I was asked last night how to prepare for such a journey. The reality is, physically I have been preparing for this for about a year and a half. I discovered my city is not so very large by hopping on my bike and riding upwards of 70+ miles in a day. It isn't hard, just time consuming. I am not a fast rider, just continuous. Plus, I enjoy it! I love to be outside and to see things from a new perspective.
The preparations for touring are similar to my backpacking experience. What do I need? Aside from a toolkit for my transport and some specialized riding clothing, I am taking the contents of my backpack. The difference is that I will have access to stores, restaurants, hotels, people, bike shops. It's not such a big deal when I think of it like that. I am trying to keep my panniers as light as possible, so frequenting shops for food is a must.
The route I am taking is described in detail in a book called "Bicycling the Pacific Coast," by Spring and Kirkindall. It is fairly straight forward rout; keep the Pacific on your right and go!
I am taking Panniers rather than the trailer a friend offered for the simple reason that if I end up on a stretch of road I don't like I can call AAA, a taxi, or hitch a ride past that bit of land. Also, I don't want to have to try to find a place to park my ride. Panniers keep things navigable.
It has been a bit of a dilemma today, trying to figure out where things go in my panniers. I have 2 in front, 2 in back and one on the rack. The one on the rack holds my tent and sleeping pad. One large pannier holds my sleeping bag, candle lantern, journal, wilderness kit, scriptures. The other holds camp clothes (essentially a tech-wear-sweatsuit), around town pants, skirt, and 2 shirts, roos, swim trunks (sport bra doubles at a top--it's all about duplicity and reducing weight), rain gear. One front pannier include first aid kit, kitchen (camp stove, hiker's cook wear, chopsticks, utensils, spatula, wooden spoon, cutting board/plastic plate, soap, sponge) and water, the other has food.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Oops
JE's comment yesterday was that he loves the way people's faces light up when I tell them what I am doing. I do, too. We leave this Thursday to travel to Portland and will be leaving for Astoria on Monday.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Thursday arvo
Josh at Our trusty new bike store gave my bike an overhaul including new red cables and brake pads. It feels so much safer and ready!
Training
first trip up the coast after being tuned up and having new cables
(red!!!), break pads and hub cleaners. We found a fantastic bike shop
in Irvine that totally took care of us.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Fear
Let's talk fear. Last night, I was on the verge of a panic attack in regards to this trip.
Fears:
1) I won't finish
2) It's going to rain along the coast and I will be wet and miserable for the first couple weeks.
3) My bike will break and I will be stuck in the middle of nowhere walking a fully loaded bike to the nearest town 20 miles away
4) Something worthy of Dateline may happen
5) Camping alone, the dark, bears or cougars
6) Theft of my bike, my stuff, my credit card/money
Realities:
1) It isn't about finishing, it's about the journey
2) Possible. Wet is a circumstance, misery is a choice.
3) My bike may break down. I will be as prepared as I can be, and not worry about that until it happens. Besides, most people are generally kind and helpful
4) I am worthy of the Holy Spirit and have been guided out of life threatening situations in the past.
5)Get a hotel. If no hotels are available in the area I am at, there are many groups who cycle the coast every summer. Hook up with people, make new friends.
6) Stuff happens. Take precautions. Listen to the Spirit. Don't worry about that until it happens.
Fears:
1) I won't finish
2) It's going to rain along the coast and I will be wet and miserable for the first couple weeks.
3) My bike will break and I will be stuck in the middle of nowhere walking a fully loaded bike to the nearest town 20 miles away
4) Something worthy of Dateline may happen
5) Camping alone, the dark, bears or cougars
6) Theft of my bike, my stuff, my credit card/money
Realities:
1) It isn't about finishing, it's about the journey
2) Possible. Wet is a circumstance, misery is a choice.
3) My bike may break down. I will be as prepared as I can be, and not worry about that until it happens. Besides, most people are generally kind and helpful
4) I am worthy of the Holy Spirit and have been guided out of life threatening situations in the past.
5)Get a hotel. If no hotels are available in the area I am at, there are many groups who cycle the coast every summer. Hook up with people, make new friends.
6) Stuff happens. Take precautions. Listen to the Spirit. Don't worry about that until it happens.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Odyssey
Evergreen State College offered a class which studied Homer's Odyssey for the first quarter, while the second quarter had the students dispersing at least 200 miles from home and finding their way home again. The final was a reunion feast and presentation of the stories about their various journeys.
Since hearing about that class, I have dreamed of having my own similar experience. Last summer I was inspired by a couple new friends who I met in Huntington Beach while they were cycling from Canada to Mexico.
My current circumstances enable me to take a similar opportunity. I will be traveling from Astoria, Oregon, via my trusty bike, along the coast route to my home in Southern California. I have given myself a month and 4 days to complete as much of it as I want. This blog will hopefully be a means of sharing my journey with you.
I love my life and my relationship with Johne is solid. He is the one who recognized my need to go do this and has been gently encouraging me to go. I feel a sense of exhilaration, peace and happiness when I think about the possibilities. I know there will be tough times, but such is life. Anything worthwhile has tough times.
Here are my hopes; rules, so to speak:
1) begin the journey
2) be open to the experiences at hand
3) never quit just because it's difficult
4) rely on strangers. Friends are always strangers at first.
5) rely on myself
6) take only needful things, leave the fluff (except my new fluffy self inflating mattress!)
7) appreciate and be so grateful for beauty, family, friends, things, myself, food, warmth
8) stop anytime, anywhere and enjoy where I am. Stay as long as I want.
9) Go home anytime--see #3
10) Rely on God, always
Since hearing about that class, I have dreamed of having my own similar experience. Last summer I was inspired by a couple new friends who I met in Huntington Beach while they were cycling from Canada to Mexico.
My current circumstances enable me to take a similar opportunity. I will be traveling from Astoria, Oregon, via my trusty bike, along the coast route to my home in Southern California. I have given myself a month and 4 days to complete as much of it as I want. This blog will hopefully be a means of sharing my journey with you.
I love my life and my relationship with Johne is solid. He is the one who recognized my need to go do this and has been gently encouraging me to go. I feel a sense of exhilaration, peace and happiness when I think about the possibilities. I know there will be tough times, but such is life. Anything worthwhile has tough times.
Here are my hopes; rules, so to speak:
1) begin the journey
2) be open to the experiences at hand
3) never quit just because it's difficult
4) rely on strangers. Friends are always strangers at first.
5) rely on myself
6) take only needful things, leave the fluff (except my new fluffy self inflating mattress!)
7) appreciate and be so grateful for beauty, family, friends, things, myself, food, warmth
8) stop anytime, anywhere and enjoy where I am. Stay as long as I want.
9) Go home anytime--see #3
10) Rely on God, always
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