Astoria, OR to Lincoln City, OR

Hello friends! We're sitting in a hotel in Lincoln City enjoying our first off day since Seattle. The sun's out, we're well-rested, and we just ate some burritos we picked up at a funky natural grocery store here. The cashier was hilariously nutty: she hummed and talked to herself the whole time she was checking us out. The last few days, like the last 3 weeks, have been a mixed bag: some supa sweet and some supa crappy. We ended on a supa-sweet note though, so it's all good. Here's what we've been up to:

8/19/09- Astoria, OR to Nehalem, OR- 48 miles, 5 hours, 32 min on the bikes

Shortly after our post on the 18th, while our burritos (yup we're burrito fiends) were warming up in the microwave and a new episode of Australia's Next Top Model played on the laptop, the lights flickered and then turned off at the hotel. In fact, the lights went out in all of Astoria. Our burritos were still frozen, so we just busted out our trusty oreos and watched the show until the laptop ran out of juice. The electricity was back by morning so we got to have our beloved burritos before checking out.

We stopped by the bike shop in Astoria and got to air up our tires for free with their super fast hose. What takes Arik 10 minutes of tough pumping with our mini-pump took maybe 15 seconds with their hose. The guys there admired Arik's antenna and shared their own dog-fighting tips and sent us on our way.

We climbed out of Astoria on steep, residential roads, then rode through rural, sunny hills. As we rode into Seaside, OR the fog rolled in with us. The sun disappeared, replaced with cold air and gray skies. We stopped at a bookstore in an outlet mall to search for the elusive Born to Run (no luck again), then headed to Broadway, the main street through town.

A foggy peak

The ocean's supposedly behind me but who knows what's back there?

We'd definitely found the most happenin' spot in Seaside. Crowds of tourists carrying bags of saltwater taffy and licking ice cream cones stacked with 3 scoops of ice cream packed the sidewalks while 4 seater beach cruiser bikes rolled slowly and unsteadily down the street. We parked our bikes outside "The Buzz," a candy shop advertising chocolate-covered bacon, twinkies, and pop-tarts and pretty much every brand of candy I loved and dreamed of as a kid. Arik called his bro Aaron for some help finding a veggie restaurant and/or bookstore while I headed into The Buzz to scope out the offerings. A quick stop here in the storytelling to send a big thank you to Aaron and to our pal Jeff. Both guys have been ready and willing to look up shops, hotels, and directions for us when we're on the road, even when our first words when they pick up are, "can you get to a computer?"

So back to The Buzz- holy cow was this place awesome. I walked in and the smells of chocolate and caramel and fresh popcorn blasted me with childhood memories and stuck a smile on my face that didn't fade even when I went back out onto the blustery street. I couldn't eat 99% of the stuff in there (and good lord were the chocolate-covered oreos tempting!) but the experience of walking the aisles, dodging wide-eyed kids and often their equally wide-eyed parents made me feel like I'd presented my golden ticket at the door and had entered the venerable chocolate factory. We ended up snagging some dark chocolate truffles, which we scarfed down with alarming speed. I next went to the ice cream shop next door to peruse the soda offerings. Arik and I both love trying out new and unique sodas, and this place actually had their staff rate their favorites. We picked up 2 five star root beers and were not disappointed. Note: I realize it's a bit strange that on a trip packed with stunning coastlines, towering trees, and incredible mountains, I can spend two paragraphs extolling the wonders of a candy store that sells chocolate-covered bacon. Such is the nature of my sometimes awe-inspiring addiction (those who've seen me consume a giant box of Nerds in one sitting are witnesses).

Aaron found us a bookstore, so I went to check it out while Arik stayed with the bikes. A gate spanned the front door, but a friendly note assured prospective customers that it was just for the store cat, and that we should come on in. Though small and manned by an unassuming woman, Beach Books was a delight. Karen, the owner, said she knew they'd had Born to Run at one time but would have to check in the back b/c she thought they'd run out. This was the closest I'd come to finally catching that sly minx of a tome but alas I came up short again- they'd sold out. No worries, I'd still check out the place. I'm so glad I did! She had everything from classics to new releases, and just about every book was on my "Books to Read" list. And no crappy filler! Just good, solid books, many tagged with summaries written by Karen or her employees. Although I'd wanted to keep holding out for Born to Run (our pannier space is getting limited) I cracked and picked up The Alchemist. She said I picked a good one, and Arik, who's reading it first, agrees.

Aaron also found us a promising veggie restaurant in nearby Cannon Beach. The town was beautiful- the quintessential beach town. We rolled down the small main street and quickly spotted Sweet Basil's Cafe. We parked our bikes out back and grabbed a seat outside, a move we somewhat regretted as cold fog started to roll in off the sea. Despite the frigidness, the food was delicious! I had a Garden Sandwich and Arik had a Cucumber Sandwich, and we both thought we'd picked the best thing on the menu. Just two mounds of fresh, crisp, healthy tastiness. We hit up another bookstore in search of Born to Run but still no luck. All I can say is this sucker better be worth the wait!

After Cannon Beach, the ride started gettin' crappy. It was cold and foggy and we climbed high up in the hills. We rode through a really dicey tunnel, with hardly any shoulder and cars zooming by. The tunnel amplified all sound so the cars sounded like a pride of roaring lions. I had my rear light blinking but was constantly worried about being seen in the fog. We somehow missed the camping entrance to the state park we'd meant to stay in, and didn't realize it until we'd gone too far to turn back. We soldiered on, but it started drizzling and the fog closed in. We rode along dropoffs where we couldn't see anything beyond the road- it felt like a slip or wrong turn would send us flailing into oblivion. It just felt really scary and surreal and I got pretty shaken up. Arik was ok enough to snap a few pix but I wasn't pleased:

Foggy bridge

Eek!

Mad Mia

Shoulda followed this advice

We carried on through the fog on narrow shoulders, the cold rain mixing with my hot tears. I was a big bawling baby by the time we got to Manzanita, and when we finally saw the sign for Nehalem State Park I almost had a complete breakdown. The sun was setting, we were cold and soaked, and the sign said we were 13 miles from the park. 13 miles would take over an hour, which would leave us riding in the dark and the fog- basically not an option at all. Ever rational and optimistic, Arik stopped into a gas station and determined that we were in fact only 1.3 miles away- not 13. The man said we'd "missed the little decimal," but after a second look it still looked like 13 to us. I was worried he was engaged in some kind of sick joke, but having no other option, we headed to the park. It felt like it took forever to get there, but we finally made it. The park worker asked us where we'd started the day. When we told her Astoria, she smiled a bit dismissively and said, "Oh that's not too bad. A guy came in earlier who rode 105 miles today!" Thanks lady. We called our worried parents, got set up, ate dinner quickly, and then walked to the showers in the dark. They were hot and free (one of the perks of Oregon state parks) and we conked out quickly- exhausted but finally warm and mostly dry.

