Three spoons, four bungee cords, a few large nuts and bolts from heavy machinery, and a sock are in my mental catalogue so far. I am still trying to come up with an explanation for the high proportion of spoons on the road, while trying not to think about what machinery might be malfunctioning because some critical part is lying on the shoulder I just biked over.
Janius Tsang
After dropping off our bikes at Bikes & Beyond (which is now my favorite bike shop in the world right now because they helped us get to Portland), we tried to locate a car rental place. The plan was to spend a rest day in Portland because the dream of the nineties is alive in Portland (Ref: search YouTube for video) and it us supposed to be one of the most bike and public transit-friendly cities in North America. We succeeded with a great deal of help, luck and persistence.
Misty and I walked from the bike shop to the rental place located 45 mins away to discover that they closed three hours ago. Even the neighboring café which was supposed to be open until 3 pm was closed early leaving us with no car AND no place to pee. Misty was sunburned as well and in our crabbiness we swore never to take a motorist's estimates of distances to and from places unless they indicate that they have walked or cycled said distance. With no car, sore feet and somewhat defeated spirits we consoled ourselves with thoughts of ice cream. Emotional eating is always on the list of solutions.
Having plunked ourselves down at a table in a café we get a text message from the other three people saying that they had magically figured out how to get a car and that they would be there to pick us up soon. Apparently the fine lads at the bike shop found a Toyota dealership that was kind enough to offer up a demo vehicle (that functions) for rent. We were going to make it to Portland after all.
From the little I have seen so far, the rumors are true. Public transit is free within the city center zone and it's frequent and hi-tech. Our hotel is run by the Portland State University and includes breakfast, pool, new fitness gym, free wifi and our rooms have balconies. All available at a cheaper rate than the Econolodge.
I am looking forward to getting to know this place more tomorrow.
Janius Tsang
All of this yumminess under a clear blue sky. What a fabulous way to end a completely perfect day of cycling. I can definitely do more days like this, and perhaps probably convince myself to endure a couple more days like yesterday if it means I get more days like today.
Janius Tsang
Misty and I thought that we had outrun the storms by starting out at 7:16 am. We felt pretty smug when 15 minutes after we sat down at the diner in Montesano, WA, the rain started its hammering outside. It stopped after 30 minutes and to my delight it looked like it was beginning to clear up with sunshine lighting up the street. However after another 45 minutes the rain returned so we did other stuff such as order another coffee, play with dice, or go to a chiropractor.
Two hours pass and we finally return to riding except that on the on ramp two of the girls get flat tires within 15 minutes of each other from the fine shards of glass strewn across the highway shoulder. Thankfully the rain held off at the time, but resumed the minute the tires were back on the bike.
The rain usually started with a few heralding drops and gives me a small hope that it will just stay that way, but of course it gets stronger and stronger until all I can see is blurry patches of grey through my sunglasses. We can't stop or else we risk cooling down and freezing, so we keep pedaling. To see, I have to shake my head to see if I can dislodge raindrops off my sunglasses, somewhat like a dog. At the same time I've hunched like a turtle retreating into its shell, trying to keep all rain out of my collar. After five minutes of this, I can't help but laugh out loud because I recall that I put myself up to this in a completely voluntary fashion. In fact, it was even supposed to be a great idea... :)
The forecast promises beautiful weather tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.
Cycling allows you to get up close with a place. It doesn't matter that you are passing through, it matters that you going slowly enough to notice and take in things that would otherwise have passed by in an insignificant flash if you were in a car. Small towns with a single shop and one motel become real. Random people at a cafe become the person who invited you to sit at their campfire the night before. A cashier becomes the person who goes to make up your motel room. Isolated little convenience stores become an oasis to warm up and dry off after a torrential downpour. So far my favorite stops have been Lilliwaup and Coupeville, WA.
It also makes you approachable to be on a bike, we've met a few interesting folks over the past few days. Just this afternoon a random woman stopped us to ask if she could use our cellphone. She seemed pretty distraught and was walking on the road without her shoes. I handed her my new phone and unknowingly activated speakerphone before giving it to her. It made us unwilling eavesdroppers on her phone call. We heard her call for help from her friends, that she needed to be picked up right away and that she no longer had shoes. She hung up and handed back the phone, thanked us and started down the road in her socked feet. Somewhat uneasy, we continued on our way but not before we left her with a pair of flip flops from our panniers.
Finally, on a bike you not just see, but you get to digest the landscape and scenery around you. You get to be a part of it rather than be apart from it. Washington is aglow now with little yellow flowers that carpet both sides of the highway. Rhododendron bushes are in full bloom among the thick green forests. The Olympic mountains have been looming to our left, the Hood Canal with its ocean smells to our right. They quietly become travel companions rather than inert visual impressions.
Janius Tsang
Ayant passé plusieurs heures partageant les auroroutes côté à côté avec des voitures et des camions, j'ai remarqué le suivant:
1) les gros objets en métal bougeant à haute vitesse sont TRÈS BRUYANTS. Sur les autoroutes secondaires où on parcourt il y passent assez de voitures et camions, et parce qu'ils passent sans cesse, le bruit est presque continuel. Pour un bref moment j'ai pensé meme de mettre des bouchons dans l'oreille pour diminuer un peu la cacophonie des roues et moteurs mais ça me paraissait un peu dangereux. Je me suis mis alors à essayer d'identifier le type de voiture qui entrain d'approcher en écoutant le son qui la précède. Je ne suis pas encore assez bonne mais j'ai l'impression que j'ameliorai bientôt.
2) C'est difficile de choisir les lettres qui peuvent bien décrire le bruit des voitures à haute vitesse. J'ai passé au moins deux heures à réfléchir sur cette question. Les voitures, selon moi, font euuuuuuffffffouaahhhhhhhh, tandis que les camions font heuuuuushouuiiiiiboffffeuuuufssssss, mais encore j'aurai besoin de réfléchir et travailler un peu plus là-dessus.
3) les conducteurs sont très courtois envers les cyclistes ici, car la majorité des voitures qui nous passe vont virer pour nous donner de l'espace. Il y a parmi eux quelques-uns qui nous saluent avec un poli claxonnement. C'est génial d'être considéré comme une autre type de véhicule qui a aussi droit de rouler sur une autoroute. Cet attitude me met un petit plus à l'aise dans ce milieu d'autoroute qui est un peu étrange et nouveau pour moi.
Janius Tsang
Janius Tsang