refreshed and ready to eat some cheese as I pedaled on to Tillamook, home of the Tillamook Cheese Company. When I arrived at the factory I was dissappointed to see their were no more tours that day, but was still excited to pick up a brick...I need my cheese! At the factory I received a call from Ed, who had since gone to the ER to get thing checked out. I met him their and was dissappointed to see him with what looked like a crushed spirit and some Xrays. Nothing was busted but he had a partial tear in something. He caught a cab to his friends place and I rode there.
I ended the day with 75 miles under my belt and a bike that needed to be cleaned. Ed and I ordered some pizza and looked at the maps before calling it a night. I am still unsure whether I will hang around with him tomorrow, but I think I might just because I am really sore!
-Marcus
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Astoria
I woke up this morning sore as hell. Instead of wandering around town I decided I would hang out in the hostel and sort out my things, deciding which to keep and which to send home: 4 books, spare pedals, spare lube, shorts, and a pair of gym shoes. Total this stuff feels like its about 10 lbs. but who knows. Its stuff that I don't think I will use in the near future and don't want to carry for the time being. I spoke with some guys at the bike shop alter in the day and they agreed.
While at the bike shop I explained to the guys about the spokes that I had tightened by hand and they tuned it up for me. Being a busy weekend in the summer though, they didn't get to it until about 2:30pm. All the guys at Bikes and Beyond especially their mechanic Matt, are great if you find yourself in need of bike help in Astoria, OR. While I was waiting for the bike I ran into my friend Ed from yesterday. He was sticking around town for the day and so we went touring around the town. We stopped at the Maritime Museum and a fish and chips place that was great. In talking with him I found out that he is going to head down to a town called Netarts tomorrow to stay at a friends house and he has invited me to join. I decided to take him up on it mainly because I enjoy the company and this guy is a lot of fun to hang out and talk with. He has a lot of cool stories. Who would have guessed that two guys, with roughly 50 years difference in age would have become friends. Not me. As I wrote in a previous post Ed has found a woman that he is madly in love with, and I mean madly! I used to take whole a lot of heat about posting away messages and things I would write on a girlfriend's wall (thanks Chuck and Mike), but as bad as I may have been, I have nothing on these two. He tells of their emailing and calling back and forth as if they were back in high school. It is a wonderful and refreshing story that I hope will have a happy ending. Ed and I parted ways and I decided to check the town out a bit, before getting the bike and catching dinner and few beers with him.
While we were telling stories, he told me of a time when he was riding in New York and came to a bridge where he stopped and said to the person he was riding with that he hoped he could live in a place like that some day. 20 years later while riding with his wife about 5 miles down the road from their new house, he came to that place. He said its odd that you spend your days searching and dreaming for home when you realize that you are already there. It reminded me of a song by the Talking Heads called "This is the Place". Part of the lyrics are as follows: "home is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there". This was almost what he said, word for word. Every time I hear the song I think of my friends from school and how I know I will always keep in touch with them. I get the feeling I will keep in touch and be friends with Ed long after my trip is over.
Astoria is a quiet little coastal town at the mouth of the Columbia river. I have never seen a river as wide as the Columbia. The downtown is composed of a few main streets that run parallel to the river. Between the river and the street there is a bike lane and a pier that runs the entire length of town. As you look east and inland, you see colorful houses covering the hillside and the famous Astoria Tower at the top of the hill. The view from the tower is suppose to be spectacular but I have no interest in hiking or cycling up to see it. A good friend and old roommate described it as a failed San Francisco, I would say this is pretty accurate.
Currently I am making my way down the pier along the river, before I go try to find somewhere to eat. I'm craving something sweet, so I hope to find a place to get some candy nearby. As I was walking earlier I past a couple of older guys watching the boats go past. I was wearing a chicago cycling cap and one of the guys asked "are you from Chicago?" I replied yes and he said he has always wanted to visit. The guy next to him chimed in, "is it fun?" To which the first guy said "its a party town". The next question that the second guy asked caught me totally off guard and I wasn't sure if he was being serious or not. He said "are there black people there?" Like I said, I wasn't sure if he was serious or not but after seeing his face and watching him as he patiently awaited a response, I knew he wasn't kidding. I said there were and he looked at me puzzled and responded "huh". Overall, Astoria is a wonderful town that I have enjoyed greatly. At the end of the day, I found myself drinking a PBR at a bar on the pier. Each sip brought back another memory of late nights at school or of my friends that I didn't realize I would miss so much.