8/20/09- Nehalem, OR to Cape Lookout, OR- 41.2 miles, 4 hours on the bikes

After the previous day, we were crossing our fingers for sun and easy riding. The sun didn't cooperate but we did have a nice, unremarkable ride. We rode down 101 pretty much the whole way. It was cold, but not rainy, so that was an improvement. We stopped in Rockaway Beach, OR and got our first good view of the Pacific Ocean. It was pretty but we both decided we aren't big fans of beaches that require jeans and a jacket. We ate two pb&j burritos on a bench overlooking the beach and had fun watching two little dogs chase each other through the sand. It reminded us of Guido and Lex. :-/ We're reminded of Guido often, especially when we ride by Italian restaurants!

First good look at the Pacific

We rode past a number of roadside espresso stands. We picked up an oreo frappuccino at one a while ago and I thought it was just a random oddity, but it turns out they're sprinkled all over our route. A welcome alternative to Starbucks for sure. We missed our turn to the state park but Arik didn't realize it and, b/c he was flying down a hill, (we always seem to get lost right after a descent- it sucks!) he couldn't hear my shouts. I had to ride up and down 3 big hills before I got close enough for him to hear me (we can't hear each other even when we're 5 feet apart when we're doing hills) and we had to turn around and do it all again. We rode 6 pretty miles to Cape Lookout State Park. The park worker lady who checked us in was nice and gave us some shower tips re: where to get the most hot water.

We got set up, checked out the beach, and got firewood. Despite the tips, the showers ended up being pretty stingy with the hot water, but at least we got clean. We had some ramen while Arik tried to get the fire going- a firestarter made it go a lot faster. We had some lentils, which ended up being kinda gross, so we had some chili too. Still unsatiated, I ploughed through a pb&j burrito for good measure. We had some serious appetites goin'. Arik had worn his clothes in the shower to try to wash them (we've had mixed results with our laundry attempts) and his plan was to dry them by the fire. It didn't work out too well and we ended up just strapping the clothes to the back of the bikes and praying for hot, dry weather. We were lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves. Arik woke me up in the middle of the night asking me to turn on my light. "The lantern?" I asked groggily. "No- your bike light. I can't see." "Umm my bike light's on my bike," I replied. "Wait, we're not on our bikes? Oh geez..." Turns out he was dreaming that we were riding and when we went around a turn he suddenly couldn't see. His headlight didn't work so he wanted me to turn mine on. Poor guy has some scary state park dreams.

Blurry Arik and Mia by the fire

8/21/09- Cape Lookout, OR to Lincoln City, OR- 44.7 miles, 4 hours, 40 min on the bike

We woke up yesterday, enjoyed a fire whilst eating our oatmeal, then mounted our noble steeds in the crisp morning air. Smoke blew from their nostrils as they pawed the ground, anxious to get moving. The chances of getting Arik's clothes dried seemed pretty slim- the sun stubbornly refused to come out and the air was cold and damp. We got some great looks at the Oregon coast, but it was still a bit cold for our liking. Then, like magic, we moved inland and though the sky was unchanged, the breeze turned warm. We rode by sand dunes, where guys on four wheelers revved their engines and raced each other, and we felt like we'd entered a whole new world. We took off our sweaters and soaked up the warmth, content despite the cloudy skies.

Mia and the cloudy Oregon coast- our campsite was in the trees below

We rode through Sandlake on roads dusted (and sometimes coated) with slippery sand, then stopped at a parking lot in Pacific City to check our map. A slim old gent came puttering toward us with a wheezing, stumbling pug in tow. The pug, named Cho Cho, came over for a visit, and petting her soft plump neck reminded us of our own little portly pup. The man gave us directions and told us we had one more big hill to get over, then wished us luck as he and Cho Cho ambled off.

As we turned onto 101 a little south of tiny Oretown, OR, the sun came out in all her glory and the skies cleared. It was like someone snapped their fingers and decided the clouds needed to step aside. A big thank you to that someone! We stopped in a rural spot to put on sunscreen and eat some pb&j burritos while some cows looked on.


We rode on, warm and happy and energized, until we came to a spot where the route split off. To one side was the steeper, longer scenic route, while straight ahead was the more direct, but sometimes shoulder-less highway. After some debate we went with the scenic route. If we'd skipped out, we would have missed what ended up being the most beautiful, enjoyable stint of riding we've had all trip. The trees were insane- thick and tall and awesome in the true sense of the word. The road was narrow and virtually car-free, and though we climbed uphill for almost 6 miles of the route, the climb was so gradual we never felt winded. All that climbing made for a really sweet descent with hairpin turns, howling wind, and teary eyes. Arik made a video but it ended up being so shaky it was psychedelic. When I pulled up to him at the bottom all either of us could do was grin and shake our heads at the wonder of it all. The pix really don't do it justice at all, but here they are just so you can get a taste:


After the scenic ride we rode into Lincoln City and around Devil's Lake toward the state park. The lake was beautiful, and though we had to struggle through some tough climbs to get around it, we couldn't wait to check out the view from the park. Alas the park was...underwhelming. We were directed to what one of the workers called "a patch of grass" at the top of the park, but which ended up being more like someone's lawn. We were right next to a main street that came off the highway, across the street from houses, and the port o potty backed up to someone's fence. Aside from the noise and lack of privacy, our main concern was the security of our bikes. We'd planned to walk into town and of course would be showering and we just felt really uneasy about leaving our bikes there.

Devil's Lake

After some debate we decided the 8 dollar price tag just wasn't enough to make up for the lack of peace of mind, and that we'd opt for a hotel. We again called on Aaron but he couldn't find anything cheap. We still got our refund and just headed into Lincoln City. The first place we came to ended up being reasonable and had free wi-fi, so we got checked in. Thanks to happycow.net, we found a pretty stellar eatery which we checked out post-haste. Aunt Mary's Toaster Bistro was a one of a kind place. Part vegetarian restaurant, part sex shop, it was unlike anywhere we'd ever been. No one under 18 is allowed, and the walls are covered in red shaggy carpet. Aunt Mary herself welcomed us in, then told us the offerings off the top of her head. She walked back behind the counter, where she had a stove, and started cooking everything up. She told us there was a lot to see and we should look around, and we gladly obliged.

