One of my favorite days. The road went inland so it was warmer, and much of it was spent biking on the Avenue of the Giants. 30 miles of almost zero traffic through monstrously large redwoods. We also came across a free barbecue that a local business was putting on, complete with hippy sodas and a dj who was surprisingly good given the circumstances.
This was a big day of biking, around 80 miles or so. I remember being quite tired by the end of it. We ended up staying at a commercial campground, there was a brewery nearby we had been told about. By the time we got there, we were too exhausted to check it out though.
With two amazing Jalapeno Burrito’s in tow, we had a much more reasonable day of biking. The woman at Harris Beach State Park said we were the first hiker-bikers she had seen of the season. This was our last night in Oregon.
My favorite aspect to bike touring is the simplicity it brings to your life. While you are on tour your life consists of biking, eating, and sleeping. The only choices you have to make are directly related to accomplishing those things. Jeff and I went without the internet for over 2 weeks. It was glorious.
Day 3 was our biggest day of riding, 87 miles, including a big uphill starting at mile 80. The ride was basically beside the ocean the entire time. The weather had much improved.
The first two days. PDX to Lincoln City and the Pacific Ocean.
Thursday is ping-pong night. I was working at school and it was time to bike the mile to the Union Club. A few minutes before departure I observed it was snowing outside, hard. After a bit of mandatory complaining I figured the snow wasn’t letting up and ping-pong was awaiting. Besides, snow was bound to be more pleasant than the 7:30 am soaking I received biking to school in the rain earlier in the day.
After a few blocks biking in the squall I was off campus and crossing the Madison Ave pedestrian bridge. It was still snowing hard, but sunlight had started to stream all around me. Looking west out over the river the sky was bright blue, while to the east it was still completely grey. I spent the next 5 minutes standing there observing the blizzard get sucked into Hellgate Canyon. White was quickly replaced with blue.
I have a tendency to whine about the weather in Montana come April, as I can count on one hand the number of days the high has been above 60 degrees so far in 2011. However, the variability of the weather in Missoula is exciting. Not knowing whether to expect sun or snow 10 minutes in the future forces you to be vigilant.
Another snowy day in Missoula. I reminisce of warmer times. This trail was serious extremo.
Spent a couple days climbing in Indian Creek. It might be my special place.
A few more pictures of navigating the sandstone maze that is the Fiery Furnace.