I am excited for the ride tomorrow and am excited for the first days on the Transamerican-route!
-Marcus
While at the bike shop I explained to the guys about the spokes that I had tightened by hand and they tuned it up for me. Being a busy weekend in the summer though, they didn't get to it until about 2:30pm. All the guys at Bikes and Beyond especially their mechanic Matt, are great if you find yourself in need of bike help in Astoria, OR. While I was waiting for the bike I ran into my friend Ed from yesterday. He was sticking around town for the day and so we went touring around the town. We stopped at the Maritime Museum and a fish and chips place that was great. In talking with him I found out that he is going to head down to a town called Netarts tomorrow to stay at a friends house and he has invited me to join. I decided to take him up on it mainly because I enjoy the company and this guy is a lot of fun to hang out and talk with. He has a lot of cool stories. Who would have guessed that two guys, with roughly 50 years difference in age would have become friends. Not me. As I wrote in a previous post Ed has found a woman that he is madly in love with, and I mean madly! I used to take whole a lot of heat about posting away messages and things I would write on a girlfriend's wall (thanks Chuck and Mike), but as bad as I may have been, I have nothing on these two. He tells of their emailing and calling back and forth as if they were back in high school. It is a wonderful and refreshing story that I hope will have a happy ending. Ed and I parted ways and I decided to check the town out a bit, before getting the bike and catching dinner and few beers with him.
While we were telling stories, he told me of a time when he was riding in New York and came to a bridge where he stopped and said to the person he was riding with that he hoped he could live in a place like that some day. 20 years later while riding with his wife about 5 miles down the road from their new house, he came to that place. He said its odd that you spend your days searching and dreaming for home when you realize that you are already there. It reminded me of a song by the Talking Heads called "This is the Place". Part of the lyrics are as follows: "home is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there". This was almost what he said, word for word. Every time I hear the song I think of my friends from school and how I know I will always keep in touch with them. I get the feeling I will keep in touch and be friends with Ed long after my trip is over.
Astoria is a quiet little coastal town at the mouth of the Columbia river. I have never seen a river as wide as the Columbia. The downtown is composed of a few main streets that run parallel to the river. Between the river and the street there is a bike lane and a pier that runs the entire length of town. As you look east and inland, you see colorful houses covering the hillside and the famous Astoria Tower at the top of the hill. The view from the tower is suppose to be spectacular but I have no interest in hiking or cycling up to see it. A good friend and old roommate described it as a failed San Francisco, I would say this is pretty accurate.
Currently I am making my way down the pier along the river, before I go try to find somewhere to eat. I'm craving something sweet, so I hope to find a place to get some candy nearby. As I was walking earlier I past a couple of older guys watching the boats go past. I was wearing a chicago cycling cap and one of the guys asked "are you from Chicago?" I replied yes and he said he has always wanted to visit. The guy next to him chimed in, "is it fun?" To which the first guy said "its a party town". The next question that the second guy asked caught me totally off guard and I wasn't sure if he was being serious or not. He said "are there black people there?" Like I said, I wasn't sure if he was serious or not but after seeing his face and watching him as he patiently awaited a response, I knew he wasn't kidding. I said there were and he looked at me puzzled and responded "huh". Overall, Astoria is a wonderful town that I have enjoyed greatly. At the end of the day, I found myself drinking a PBR at a bar on the pier. Each sip brought back another memory of late nights at school or of my friends that I didn't realize I would miss so much.
I am excited for the ride tomorrow and am excited for the first days on the Transamerican-route!