She had loads of funny stickers and knick knacks. Arik and I have decided we want to start putting stickers from places we visit on our panniers, and we picked a good place to start. Aunt Mary brought over a bowl of soup, which was incredible, and her old dog trundled over to our table and fixed us with a doleful gaze no doubt polished by years of begging practice. We finished off the soup and looked around some more while she cooked up the entrees. They too were awesome, especially the barbecued baked beans Arik had as a side. We had to go into the "Filthy" room to pay, which was where all the really scandalous stuff was housed. The offerings were extensive- she had an entire section labeled "plump"! We left with happy tummies and were glad to have found a really unique place.

Came back to the hotel and ate some vending machine snacks whilst watching the finale of Top Chef Masters.

8/22/09- Rest Day!

Our first rest day since Seattle has been awesome. We've walked around a bit but have generally done a whole heap of nothing.

Some random thoughts:

- Pardon our French, but we've christened Oregon "The Coy Bitch." Every biker we met on the way here told us the Oregon coast would be the highlight of our trip, yet up until yesterday our impression was that Oregon was cold and foggy and full of tree-hauling trucks that mysteriously smelled like a middle school girls' restroom. Not pleasant! Then we have a day like yesterday that just blows us away. It seems Oregon doesn't want to be a hussy and give it all up on the first date, so she's slowly and steadily warming up to us.

- We've determined 4 hours of riding is about as far as we can do and still be in a good mood. Once we cross that line we become, in Australia's Next Top Model-speak, big wingers (crybabies). Every hill feels tougher and every road feels bumpier after the 4 hour mark.

Hopefully we're done with hotels for a while. We love them but they're hard to justify when 8 bucks gets us a hiker/biker site at the state parks. In that vein, a ginormous thank you to my mum, who's paying for this little respite and has given us a most enjoyable break!

Be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike

Cathlamet, WA to Astoria, OR

34.2 miles, 3 hours, 15 min on the bike

We're in Oregon! We slept in this morning at the inn, then headed out close to 11:30 to catch the 12pm ferry to Westport. If we missed it, we'd be stuck waiting for an hour, so we ended up really having to motor. We streaked across the beautiful blur that was Puget Island and made it to the ferry with a little time to spare. We chatted with a trucker for a bit, who warned us of the hills we had to look forward to across the river.

Oregon!

Our route did indeed end up being sucky today. We spent the entire 27 miles to Astoria on Hwy 30 which, though our map promised had wide shoulders most of the way, in fact had narrow shoulders and sometimes no shoulders at all. Add to the mix the huge trucks hauling tree trunks that went barrelling by and sprayed gravel and dust in our faces and it didn't make for a very pleasant ride. The route also featured a series of long, arduous climbs followed by super fast (and fun) descents. The climbs were so long and tough Arik ended up crafting some tunes for the occasion, including the instant classic "This is the Hill That Gets on Everybody's Nerves" and a rousing rendition of "What Goes Up Must Come Down" :) I have rather regrettably had Miley Cyrus's "The Climb" in my head since we left Kelly's, and that song usually also makes an appearance on our uphill battles. The upside is the weather has been rockin'! A lot of the folks up here are complaining about it b/c they don't have a/c but we love it- blue skies, full sun, and temps in the high 80s.

At the top of one tough hill, Arik spotted a sign that said "Eagle Sanctuary" and we turned off to check it out. We both were picturing a little nature preserve with baby eagles being nursed to health but in fact it just ended up being a lookout point. We were a little disappointed but our spirits were quickly lifted by the view of the Columbia's Estuary, which Lewis and Clark spent some time in:

The Columbia's Estuary

The detour provided a blessed respite from the stress of the highway and we were sad to rejoin the traffic. 2 fun random Arik moments from the ride: 1. At the top of the first big hill when we were just tipping over to start racing down, an 18 wheeler was crawling slowly up toward us. Arik did the universal honk signal and the trucker gave us two good honks. It was a nice send-off fo sho. 2. With a number of cars around, Arik pulled the dog-fightin' car antenna off his handlebar rack and started waving it around like a sword and shouting "En Guarde!" Then he gallantly pointed his sabre/car antenna in the direction of battle and led the charge down the hill. He is an entertaining chap.

We got into Astoria around 3:30. It's a really cool town, with the river on one side and the ocean at the tip. While cruising through town, another tourer rolled up behind us at a red light. We turned around and realized it was a guy we'd asked directions from way back in Bellingham and who Arik spied in Centralia! He's a cool kid named Ian and he's doing the same route as we are. We checked into the Rivershore Motel and just had time to put our stuff down before we hurried out to get to a vegetarian restaurant before it closed at 5. We walked through downtown Astoria to get there and it's really sweet, with old buildings and unique shops. We walked by an instrument repair shop and saw the owner, a bespectacled old man, almost hidden by piles of books and yellowed papers. I love places like that.

We made it to the Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe with time to spare and both had a toasted tempeh, lettuce and tomato sandwich- supa tasty. After that we went to the Astoria Cooperative and picked up some Amy's burritos, drinks, some more trail mix, and Coconut Bliss ice cream. The co-op was awesome! Just my dream grocery store. I'd really like to help bring one to the Cliff. We've been meaning to try the Coconut Bliss but always passed b/c of the astronomical amount of saturated fat even in a tiny pint (look it up- it's nuts!). But we figured if there was any time to gorge it'd be now when we'd burn it off in a day. It ended up being really tasty- a lot like frozen yogurt. After the co-op we set off in search of some shorts for Arik and my Born to Run book. We found a cool bookstore but no luck w/Born to Run. JC Penney's was the only place anyone could think of for shorts, but for some reason they only had basketball-type ones so that'll have to wait for tomorrow. We made one last ditch effort by biking to the Safeway a little farther into town but still didn't have any luck. It was pretty nice to ride the bikes without them being all loaded up though.

Came back to the motel, watched an episode of Weeds on the laptop, then went out to the Riverwalk to check out the sunset. It ended up being beautiful, with an awesome view of the huge Astoria bridge:

Sunset at the Astoria Bridge

Us, thanks to the trusty ol' Gorillapod

We should be staying in state parks for most of next week, so don't worry about us if you don't see any blog action- we're still alive and will report back when we can!

