I'm not sure what the weather is doing in North Dakota, or if the water has receded yet, but while I'm waiting, I am enjoying the cool mountain air and learning to build drums. Here's a link to the website of Cedar Mountain Drums, whose drums I've been working on and who owns the property. http://dev.cedarmountaindrums.com/cedar_mountain_drums_Workshop.htm
So far my closest run in with local wildlife was last night when a bald faced hornet got inside my tent while I was getting ready for bed. Not too exciting, but it made me a little uneasy as I couldn't verify that I had gotten it out. Wasn't stung during the night.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Mountains
While waiting for the water to recede in North Dakota, I'm spending a few days in the mountains of southern Washington. Found some beautiful oyster mushrooms and mossy trees while hiking in the woods. Going to have an omelette with eggs laid by hens right here on the property and wild harvested mushrooms picked to order. Beautiful day. I will upload some pictures soon.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The end of the road
Sometimes our dreams come to an end sooner than we expect. No matter how much I try to ignore it, arthritis has firmly rooted itself in my lower back and left leg. Hip to knee hurt so much going over the coastal mountain range for the second time that I was barely able to pedal the last few miles.
As I looked ahead at the Cascade's and saw that I would be facing passes of over four thousand feet, I came to the conclusion that I would be an absolute fool to continue.
As I looked ahead at the Cascade's and saw that I would be facing passes of over four thousand feet, I came to the conclusion that I would be an absolute fool to continue.
Friday, May 27, 2011
A couple of pics
Yaquina Bay, Oregon.
Sunset in Newport.
Rhododendron...Oregonians act as though they invented these flowers... |
| Full moon over the Rockies |
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Hoping to leave Newport today
Yesterday I decided to be smart and stop in a bike shop to get some new brake pads. I stopped at Bike Newport (visit them at http://www.bikenewport.net/) and while I was there I decided to get a brush up on adjusting my derailleur, because I have been having problems with my bike shifting into lower gears. Elliot, the proprietor informed me that it was actually the derailleur hanger, which was bent...something I'm pretty sure I did to my bike several years ago.
Fortunately, this was a relatively easy fix which only cost me $10, but he didn't have my pads in stock, so had to order them. No problem...I had planned to spend another night camped at South Beach, so wasn't upset. I pedalled off to return to camp, but while riding up one of Newport's very steep hills, my chain came off and while I tried to pedal it back on, it snapped.
At this point, I had a choice. I could either get mad, which would solve nothing, or push my bike back to the shop to get a replacement. Elliot and I had discussed the fact that my bike is nine years old and the chain would probably need to be replaced soon, anyway. I was grateful that this didn't happen while I was in middle of the desert.
So now I await the delivery of new brake pads and chain (no, they didn't have my chain in stock, either). Bike Newport is a full service bike shop, including showers and laundry facilities for bikers, which I've never heard of before.
After Elliot put a tempory (read, old) chain on my bike so that I could return to camp, I rode the two or so miles back to South Beach to find that the campground was hosting "Out door school." This is something I haven't heard of elsewhere. Oregonians love and respect the outdoors, and so send kids (I can't remember if they are 8th or 9th grade at the time) to camp as a part of the curriculum. It seems like this is a three or four day trip. Quite fun for the kids and probably a nice break for parents, but not so much fun for those of us trying to camp with 100 or so pubescent kids running around, screaming and otherwise acting like children.
I had been informed that it was going to rain, which added more enjoyment to the prospect of camping out, so I decided to head back into town to get a room for the night. Not having much luck with couchsurfing...doesn't seem like anyone who has a couch actually visits the website with any regularity.
It looks like we are in for another couple of days of showers, but at least I'm not in the midwest. My parts should be here early this afternoon and I will be able to do my laundry while I wait, so all is good.
Newport is an interesting town. It seems to think that it is on the east coast. Every restaurant claims to have the best New England style clam chowder. I would think that there would be a west coast version of this classic, but such a thing doesn't seem to exist. Fish and chips is rather popular as well. There is so much to offer here, I don't see why this town doesn't have its own distict identity. I may never know.
Fortunately, this was a relatively easy fix which only cost me $10, but he didn't have my pads in stock, so had to order them. No problem...I had planned to spend another night camped at South Beach, so wasn't upset. I pedalled off to return to camp, but while riding up one of Newport's very steep hills, my chain came off and while I tried to pedal it back on, it snapped.
At this point, I had a choice. I could either get mad, which would solve nothing, or push my bike back to the shop to get a replacement. Elliot and I had discussed the fact that my bike is nine years old and the chain would probably need to be replaced soon, anyway. I was grateful that this didn't happen while I was in middle of the desert.
So now I await the delivery of new brake pads and chain (no, they didn't have my chain in stock, either). Bike Newport is a full service bike shop, including showers and laundry facilities for bikers, which I've never heard of before.
After Elliot put a tempory (read, old) chain on my bike so that I could return to camp, I rode the two or so miles back to South Beach to find that the campground was hosting "Out door school." This is something I haven't heard of elsewhere. Oregonians love and respect the outdoors, and so send kids (I can't remember if they are 8th or 9th grade at the time) to camp as a part of the curriculum. It seems like this is a three or four day trip. Quite fun for the kids and probably a nice break for parents, but not so much fun for those of us trying to camp with 100 or so pubescent kids running around, screaming and otherwise acting like children.
I had been informed that it was going to rain, which added more enjoyment to the prospect of camping out, so I decided to head back into town to get a room for the night. Not having much luck with couchsurfing...doesn't seem like anyone who has a couch actually visits the website with any regularity.
It looks like we are in for another couple of days of showers, but at least I'm not in the midwest. My parts should be here early this afternoon and I will be able to do my laundry while I wait, so all is good.