-Marcus
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The first days of riding
6/13/09
Yesterday was my first day of riding. I rode 54 miles from Portland to Rainier. I began the day by packing up all of my things and eating a big oatmeal breakfast. After inspecting my setup, planning my route, and taking pictures with Hannah and Bob(thanks again!), I took off through Portland aiming for highway 30. 30 is a busy 4 lane road with fast moving traffic and a big shoulder/bike lane. It is not bad to ride, but some of the semi's, tankers, or logging trucks come a little close to the shoulder on occasion.
My first stop was at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, about 20 miles in. I filled up my water bottles here and ate some granola and peanut butter. From here I continued on and stopped another 20 miles or so up the road to eat lunch. Lunch consisted of a can of beans, granola and some dried cranberries.
The ride was pretty flat up until just outside of Rainier, so I was making great time. Inside of Rainier, I saw a post office and decided to send some things home(which I will do more of tomorrow). By this point it was around 4pm and I was about 50 miles in, so I asked the woman at the post office if she knew of any campgrounds nearby. She pointed me up another steep hill but said that it was the last one until you reached Astoria. Good thing I asked! Astoria being another 50 miles away, I decided I would setup camp where I was but I had to climb a hill to get there. Initially, the hill didn't look that bad. However, I couldn't see the turn at what I thought was the peak. After a climb of roughly 300 ft. The road begins to turn around the hill, still gaining elevation. Being the end of the first day, the climb was hell! Calves, quads, and ass, burning from the struggle, when I pulled into the campground.
I paid $7 for the site, which included free showers. I started off with these and then worked at dinner and eventually setting up the tent. For dinner I had spaghetti with a can of sauce that I picked up in rainier. Da sauce had da funk! I choked down half a pound of this stuff before refusing to eat another bite, fearing that I would throw up. I washed it down with some tea and then munched on other stuff before setting up the tent.
When all was said and done, I found myself very bored and lonely. There were not many people in the campground and after taking a walk, found that there were none that wanted to talk with me. I was somewhat disappointed I hadn't made it farther that day and really wanted to talk with someone, just to have the company. There was a poor signal so writing on the blog was not an option. Instead I read a little which was putting me to sleep, but it was only about 7. I decided I would call up family and friends and see what they were up to. This ended up being a great distraction and some much needed conversation. I t was great to talk with someone besides myself! By the time I got off the phone it was about 9 so I decided it was a good enough time to sleep.
I woke up at around 6:30 full of energy and not too sore either. I had oatmeal and dried cranberries with some tea for breakfast. As I finished eating, it began to pour. Trying to keep everything from getting wet, I packed up and sat at some nearby picnic tables which were covered. Once ready I set off in full rain gear for Astoria.
This ride was hillier than yesterday's and though they were about the same size, they didn't seem as bad. I stopped for lunch at another small town about 25 miles in. I ate tortillas with peanut butter, banana slices, and honey. This was better than yesterdays and. Gave me plenty of energy for the afternoon. I arrived in Astoria at around 2:30 and started looking for somewhere with some info. I wound up at a bike shop where I met a 69 year old guy named Ed about to start his xcountry tour on the Lewis and Clark and Northern Tier routes. After talking with him for a bit, I asked a couple of guys working at the shop where a good place to stay was. They pointed me to the hostile about a block away and said if wanted to camp I had about 20 more miles to go. Hoping to hang out in the town I decided on the hostile. $44 later I had a room. While moving my stuff in I see Ed again this time just down the hall from my room. He said he had some stuff to do in town but I asked if I wanted to get a beer with him after. I agreed and continued unpacking. We met up at a local brewery and talked about routes, gear, past tours (he was the only one talking here) and finally his new found love. He wife left him two years ago out of the blue. Then he meets a woman a few months back at a classical music concert and they immediately hit it off. It was great talking with Ed and having some company for a while.
After eating I went back to my room and started sorting out what I didn't want to carry anymore and decided I would have my back wheel checked out, because earlier in the day I was able to tighten a spoke by hand. I am going to try and so some laundry while I can and then get some sleep. The bike store opens at 11 so ill have time to sleep in. I am also starting to get sore and my muscles are tightening up as I write this. A slow day may be in the works tomorrow depending on how I feel when I wake up.