In the meantime, amuse thyselves with these pix of our wondrous tans:

Mia's Beauteous Thigh

The Zebras

Be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike

Centralia, WA to Cathlamet, WA

8/16/09- Centralia, WA to Castle Rock, WA- 4 hours, 50 min on the bike

Despite the crappiness of the prior 2 days, Arik woke up yesterday intent on making this day a better one. It was supposed to be sunny and warm so I was bummed when we pulled back the plastic shades of our Motel 6 room and saw clouds. I was even more bummed when we checked the weather and realized it was in the 50s. Arik wasn't fazed. He decided to put his trust in the day and pulled on his sleeveless shirt and started putting on sunscreen. I thought it was a bit goofy but played along. Sure enough, as we checked out, a little sliver of sun started to peek through the clouds, and by the time we started rolling out of Centralia, we were riding in full on sun under blue skies for the first time all tour. The heat warmed up our muscles and the sun made the neighborhoods that looked rundown in yesterday's cloudy gloom sparkle. Everything looks better in the sun.

On the way out of town, we turned on Summa St. and had to snap a pic. Arik and I both graduated summa from college (nerd alert! :D) and Arik even taught our 2 year old niece Aly to say the word.


Right out of town we got stuck on a huge hill. Not the best warmup, and it seems like every time we start out on a ride it's uphill. doh. The sun beat down on us but it still felt tons better than the soggy cold we'd been riding through before.

A little ways into the ride we had our first dog encounter, and it pretty much set the tone for the rest of the day. The black, athletic dog came running out when we rode past his driveway but the look in his eyes was more curious than menacing. We both calmly said "No" and he just looked at us and stopped. We rode on, keeping watch on him in our mirrors, and he stood in the road and watched us all the way around the bend. It was a peaceful encounter and a good start to the day.

After that we rode through some beautiful terrain- wide, rolling fields, mountains, trees, and low traffic. There were also a ton of cows. One of them ran up to the fence mooing when we rode by- perhaps she sensed kindred spirits? We took a break on a rural road outside the Denture Cup Inn, an "Adult Family Home." We also climbed a couple of tough hills. As we headed up a particularly steep one, Arik said "ok, if we make it up without stopping, we'll make it through the whole tour." After a lot of struggling, we made it and shared a high five, but I asked him not to make such gambles again- my legs can only take so much and I don't wanna jinx the trip!

We stopped in tiny Toledo, WA for a snack. We'd hoped to find a restaurant but the only one we saw was boarded up on the sides and looked a bit seedy so we settled for the mini-restaurant inside a gas station. We enjoyed some crinkle fries and then got back on the road.

By the time we got to Castle Rock we were pretty tired. The sun really takes a toll and we were ready to hit the sack. The state park we'd decided to crash in, Seaquest State Park, was 5 miles off the route. We took a wrong turn and got delayed a bit, but were stoked to finally see the signs for the park. "Just 5 more miles!" we told ourselves. Alas, our map didn't mention that those 5 miles were all over a ginormous hill! We were hot and tired and sweaty and mad about getting a little lost, and now we had to climb a huge hill in the afternoon sun. argh. We passed two other tourers who were taking a break at a particularly tough part, but we somehow soldiered on.

We made it to the park without getting off the bikes, but the other tourers beat us to the check in b/c we got mixed up once we got into the park. We chatted a little with them as we waited to check in. They were dressed much more casually, with plaid shirts and skateboard-style round helmets. I felt a bit goofy in our gear but can't imagine how they'd be comfy biking 40 miles in such nice threads.

We had red beans and rice for dinner and took a shower. The tourers invited us over to share their fire and we had a nice chat. They are pros at this touring thing- the guy (Russ) said his New Year's resolution was to do a tour every month, and he's kept to it. They came up from L.A., took a train for a little bit, and are biking all around the country. They think it'll take a year! They also gave us some good tips, including that we should use tortillas instead of bread (they pack easier and stay fresh longer). They seconded all the rave reviews of the Oregon coast and told us which state parks to check out. They also said we should consider taking the train from San Luis Obispo to San Diego and skipping the LA traffic b/c the roads are not bike-friendly. Arik likes the idea (he's never been on a train) but I'm not sure about it. Also, we are using different maps than they were, so hopefully we take a better route. We'll check it out. We read for a little while and then turned in.

8/17/09- Castle Rock, WA to Cathlamet, WA- 40 miles (we finally figured out our bike computer!)- 4 hours on the bike

We woke up today to sunny, blue skies- hooray! We were a bit wary of our route b/c for the first time, our map advised us of "steep hills." The worst it had ever warned of before was rolling hills, and it's also failed to mention some pretty substantial climbs, so we were prepared for the worst. Fortunately, it looked like once we hit Hwy 4, it'd be smooth sailing along the Columbia River. The hills were tough but nothing worse than anything we've seen, and we never had to get off the bikes and push so that was a small victory. While taking a break in the shade, a solo tourer came rolling up for a chat. He was in his 60s and in incredible shape. He told us he'd been struggling up the hill, staring at the asphalt, telling himself he'd stop whenever the next bit of shade came. When he got to the shade he looked up and we were there! He's also riding the exact same route as we are, all the way down to San Diego- by himself! We have mad respect for solo tourers. This has been tough, but we always have each other to rely on and lean on. To do it all alone takes a lot of cajones for sure. We had fun chatting with him and then headed back on the trail. Hopefully we'll see him again along the way.

We celebrated when we got to Hwy 4 but the highway actually ended up being worse than the hills. It was under construction so the road was really rocky and uneven. There were also a ton of big trucks that kicked the rocks up at us and showered us with dust. Oh and there were some hills thrown it right at the end for good measure!

Hwy 4- pretty view, not so fabulous street

We were tired and hungry when we rode into Cathlamet, but were immediately excited when we spotted the Bradley House Inn. There isn't any camping around here so we knew we'd be in some kind of hotel, but we'd tried calling Bradley House earlier in the day and hadn't gotten through. The sign said there were vacancies, but again when we called and knocked we didn't get an answer. I left a message, crossed my fingers, and hoped we'd hear back soon. In the meantime, we headed to the Riverview Restaurant for some good eats. We had beer-battered onion rings and some pasta, which they graciously veganized for us.

