A little flavor surprise to wake up the taste buds
I thought something tasted funny....
Soon after leaving Clarkston, I hit the Columbia River Gorge. I had been told of two things to expect- unmatched beauty, and fierce wind coming predominantly from the west.
I was crushed. The wind was the worst thing I had come across this entire trip. The front of my bike, equipped with two front panniers and a handlebar bag acted as a sail, at times nearly bringing me to a standstill. Don't believe me? Here are some fun stats.
For the most part, I had been averaging 11mph on this trip, putting in 8-10 hours on the bike. My second day on the gorge, I had 10 hours on the saddle, making 57 miles. Twice the effort, half the distance. Soul crushing is an understatement.
Just another day in the gorge, apparently...
To be honest, not too much has happened of notable importance in the last week or so. My dayshave been filled with self-pity and pedal rotations of frustration.
I happened to know a couple friends in Portland who moved from Winona a few years ago and the knowledge that I would be in good company in the next couple days helped motivate me to push on through.
The winds died down my day coming into Portland, which was a fantastic feeling. My ride was alongside historic highway 30, parts of it being from the original highway which was the first in Oregon, and the first official "scenic highway". The new interstate ruined most of it when it was being constructed, but a large chunk still displays intricate masonry and stone architecture. Not to mention the "scenic" part.
I rode at the perfect time too- an organized ride helping to fund a bike path to complete at completely off-highway bike path directly from Portland to The Dalles, stretching over 90 miles. So I, along with the 400 other riders had access to a few stops with bathrooms and water along the 30 miles stretch from The Dalles to Hood River.
When the day was coming to a close, I saw two campsites near each other, so I decided to check both out. The first, a state park, offered sites for $17. A good number of people too, a majority being RVs of some sort. Knowing the other was a US Forest Service campground, I figured it'd be less expensive due to a heavy tent-camping presence.
Yep!
$5 to pitch in a spot without a table. They even had flush toilets!
More spectacular views were in store for the next morning's ride.
Unfortunately, things changed later in the day as I climbed the 500 feet into what was some pretty heavy fog. So much for a view...
During the fog...
A little while later, maybe an hour or so, it began to clear up.
A couple other bicycle tourists, with a good taste in bikes!
I got to Portland later that evening. We went out to get some Chinese food (which was surprisingly delicious), and checked out some local shops. A little piano playing, and then a good nights sleep ensued.
Kelly was flying back to Minnesota for the week and Ross worked the next day, giving me the day to walk around Portland. I had a great spot in a cafe that gave me some prime people watching real estate, and treated myself to some Ben and Jerry's, straight out of the store.
We called it another early night, since I had to ride the next morning. After all, I'd be back in a couple days before catching my train home.
Getting to seaside was great. Hardly any winds, great views, and the feeling of success as began to wrap up my journey. Oh, and it helped that I hit my goal mileage halfway through...
I pulled into seaside, and was planning on staying with a host, that way I could have my gear and bike locked away while I enjoyed my birthday at this beautiful city on the beach. Neil, a retired school counselor wouldn't be home until later, but told me the garage was unlocked and to make myself at home. When Neil came back, we chatted about our travels. He had been all over the world, having vowed to go someplace different every winter. He had the pictures, knowledge and books to back it up!
He had a few meetings on Thursday, so I enjoyed my birthday exactly how I would've wanted it. Well- almost.
Most of the day was spent walking along the beach, checking out the aquarium (which included feeding the seals) and really just taking time to relax. I went to a Mexican restaurant at Neil's suggestion, and it tasted fantastic. My stomach had other thoughts...
The evening was spent between the bedroom and bathroom, paying my respects to the porcelain goddess. Oh well, better now than in the middle of the trip. I felt better in the morning anyways, and how many people can say that after their 21st?
I took the bus back into Portland, where I'll spend a couple days checking out some great breweries and watching one of Kelly's gigs.
There have been countless ups and downs on this trip. Every day seemed to contain multiple.
There were many more ups, and not once would I have rather been anywhere else, doing anything else.
Good thing I go around Lake Michigan in a couple weeks!
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