-Marcus
Yesterday was my first day of riding. I rode 54 miles from Portland to Rainier. I began the day by packing up all of my things and eating a big oatmeal breakfast. After inspecting my setup, planning my route, and taking pictures with Hannah and Bob(thanks again!), I took off through Portland aiming for highway 30. 30 is a busy 4 lane road with fast moving traffic and a big shoulder/bike lane. It is not bad to ride, but some of the semi's, tankers, or logging trucks come a little close to the shoulder on occasion.
My first stop was at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, about 20 miles in. I filled up my water bottles here and ate some granola and peanut butter. From here I continued on and stopped another 20 miles or so up the road to eat lunch. Lunch consisted of a can of beans, granola and some dried cranberries.
The ride was pretty flat up until just outside of Rainier, so I was making great time. Inside of Rainier, I saw a post office and decided to send some things home(which I will do more of tomorrow). By this point it was around 4pm and I was about 50 miles in, so I asked the woman at the post office if she knew of any campgrounds nearby. She pointed me up another steep hill but said that it was the last one until you reached Astoria. Good thing I asked! Astoria being another 50 miles away, I decided I would setup camp where I was but I had to climb a hill to get there. Initially, the hill didn't look that bad. However, I couldn't see the turn at what I thought was the peak. After a climb of roughly 300 ft. The road begins to turn around the hill, still gaining elevation. Being the end of the first day, the climb was hell! Calves, quads, and ass, burning from the struggle, when I pulled into the campground.
I paid $7 for the site, which included free showers. I started off with these and then worked at dinner and eventually setting up the tent. For dinner I had spaghetti with a can of sauce that I picked up in rainier. Da sauce had da funk! I choked down half a pound of this stuff before refusing to eat another bite, fearing that I would throw up. I washed it down with some tea and then munched on other stuff before setting up the tent.
When all was said and done, I found myself very bored and lonely. There were not many people in the campground and after taking a walk, found that there were none that wanted to talk with me. I was somewhat disappointed I hadn't made it farther that day and really wanted to talk with someone, just to have the company. There was a poor signal so writing on the blog was not an option. Instead I read a little which was putting me to sleep, but it was only about 7. I decided I would call up family and friends and see what they were up to. This ended up being a great distraction and some much needed conversation. I t was great to talk with someone besides myself! By the time I got off the phone it was about 9 so I decided it was a good enough time to sleep.
I woke up at around 6:30 full of energy and not too sore either. I had oatmeal and dried cranberries with some tea for breakfast. As I finished eating, it began to pour. Trying to keep everything from getting wet, I packed up and sat at some nearby picnic tables which were covered. Once ready I set off in full rain gear for Astoria.
This ride was hillier than yesterday's and though they were about the same size, they didn't seem as bad. I stopped for lunch at another small town about 25 miles in. I ate tortillas with peanut butter, banana slices, and honey. This was better than yesterdays and. Gave me plenty of energy for the afternoon. I arrived in Astoria at around 2:30 and started looking for somewhere with some info. I wound up at a bike shop where I met a 69 year old guy named Ed about to start his xcountry tour on the Lewis and Clark and Northern Tier routes. After talking with him for a bit, I asked a couple of guys working at the shop where a good place to stay was. They pointed me to the hostile about a block away and said if wanted to camp I had about 20 more miles to go. Hoping to hang out in the town I decided on the hostile. $44 later I had a room. While moving my stuff in I see Ed again this time just down the hall from my room. He said he had some stuff to do in town but I asked if I wanted to get a beer with him after. I agreed and continued unpacking. We met up at a local brewery and talked about routes, gear, past tours (he was the only one talking here) and finally his new found love. He wife left him two years ago out of the blue. Then he meets a woman a few months back at a classical music concert and they immediately hit it off. It was great talking with Ed and having some company for a while.
After eating I went back to my room and started sorting out what I didn't want to carry anymore and decided I would have my back wheel checked out, because earlier in the day I was able to tighten a spoke by hand. I am going to try and so some laundry while I can and then get some sleep. The bike store opens at 11 so ill have time to sleep in. I am also starting to get sore and my muscles are tightening up as I write this. A slow day may be in the works tomorrow depending on how I feel when I wake up.