While there, Audi, the innkeeper at Bradley House, called to let us know we could indeed stay there and apologized for being stuck at the doctor's office longer than expected. She'd be back soon and recommended we pick up a brewski at the market and chill on the swing at the back of the house. Sounded good to us! We went back to the inn and took a quick pic before taking our stuff to the back:


We walked down Main St. to the Cathlamet Market and got drinks and chips and reloaded with oreos (we've gone through a ton of these!). Went back to the inn and sat outside and snacked. Audi came out (she didn't realize we were there) and welcomed us in. The place is great! Just really cool and homey- and internet to boot! We took a shower, called the rents, then headed back outside to get some more snacks at the market. We spied an awesome sunset from the front porch and ran back inside to get the camera, then ran down to a path that goes along the water to take some shots- it was gorgeous!

Sunset over the Columbia River

Mia- the white spots are bugs

Arik

Got some snacks, headed home, and have been chillin' ever since. We'll be in Oregon tomorrow!

Be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike

Elma, WA to Centralia, WA

3 hours 15 min on the bike

Well the good news is today was marginally better than yesterday. The bar was, of course, quite low, but ya never know. We woke up and had a nice breakfast at the hotel, packed up, checked out, waved goodbye to the lady at the front desk who wished us happy riding. We parked our bikes against the outside of the hotel to double check our tires before we got on the road and the hell outta Elma. The first tire was fine but Arik wanted to give it a few pumps just to be safe. While pumping, the air suddenly started whooshing out of the tire. It stopped when I grabbed the valve but started right up again when I let go. Elma wasn't done hexing us after all.

We rolled the bikes back inside and after getting the reluctant permission of the formerly upbeat front desk lady, we set the bikes up in the lobby to change the tube. It took forever to find the tools but Arik switched out the tube pretty expertly after that. We checked out the old tube and discovered a nice, unpatchable rip right by the valve. It was already 12:30 and I toyed with the idea of just giving up on today, checking in for another night, and being a couch potato at the hotel. Arik's reason prevailed and we rolled into town to check out the gun shop.

Once again, Elma's singular nuttiness was on display. A crowd of 25 people inexplicably loitered on the sidewalk smoking cigarettes while a crew of 15 bikers revved their engines in the middle of the road and the Elma fire station let loose the loudest siren we've ever heard. I could only shake my head and laugh at the total absurdity of this little town while Arik checked with the gun guys. They claimed the baton we wanted is illegal, but we're pretty sure they only refused to sell it b/c there was a cop in the shop. We settled for some pepper spray and hightailed it out of town. The pepper spray was the newest addition to our growing arsenal: Arik had the makeshift pepper spray in the glue bottle velcroed to his bike shorts, and his knife and the new pepper spray in his pocket.

Today was supposed to be sunny and in the 70s but it was cloudy and cool all day long and pretty uncomfortable to ride. We deliberately chose a different route out of Elma b/c a look at our scheduled route on google maps revealed roads eerily similar to those that had left us frazzled. Instead, we took a 2 lane highway for about 25 miles. Even though there was traffic, we had a nice shoulder almost the whole way, and nary a dog. We saw some more emus and a biker (of the Harley variety) zoomed past blaring Kelly Clarkson. We stopped for a break in Rochester and decided to check out the Highway Diner there. A kind, older woman gave us menus soon after we plopped down on the 50s-style chairs. We had a really tasty veggie burger with fries and tater tots. She advised us to get off the highway- she'd lost a friend 2 weeks ago. We'd seen an unsettling number of memorials along the way and so didn't need much convincing. Still, the street she wanted us to turn on would put us right back on our route, and we weren't sure we'd ridden far enough to bring the dog danger down. Sure enough, the dog scares started pretty quickly. The worst was a golden retriever that came running at us, unrestrained by a fence. Arik and I were ready this time- he pulled out his homemade pepper spray and I rode calmly in front of him. For some reason the dog stopped short of the street but it was still good practice. Neither of us was as jumpy or freaked out as we were yesterday, but it was still unpleasant to have to scan back and forth from driveway to driveway for some streaking barking mass of fur.

Though we'd intended to make it to the state park tonight, the tire issue this morning meant time wasn't on our side. Instead, we stopped for the night in Centralia, WA and are staying at a Motel 6. We've got a bed, internet, a fully stocked grocery store across the street, and just about every big box American business within a mile of where we're staying, so we're pretty spoiled. We checked out the map and it seems like the crappiness of small towns and average scenery and crazy dogs will continue for the next 2 days, but after that......glorious glorious coastline from Astoria, OR all the way to San Diego. It's times like these I wish life had a fast forward button, but I guess it'll just make us appreciate the good stuff even more.

Be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike

Arik & Mia and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

3 hours on the bike- Shelton, WA to Elma, WA

Arik and I have decided our days on the tour can usually be divided into two categories: confidence boosting days and confidence destroying days. Today was emphatically a confidence destroying day.

It started out well enough. We slept in at Kelly's until 9:30, got our stuff together, had a good breakfast, and loaded up the van. Kelly was initially just going to drive us outside Bremerton so we could avoid the sketchy 'hoods we'd errantly ridden through before, but she offered to drive us a bit farther and we accepted. Tour purists might frown on us skipping out on part of the route, but it was the last time we'd have the chance to hitch a ride for a bit. We also figured that our misadventures and the accompanying added mileage at a minimum equaled it all out. Plus it was nice to have a little extra time to chat with Kelly. She drove us to Shelton, WA and we bid her farewell as we rolled through Shelton's small downtown.

The roads themselves were great- some of the best we've had really. Low traffic, good weather, rare hills- just nice. We even saw some cool animals- a family of goats, lots of horses, some llamas, and particularly stunningly, a family of deer. The father deer was huge and stood in the middle of the road looking at us. Then came the mom who also stood and looked as if to make sure we didn't have any devious plans, and finally the kiddo.

So we were moseying along, enjoying being back on the bikes and seeing all the cool critters, when suddenly we heard loud barking and saw 2 big, white dogs come streaking towards us. I don't think either of us have been that scared in a long time. Our hearts pounding, we both started pedaling as fast as we could and screamed at the dogs. They seemed to lose traction on the road and so couldn't chase us very far but we were really shaken up, and I was literally shaking. We stopped for a break a little ways down the road and gave ourselves a pep talk but after that first experience we couldn't enjoy the ride. Every driveway and yard put us on edge as we scanned for dogs. Sure enough, not far down the road, a huge black lab came sprinting at us. We screamed and yelled and pedaled as fast as we could but it ran right alongside my bike. Fortunately it didn't try to bite me at all but it easily could have. It finally left us alone but not without shredding our nerves for good. Elma, the town we'd decided to stop in, couldn't come fast enough.