Newport is an interesting town. It seems to think that it is on the east coast. Every restaurant claims to have the best New England style clam chowder. I would think that there would be a west coast version of this classic, but such a thing doesn't seem to exist. Fish and chips is rather popular as well. There is so much to offer here, I don't see why this town doesn't have its own distict identity. I may never know.
Monday, May 23, 2011
I've reached the end...er...the beginning...
I have arrived in Newport, OR, th western terminus of Route 20. I plan to camp south of town at Seal Rock for a day or two, explore town to get a good sense of the people and places around here, then it is time to head east. Didn't Bread have an album by that title?
I have been blessed with (mostly) beautiful weather, although there was some rain for the last two nights I camped. Stayed mostly dry, although water has a way of finding its way through.
I have already met quite an interesting variety of people. This morning I played bicycle leapfrog with a young woman from Australia who is heading toward San Francisco. Yesterday I met a couple of young men who were biking to San Diego.
I spent Friday and Saturday nights on Whalen Island, just north of Pacific City. Unbeknownst to me, there was an event called "Reach The Beach" going on in Pacific City over the weekend. I guess this was a bicycling event, where people rode to the beach. Pretty self explanitory, really, but the funny part was that the campsite was over run with people who drove to Whalen Island, then bicycled the five miles to The Beach in Pacific City. Doesn't seem like that much of a challenge.
Must find food. Will post more tomorrow.
I have been blessed with (mostly) beautiful weather, although there was some rain for the last two nights I camped. Stayed mostly dry, although water has a way of finding its way through.
I have already met quite an interesting variety of people. This morning I played bicycle leapfrog with a young woman from Australia who is heading toward San Francisco. Yesterday I met a couple of young men who were biking to San Diego.
I spent Friday and Saturday nights on Whalen Island, just north of Pacific City. Unbeknownst to me, there was an event called "Reach The Beach" going on in Pacific City over the weekend. I guess this was a bicycling event, where people rode to the beach. Pretty self explanitory, really, but the funny part was that the campsite was over run with people who drove to Whalen Island, then bicycled the five miles to The Beach in Pacific City. Doesn't seem like that much of a challenge.
Must find food. Will post more tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Close to the coast
My cross country train ride was interesting and enjoyable. Train travelers seem to be a breed of their own; people who are relaxed and friendly. The train isn't as crowded or uncomfortable as the bus and isn't as hyper paranoid as flying.
I got to see, very up close, the flooding that is taking place in the northern part of the country. The Mississippi is being unruly in Wisconsin and Minnesota, which I understand isn't too uncommon this time of year, but I got the impression that the water is somewhat higher than usual.
North Dakota was hit with four feet of snow about two weeks ago, so there is an awful lot of water there with nowhere to go. At times the train had to slow down to avoid creating a wake...well, not quite, but we did slow down for safety reasons, as the water was literally up to the ties, almost the tracks themselves. At one point, we could see tracks next to us which were under water, which causes some slow downs, because not all of the tracks were usable.
Even though we left Rochester almost 45 minutes late and were behind schedule until Spokane, somehow we made up time and arrived in Portland half an hour early. Upon arriving in Portland, the first thing I did was head off to look for a room for the night. Although the seating on the train is more spacious than either a bus or a plane, they still don't make for very good sleeping. Rather than head east to the less expensive side of town, I decided to ride west to Beaverton, which means riding up and over a fair sized mountain. Not a big mountain, but big enough that the route I rode has signs saying that chains or snow tires are required on the road I took.
It's been almost ten years since I've been in this area, and I was shocked and a bit disoriented by the amount of development there has been. I didn't even recognize where I was until this morning when I was asking for directions. At that point, I realized that I had stayed in the same motel, probably twelve years ago when I moved out of the house I was sharing with my then girlfriend.
This morning I pedaled as far as Forest Grove and am now trying to decide whether to push on or call it a day. I've ridden almost twenty miles, which isn't much...if I didn't have my trailer to pull along. I'm also looking at the coastal range and the rain clouds.
I guess I shall twiddle my thumbs for a few minutes, see if the rain starts and make up my mind.
I got to see, very up close, the flooding that is taking place in the northern part of the country. The Mississippi is being unruly in Wisconsin and Minnesota, which I understand isn't too uncommon this time of year, but I got the impression that the water is somewhat higher than usual.
North Dakota was hit with four feet of snow about two weeks ago, so there is an awful lot of water there with nowhere to go. At times the train had to slow down to avoid creating a wake...well, not quite, but we did slow down for safety reasons, as the water was literally up to the ties, almost the tracks themselves. At one point, we could see tracks next to us which were under water, which causes some slow downs, because not all of the tracks were usable.
Even though we left Rochester almost 45 minutes late and were behind schedule until Spokane, somehow we made up time and arrived in Portland half an hour early. Upon arriving in Portland, the first thing I did was head off to look for a room for the night. Although the seating on the train is more spacious than either a bus or a plane, they still don't make for very good sleeping. Rather than head east to the less expensive side of town, I decided to ride west to Beaverton, which means riding up and over a fair sized mountain. Not a big mountain, but big enough that the route I rode has signs saying that chains or snow tires are required on the road I took.
It's been almost ten years since I've been in this area, and I was shocked and a bit disoriented by the amount of development there has been. I didn't even recognize where I was until this morning when I was asking for directions. At that point, I realized that I had stayed in the same motel, probably twelve years ago when I moved out of the house I was sharing with my then girlfriend.
This morning I pedaled as far as Forest Grove and am now trying to decide whether to push on or call it a day. I've ridden almost twenty miles, which isn't much...if I didn't have my trailer to pull along. I'm also looking at the coastal range and the rain clouds.
I guess I shall twiddle my thumbs for a few minutes, see if the rain starts and make up my mind.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)