-Marcus
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Portland
6/11/09
When I arrived at the train station in Portland, I assembled my bike and started riding for my destination...the Weaver/Callahan residence. I was greeted with a welcome letter and a couple of boxes that had arrived for me a few days before. (Thanks Kathryn and Christie!) The boxes were full of fun and relatively useful items that will keep me entertained throughout the trip. My favorite of them is a miniature gnome and 2 disposable cameras.
After finding a place for my things and looking up some directions on my phone, I made my way downtown to a place called Voodoo Doughnuts, famous for its ridiculous toppings and even more ridiculous doughnut competitions. I have heard about this place on several occasions and was surprised upon arriving at a little 10x10 ft. doughnut shop with a menu. I had never seen a doughnut shop with a menu that listed the different types of doughnuts, or one that could charge $2.15 for a fruit-loop cover doughnut. It was still fun to see though.
From here I didn't know where to go and just started riding I don't know where I was but it was a fun ride! Portland is the most bike friendly city I have ever been too. There are bike lanes on almost every street and the ones that don't have them were in the process of having them put in. Everyone was riding bikes and the people in the cars seemed like they were paying more attention to the bikes than driving. Fixies and single speed were the bike of choice, but there were all types of riders. Along with bikes, Portland is covered in Hipsters. It has to be the world's largest consumer of skinny jeans, chuck taylor's, and American Apparel.
After my ride I went back to the house where I was staying and had a delicious salmon dinner with Hannah and Bob. We had fun sharing stories and an some interesting conversation on the topic of Voodoo Doughnuts. I can't thank them enough for their generous hospitality and cold beer! Thanks again Hannah and Bob!!!
I have also decided to stay another day just to organize myself better and make sure that I have everything I need before leaving the convenience of a large city. I will be leaving for Astoria tomorrow though. In the process of typing this in Portland's beautiful Washington Park, I managed to push the "delete posts" button instead of the "publish post" button. I am sorry to say that if you were unable to read the first four posts before today, you are simply out of luck...getting used to using the blackberry is harder than I thought.
-Marcus
When I arrived at the train station in Portland, I assembled my bike and started riding for my destination...the Weaver/Callahan residence. I was greeted with a welcome letter and a couple of boxes that had arrived for me a few days before. (Thanks Kathryn and Christie!) The boxes were full of fun and relatively useful items that will keep me entertained throughout the trip. My favorite of them is a miniature gnome and 2 disposable cameras.
After finding a place for my things and looking up some directions on my phone, I made my way downtown to a place called Voodoo Doughnuts, famous for its ridiculous toppings and even more ridiculous doughnut competitions. I have heard about this place on several occasions and was surprised upon arriving at a little 10x10 ft. doughnut shop with a menu. I had never seen a doughnut shop with a menu that listed the different types of doughnuts, or one that could charge $2.15 for a fruit-loop cover doughnut. It was still fun to see though.
From here I didn't know where to go and just started riding I don't know where I was but it was a fun ride! Portland is the most bike friendly city I have ever been too. There are bike lanes on almost every street and the ones that don't have them were in the process of having them put in. Everyone was riding bikes and the people in the cars seemed like they were paying more attention to the bikes than driving. Fixies and single speed were the bike of choice, but there were all types of riders. Along with bikes, Portland is covered in Hipsters. It has to be the world's largest consumer of skinny jeans, chuck taylor's, and American Apparel.
After my ride I went back to the house where I was staying and had a delicious salmon dinner with Hannah and Bob. We had fun sharing stories and an some interesting conversation on the topic of Voodoo Doughnuts. I can't thank them enough for their generous hospitality and cold beer! Thanks again Hannah and Bob!!!
I have also decided to stay another day just to organize myself better and make sure that I have everything I need before leaving the convenience of a large city. I will be leaving for Astoria tomorrow though. In the process of typing this in Portland's beautiful Washington Park, I managed to push the "delete posts" button instead of the "publish post" button. I am sorry to say that if you were unable to read the first four posts before today, you are simply out of luck...getting used to using the blackberry is harder than I thought.
-Marcus
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