From the minute we got into town though, it felt like we were in the middle of some kind of surreal nightmare. 2 nuclear reactors loomed ahead of us and electricity buzzed audibly in the power lines overhead. A car rolled by without a windshield as did a green and yellow jeep that looked like it was fresh off the Jurassic Park set. The motel we'd planned on staying at ended up being a dilapidated wooden building, but fortunately we'd spied a chain hotel on our way into town. We rode back there, past two restaurants promising good home cookin'. The hotel is perfect- friendly people, wireless access, a nice room. It's been one of the only bright spots on this otherwise crappy day.

We both called our dads for a pep talk and advice about the dogs. Today really left us wondering if the tour was worth it. I keep saying that this tour isn't a vacation- if we'd wanted that we would've headed straight for the beach and not bothered with all this biking business. Instead, I've been calling it an adventure, complete with all the scariness and danger and uncertainty that label implies. Even so, being anxious for every mile doesn't make for a very fun adventure either. Both our pops were helpful. Before the trip, my dad had told us to make up some makeshift pepper spray using water, black pepper, and an elmers glue bottle just in case we had dog trouble. Of course we figured we'd get to that "later" so we didn't have it when we needed it. First thing we did once we got settled at the hotel? Headed straight for the hardware store to get some elmers glue. We picked up 2 bottles and some velcro and then headed back home. On the way a big dog barked at us and scared the crap out of us, and a few houses down a young boy opened his front door, whispered "Run!" to us, and then ran back inside. Yes this is a really freaky place.

On the way home we stopped at Elma's best restaurant: Rusty Tractor. We figured we'd just get some french fries and a salad, and when we walked in we were positive that would be it as far as what we'd be able to eat. Chickens and cows were the motif and the menu was filled with the Rusty Tractor specialty: Yak burgers. They even had a burger called the farmhouse burger, which was a hamburger with ham and a fried egg on it. Guess they do have all the main farm animals covered. To our delight, we spied a veggie burger and beer-battered onion rings- hooray! It all ended up being quite tasty and we were happy to actually be able to eat at a sit-down place. Headed back to the hotel with full bellies, then Arik went to the nearby gas station to pick up some pepper and snacks. He came back and reported that the best of Elma was on display: 2 large, trashy teens were cursing and yelling and being super raunchy.

Now he's reading and we're about to do a little laundry and make our pepper spray. Tomorrow we're going to hit up a gun store here in town to pick up a telescoping baton- we're gettin' hardcore on this here tour. We're shooting for Lewis and Clark State Park tomorrow.

In the meantime, we're crossing our fingers that tomorrow will be better than today.

Be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike

Chez Rula

8/10/09- 6 hours on the bike- Port Townsend, WA to Bremerton, WA to Seattle, WA and back to Bremerton

The route out of Port Townsend was super hilly and there were lots of busy streets. We stopped and got an oreo frappuccino at a little roadside spot and called Kelly. We'd initially planned on stopping at a state park before catching the ferry to see Kelly but we decided to motor through and meet her a day early. We called to try and see if she'd be able to pick us up at the ferry in Seattle but didn't get through so we just soldiered on. We stopped a little later and got some more blackberries which unfortunately led to some tummy trouble and consequent thorn scratches courtesy of our roadside bathroom- doh!

Blackberries

Yum

Some beautiful mountains came into view just as it started raining. Our route took us through some pretty sketchy parts of Bremerton to get to the Seattle ferry and we got a bit turned around (seems like we always pick the best places to get lost!) We survived and made it to the ferry just in time. Gave each other high fives, got seated, and called Kelly just as the ferry got moving. Her first words were, "You're on the ferry? Get off!!!!" Turns out we somehow got mixed up and she lives in Bremerton so the ferry was totally unnecessary. In fact, she was taking the ferry back from Seattle right as we left for Seattle. Our timing was perfect to to make everything turn out perfectly wrong. So Arik and I were wet and cold and stuck on an unnecessary hour ferry ride. Worse, right when we got there we had to ride off, go back through the entrance, and pay 14 bucks to get back on the same ferry to go home. Ah wondrous bureaucracy.

After 2 hours on the ferry, we finally got to see Kelly! She helped us load the bikes in the minivan and presented me with a jumbo box of nerds- she knows me too well! We stopped by Albertson's to get some pasta then headed to her casa. Her parents lived in the house for 2 years and have been renting it out until recently. Now Kelly gets to chill in it- it's pretty sweet- a nice view of the mountains and water. We ate our pasta, watched a movie, caught up a bit w/Kelly and turned in for an early night, happy to be with a pal and have a roof over our heads.

Arik's parents are keepin' track of how far we've come- here's Vancouver to Seattle :)

8/11/09- Seattle

Arik and I headed into the city, this time intentionally! It was a beautiful day- sunny and cool. People fed the seagulls from the ferry deck and the coast guard escorted us into the city.

Seattle skyline

We ate some falafel sandwiches at a falafel place- we'd missed those since we left Ann Arbor. Then we trekked to REI for some more fuel, a compass, and food.

A wondrous natural waterfall? Nope- just an outdoor feature at the REI flagship store

Went back down to the water and the Pike Place Market. We overpaid for some peanuts but got some tasty mini grapes and a delicious gigantic chocolate chip cookie from some street vendors. Then we walked down 1st street to Pioneer Square, which has really cool old brick buildings and a sweet bookstore: Elliott Bay Book Co. Arik and I each picked up a book and read for a while as we waited for the ferry back to Bremerton.

Pioneer Square

Kelly picked us up and we went to get some groceries for dinner. Had a tasty pasta and tofu dinner, talked a little about life with Kelly and her pals, watched Top Chef Masters with everyone, then went to bed.

8/12/09- Seattle part 2

We had a lazy morning- did some blogging and watched some UFC on the laptop. Went into the city with Kelly and her pal Jordan. We walked to the bus stop but had some time to kill so we went in search of a coffee place. Found a really cute one in an unlikely spot and chilled there for a little while.

Cool coffee shop

Then took the bus to a vegan pizza place called Pizza Pi close to the university. Had some tasty pizza and then started a long trek to a cool donut place called Mighty O Donuts. We power walked for 40 minutes to try to get there before they closed at 5. We made it at 4:30 and were stoked until the girl who worked there said they'd just run out of donuts. Nooooooo! "But we just walked 40 minutes to get these out of town vegans some donuts!," Kelly cried. The bid for sympathy worked: the girl went into the back and scrounged up an assortment of fresh mini donuts and one full sized one. They were super awesome and, the girl claimed, just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the tastiness of their donuts. I wish we could go back but we'll just have to save it for our next trip. We also got 2 raspberry lemonades (one on the house!) with bits of real raspberries at the bottom- yum.

