Among the Giants
[ Day 24 — July 6, 2012 ] It was a cold, damp morning at the Mill Creek Campground, and it took some grit to abandon the comforts of tent and sleeping bag. I woke before Erin and Charlie, trying to get a head start on the many tasks that stood between up and out. […]
The Redwood Highway
[ Day 23 — July 5, 2012 ] Erin and I had lunch in Brookings, at a cozy little restaurant with generous portions and friendly service. This was our last town before the California border and also a point of temporary divergence: Erin’s knee had been bothering her, so she decided to catch a bus […]
Independence Day
[ Day 22 — July 4, 2012 ] Erin and I continued riding south, following the 101 as it edged back to the coastline. We rode alone at times, but mostly stayed together, following quiet, tree-lined roads across rolling terrain. The quiet belied our proximity to the ocean; we were just far enough away to […]
Bandon and the Dunes
[ Day 21 — July 3, 2012 ] I woke up around seven to find Scott getting the last of his things together. He would tackle a longer, tougher ride than I would that day, and after the 85 miles back to Eugene, he’d hop in a car and drive an additional 280 miles back […]
Children of Coincidence
[ Day 20 — July 2, 2012 ] Scott and I were on our way by 9:15, winding from one neighborhood to the next like kids on a cross-town ride. Our Monday-morning escape was mostly uneventful: each quiet neighborhood gave way to another quiet neighborhood, similar in look and feel. I remember few details, with […]
Gravity
[ Days 17 – 19 — June 27 – July 1, 2012 ] Eugene offered a vacation from a vacation: nights in a warm bed and days of easy spectating. I’d paid my admission fee in dollars and sweat, and now the wonders of Track Town were before me like a personal Disneyland. To borrow another metaphor, […]
On to Track Town
[ Day 16 – June 28, 2012 ] I woke to find that my picnic-table-as-sleeping-platform, which in darkness seemed both clever and inconspicuous, was, in daylight, obvious to anyone entering or exiting the park. I might as well have marked my spot with a giant flag. Even then, I doubt my presence would’ve garnered much […]
Deep Blue Lake
[ Day 15 – June 27, 2012 ] The overnight temperature dipped into the mid-thirties, dashing my plans for a spry, pre-dawn ride up to Rim Village. At about 6,000 feet above sea level, I slept cold and woke late, barely leaving my site before noontime checkout. Once on the saddle, though, the seven miles […]
Alvin, Butte Falls
[ Day 14 – June 26, 2012 ] It was a cold, wet morning in the hills of Jackson County. My ten-mile descent from Little Butte Creek was both literally and figuratively chilling; it didn’t spoil the ride, but it proved that I had not prepared for such weather. I put on all the layers […]
Grab Bag
[ Day 13 – June 25, 2012 ] There’s no narrative for today; I didn’t want to force a story that wasn’t there. For a change of pace, here are a few random thoughts from the road: Personal experience can benefit from compounding interest just as well as monetary investment can. I think a lot […]
Judging Ashland
[ Day 12 – June 24, 2012 ] I spent the morning getting my money’s worth at Callahan’s, putting hot water to numerous good uses and loading up on all the pancakes I could fit in my stomach. In between short stacks I chatted with other diners, including an older couple from New Zealand on […]
Too Legit to Quit
[ Day 11 – June 23, 2012 ] I woke around 6:15 to the pitter-patter of light rain on my tent and the sounds of Tom and Christy leaving camp. I marveled at their early departure; it generally took me an hour and a half from waking up to hitting the road. To be sure, […]
Characters All
[ Day 10 – June 22, 2012 ] The day’s ride led me out of one national park and towards another: I was set to reach Crater Lake in five days. There I planned to meet up with Scott, a former college teammate and bicycle touring buddy. I would have liked another day in Lassen, […]
The Right Approach
[ Day 9 – June 21, 2012 ] The climb into Lassen was strenuous but manageable, involving approximately 4,000 feet of climbing spread out over 44 miles. I was surprised by the park’s beauty as well as its distinct visual character, a product of geology altogether different from that of the Sierras to the south. […]
Luck and Double Bib Shorts
[ Day 8 – June 20, 2012 ] I was up shortly after six, and though the sun was already out, I could scarcely tell by the air temperature. The cold made for a hasty morning: I ate breakfast, broke down camp, and readied my bicycle in short order, leaving the Lower Little Truckee Campground as empty […]
Yes
[ Day 7, Part 2 – June 19, 2012 ] I changed into my cycling clothes at a nearby town park and rode counterclockwise around the lake towards Tahoe City. Dean’s generosity had saved me an entire day of hard riding and I rode with great levity of spirit. The fifteen miles around the lake […]