Pizza!

Donuts!

Then we walked to Green Lake Park, a pretty cool neighborhood encircling Green Lake. It reminded us of a small White Rock Lake for the Dallasites reading. My feet were killing me (our bike shoes are not the best for long treks) so Arik and I sat down on a bench to chill while Kelly and Jordan went window shopping for a bit. We moved to a nice hill to lay in the sun and had fun people watching.

Cool bird at the lake

They came back and we all walked back to the donut place to catch the bus. It started raining right then, which was pretty perfect timing since we'd gotten all our walking done. The bus took us straight to the ferry- not too shabby. We had an hour to kill before the next ferry came so we went back to the bookstore. I started reading an awesome book called Born to Run and was really sad to have to put it down. Just couldn't justify droppin' the 25 bucks. Hopefully we'll find it at a used place or walmart somewhere along the way.

Kelly's roomie Bennett picked us up from the ferry and we headed home. Somehow during the 30 minute span while Bennett was gone picking us up, the puppy managed to consume an entire bag of trail mix and then deposit the poopy results all over the living room (where we've all been sleeping on the floor). Good ol' puppies- and the little gal only weighs like 5 pounds!. Arik and I retired to another room and watched some UFC fights, then nodded off.

8/13/09- Last day chillin' with Kelly in Bremerton

Today was an intentionally lazy day. Arik and I haven't really had the chance to just sit and unwind so we stayed an extra day w/Kelly to do just that. My blister from yesterday is healing up and we're both feeling much more well-rested and ready to get back on the road tomorrow- we miss it! We'll be staying at a state park tomorrow night and then hoteling it up for the 2 days after that. The hip thing to do whilst bike touring is to just find a secluded place on the side of the road to camp when campsites aren't available but we just aren't comfy with that idea yet. Maybe in the next month that'll change, but for now we'll baby ourselves a bit when there aren't established campsites around.

We should be in Oregon a week from tomorrow!

Us outside Kelly's house

With Kelly outside Chez Rula

Be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike

Wherever I Lay My Head Is Home...And Home is State Parks!

The updates continue! We stayed in Washington state parks for 4 days straight and they were awesome each time.

8/8/09- 3 hours, 20 min on the bike- Bellingham, WA to Deception Pass State Park, WA

We enjoyed some awesome sleep in Larrabee thanks to the shower and the surroundings. Got up around 9:30, ate some oatmeal, and got on the road around 11. The route took us out for some really nice rural riding. We rode by farms and fields of fragrant sweet peas. We went through nice little towns and stopped at a homemade bread shop for delicious multigrain bread and directions. We came to the huge Deception Pass Bridge- it was beautiful but we had to walk the bikes down a really narrow sidewalk that was packed w/people so we had to stop every few steps to let them squeeze by. We didn't take this pic, but here's the bridge so you can get the idea:

After the bridge we went up and down some serious hills- the downhills were so steep our eyes would tear up as we flew down. On the way to the state park we took an alternate bike route that took us around a highway that had lots of construction on it. It was scenic and pleasant most of the way until we got to a huge hill through a residential section. After a few feet we had to get off the bikes and push. An elderly couple sat on the porch of their house midway up the hill and chuckled- "Everything was great until this hill, eh!" they called. We smiled grimly. "Well it only gets worse from here! MUAHAHAHHA!" We were hoping they were exaggerating but as we rounded a corner we realized they were right on the money. We had to take breaks every few feet to get up the steep incline.

We finally got into Deception Pass State Park and got a hiker/biker site. We passed by a gray-haired and bearded solo tourer who had set up camp at one of the sites. Arik recognized him as a guy we'd given directions to the day before. As we walked past he called out to us and asked where we were headed. We told him and he invited us back for wine later that evening. We set up camp and another solo biker rolled in and chatted with us. The wild-eyed, quickly topless dude gave us some tips and told us what we had to look forward to in Oregon- 4 dollar campsites and a coast that would likely be the highlight of our trip.

We had pb&js with blackberry jam on our multigrain bread, a nice hot shower, and chili for dinner. Then we headed over for wine with our new pal Rudy. He is a retired Vancouver schoolteacher with a really peaceful, wise aura about him. He told us about some of his past adventures- including camping on a small bit of land in the middle of some water without realizing that the water level rose through the night- he and his friend were stranded and just had to watch the water rise closer and closer to their tent door. Miraculously it stopped right before it got into the tent. He bemoaned what passes for camping for a lot of people- at Deception Pass we saw one family with 2 full size electronic dart boards. He uses the sun to tell directions and doesn't own a cellphone. When we asked where he stayed the night before he said he'd found a little spot on the side of the road and said it was empowering to try to live outside of the system and to realize how much we humans are really capable of doing for ourselves. It reminded him of a time when he was younger. He and a friend were road tripping in their car and found a spot on the side of the road to sleep. They were woken up in the morning by a horrible loud screeching and jumped out of the car to see a big train roaring past. They'd set up for the night just feet from the tracks. Overall it was a really nice evening spent with a really interesting guy.

It started to sprinkle as the sun went down so we turned in for an early night.

8/9/09- 4.5 hours on the bike- Deception Pass State Park, WA to Port Townsend, WA

Had some oatmeal then got moving. Rolled though pretty, rural terrain with huge clouds that looked like mountains and low clouds that looked like the sea. We went by a field filled with portly sheep all bent over eating- they reminded us of Guido. Rode onto Whidbey Island- a pretty popular tourist spot. Climbed up some big hills just as the sun came out. The sun was glorious! We forgot how much we missed it. Rode down a beautiful street called Madrona Way- trees on our right and Crescent Harbor on our left. We stopped in Coupeville to make a pb&j (yup we're eatin' a lot of these). While we were eating, an older gent in an orange reflective vest came pedaling up. His name was Ken and he gave us some tips for the upcoming Oregon and California coasts. Apparently we have the 7 devils to look forward to: 7 killer hills in Oregon that'll have us begging for mercy by the end. Hooray! He also said we should make sure we get wraparound eye protection because woodchip trucks spray woodchips and sawdust all over the road. He also told us a better way to get to the Port Townsend ferry and helped us avoid the hills our route would've taken us over. His alternate route also had the added benefit of taking us by some blackberry bushes. It's blackberry season in Washington and they were supa plump and ripe and sweet!

We got to the Port Townsend ferry station an hour early so we plopped down inside on a bench to wait. Not longer after, a teary eyed older woman sat down and started muttering to herself. We thought she was just a crazy old lady but as we started to talk to her we realized she was actually just having a really hard time with her mom's death in April. We had a nice long chat with Carollee. She is a really proud mama and managed to mention a number of times that her son is a cardiologist in Dallas. Soon two preteen boys sat down next to us and joined in on the conversation. They were impressed with our ride ("That's awesome!") and were just really cute sweet kiddos. One offered me a sour gummy worm (which I gladly accepted!) and his pal said "dude give her some more!" And he did! When one of the boys said his aunt and uncle were from Dallas, Carollee chimed in, "you know who else lives in Dallas? My son! He's a heart doctor!" When the ferry arrived we left the office just as Carollee's 80 year old dad came in. We heard him greet her, saying, "So do all the people know about your son who's a doctor?" :)

We rode onto the ferry and chatted with one of the preteen's dads. He was really supportive and interested in our ride. Arik and I headed up top and found a seat in the sun. We thought it would get too hot but with the cool breeze off the water we actually ended up pretty cold and had to huddle together. Halfway through, Carollee and her dad came and sat with us and chatted. Her dad reflected on the aging process, saying he was happy he hadn't crossed over the line into having to rely on someone else to take care of him.

On the ferry

After 30 minutes on the ferry, we got to Port Townsend and bid farewell to the boys. We headed straight to Old Port Townsend State Park. It was a tiny speck on our map so our expectations weren't too high, but it ended up being the sweetest park yet in terms of our campsite. The hiker/biker sites were set back under tall trees that swayed and creaked in the breeze. We were the only ones there (it was a Sunday night) so we had the whole spot to ourselves. We had ramen and curry for dinner, took a hot shower (I had to wait for a teenage couple and two 8 year olds to get done before I could take mine...good times), then turned in for the night.

Our sweet spot in the trees

The solitude that was so awesome and calming during the daytime was a little scary at night. Arik woke up with a start in the middle of the night and turned on our lantern, sure he had heard someone unzip our tent fly and put something down. I didn't hear anything but shortly afterward we did see what looked like a flashlight shining toward us. Just a lil weird. He had a lot of trouble sleeping but finally nodded off.

We're chillin' with Kelly for one more day- more updates to come!


Until then, be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike

Hell and Heaven

We're back! After 4 days of camping we had a roof back over our heads for the first time last night. Our pal Kelly lives just outside Seattle and is letting us crash with her for a few days at what she's calling "Hotel Rula." We're sharing the house with her roomie, one of her pals, 2 pups- and no furniture! But the roof, carpeted floor, TV and internet are all welcome improvements. So time to catch up:

8/6/09- 9 hours on the bike- Vancouver, BC to Birch Bay, WA aka the HELL/demoralizing/confidence destroying route

Our first day on the bikes was not a happy one. It started off well enough. We stopped by Everybody Loves Veggies to eat some soup and got 2 sandwiches for the road. Then it got crappy. The route took us down an industrial road that smelled like rotten fish. We promptly got lost 3 times and spent an hour trying to find our way back to the route. It was pretty miserable. Then we went over the huge Alex Fraser Bridge to get out of Richmond, BC. We had a skinny separated sidewalk to ride on but it was really windy and dusty and high up. We were happy to get off. Things were looking up for a bit when we stopped at a little produce stand and had an apple.

The bikes, blissfully unaware of the hell awaiting them

That is, until Arik almost got ridden off the road by an 18 wheeler. He survived that encounter only to meet his next nemesis: the HELL HILL. We'd already been riding about 4 hours and then had to go straight up. And up. And up. We had to get off the bikes 10 feet in and push. We finally made it and headed through customs shortly afterward. The customs guy asked us what we were doing in the US and when we told him we were biking the coast he said, "why would you want to do that?" After our day, we were starting to ask ourselves the same thing. 9 hours after we began, we finally rolled into Birch Bay State Park. We got there too late to get change from the office so we couldn't take a shower (a quarter buys you a 3 minute hot shower). We had pb&js, oreos, and a coke and conked out, hoping the tour wouldn't end up being one big mistake.

Birch Bay State Park

8/7/09- 3.5 hours on the bike- Birch Bay, WA to Bellingham, WA aka the HEAVEN/confidence-building/this tour WASN'T a total loss after all route

Let's be honest, we were pretty bummed when we headed out of Birch Bay. The day before had totally sucked and all the picturesque, idyllic images of touring we'd had in our heads had been replaced with visions of skinny lanes, 18 wheelers, and hills from hell. We left around 10:30 and our spirits lifted almost immediately. The route was beautiful with great, low traffic roads that took us through awesome tiny towns.

A cool tree in one of the tiny towns

We stopped for some tater tots at Sonic in one of the towns and saw awesome trees all along the way. One biker passed us and asked where we were heading. When we said San Diego he said "well you're almost there!"

One of the views along the way

We got into Larrabee State Park in Bellingham around 2:30 and we were stoked...until we saw the sign that said the park was full. We were freaking out and about to call the park office but then a park worker came up and said "oh we never turn away hikers or bikers- we have sites for you guys." Hooray! She told us the site number and we headed over to an overgrown parking lot. We were a bit bummed but the park was otherwise awesome- huge tall trees and just great scenery. So we settled into our parking lot campsite- got the tent up, unpacked, and plotted out where we'd eat (we decided it'd be on the concrete slab that stops the car tires) and just were happy to be done riding for the day and in a sweet state park.

Me on the phone with my mama

Our original "campsite"

I went to the restroom and when I got back Arik was finishing up chatting with a guy and laughing. I asked what was up and he said uhh that guy said our site is actually just up the hill- this is just the parking for it. Incredulous, we headed up the hill and saw a line of the sweetest sites ever- with a fire pit and picnic bench and great trees. We started cracking up and headed back down to pack up again. We sheepishly picked up our tent and brought it up to the actual campsite.

Our actual site

We got re-situated, wondering at our great luck, then headed to the beach inside the park. WHOA. Awesome water, awesome beaches- basically the prettiest view either of us have seen. We stuck our feet in the cold water until we spotted some jellyfish.

The beach

We took a hot shower (got quarters this time!), had pad thai for dinner, and then went back down to the beach to watch the sunset. We got a fire started after a little trouble, then went to sleep, reassured that our trip really could be something special.

New Video!

Sunset

Gotta take a shower and go to bed for now- more tomorrow!