Saturday/Sunday (May 18-19):  Holly, Craig, and I headed to SeaTac at a reasonable afternoon hour, but not after a frantic meeting at Heather’s when I was worried we were going to be late. We ended up parking both Holly’s and my cars at their house, although we would definitely have had time to meet Holly here first. Checking in and TSA were much quicker than usual. Owell! In the mean time, Kayla jumped on her direct flight from Boston and would beat us there.

After a short layover in London, we landed in the early evening in Lisbon, took an Uber to the hotel which was in the train station where we would me our tour group the next morning, and went to dinner at a small African restaurant with Kayla. We were more than ready for bed and slept early and reasonably well.

Monday (May 20):  We met our BackRoads group and one guide  downstairs after8 a few quick espressos and pastries across the street. Victoria (from Valencia, Spain) would be on the tour bus with us to our day’s route start, and there were only 6 other guests besides us: Fred from Florida, Edward and Margie from North Carolina, Steve and Suzanne from Las Vegas, and Brian from New Orleans. The previous week our friends Sally and Dave had done the exact same trip (different guides though) and they had 24 guests! So we counted ourselves lucky. And we still piled on a full size bus instead of vans for the short journey to Monchique.

After a light lunch of salads and charcuterie, we mounted our new bikes for the week under the direction of another tour guide, Landon (from Montana, but who has lived all over the world in his short 28 years). Steve and Suzanne were on e-bikes, and the rest of us were on performance bikes (except Kayla who preferred the touring bike, more similar to what she is used to). Super light frames, electronic brakes and shifters, and equipped with trunk bags, these were pretty sweet rides. It took us several attempts to get our four helmets synced, but we managed and were able to hold conversations through the first ride of only 22 miles, with a lot of downhill and a lovely finish along the coast into our first hotel (Bela Vista) where we would spend 2 nights. After showers and drinks by the pool, we had a cocktail hour with the rest of the guests, complete with a Fado serenade and followed by an amazing dinner. Seafood would definitely be the theme for the week!

Tuesday (May 21):  Our second morning after a ridiculous breakfast (hot egg entries plus charcuterie, fruit, pastries, etc.) we shuttled to the southern most tip of Portugal (and Western Europe) and rode over 50 miles back to the hotel. We stopped twice, once for coffee, and once for lunch, where Craig and I took a quick plunge in the ocean. Kayla and I hurried a bit ahead at the end (citing bathroom needs) and I almost bit it on a curb close to the hotel. Unfortunately I didn’t realize that Holly actually did fall at the same place behind us (our helmets cut out) and she was immediately surrounded by concerned onlookers (and Craig). As we waited and waited for them, we grew worried, especially after they passed the hotel and had to double back. Holly had pretty bad road rash and was concerned about her wrist, which she immediately started icing. Everyone agreed she should probably have it looked at, so she planned to after dinner that evening. In the mean time, we headed for the “Roman spa” at the hotel, which was included in our stay. Hot sauna, steam room, and jetted pool felt lovely after the day’s ride. Then we changed for dinner at a hotel down the street from the hotel – more delicious seafood. After dinner, Landon offered to take Holly (and Kayla) to an emergency room 20 minutes away. I had slept so poorly the night before that I was grateful Kayla volunteered! Unfortunately after being triaged right away, her injury was not deemed urgent and after two hours they gave up waiting and headed back to the hotel.

Wednesday (May 22):  Holly had to pass on this morning’s ride. I had been able to sleep well. After the same filling breakfast, she hopped on the van while we rode 27 miles to lunch on the beach at Praia da Marinha (where Craig was the only one to swim). The rest of the day we rode on the bus to our next hotel, in Evora, which was an old monastery with an elegant enclosed chapel. Victoria had found Holly a wrist guard and some numbing cream, which she immediately tried and found helpful. In the little town, we were entertained by a (Dutch) historian, Lucia, who had a cackling laugh that made you smile as she explained the history of the Moors and the town. We were left to dinner on our own that night and managed to find a place (Café Alentejo) that had a canceled reservation and appetizers ready for us on the table. Great wine and great dinner!

Thursday (May 23):  Holly tentatively mounted her bike this day and found she could manage with a light hold on her left. Yay! She made the 44 miles to our last hotel (for two nights) near the historic town of Monsaraz with not too much difficulty. Our lunch stop for the day was at a farm in Fonte Furada where we met up with a similar sized BackRoads group (including one of Sally and Dave’s guides) for snacks and drinks by the pool before splitting for lunch. Holly bought a Portugal jersey (which I’m kicking myself for not buying), and we were entertained by the owner who regaled us with tales about olives, cork, and wine. When we got to our hotel, Sao Laurenco do Borrocal, the grounds were extensive, but the hotel was not large, and it was beautiful. We only had a short while to shower and unwind before we shuttled on the bus into Monsaraz for a tour by the same gentleman from lunch. Then we ate a typical Portuguese dinner at a house restaurant in the town. Lovely. When we returned, I opted out of the jaunt to “Penis in the Woods,” a megalith thoughtfully nicknamed by Margie and adopted by all.

Friday (May 24):  The last long ride was one of my favorites, a 53.5 mile loop from our hotel, up
through the hills and little villages, with much less traffic and lots of views of cork and eucalyptus, olive and wine vineyards, and warmer weather. We stopped for lunch at a house with a pool where a few of us swam, and we all enjoyed the resident donkey and dogs. A fair amount of climbs did not daunt us.

We rolled back to the hotel, (well, Kayla and Lander made an extra 10 mile loop to Monsaraz first) and headed for one of the pools, across a large expanse of yard and random groupings of rocks (which held Craig’s attention, of course). We dressed up for dinner on the property this last night and a final surprise which was a visit to the stable where instead of horses we were treated to astronomy instruction and demonstration with a digital telescope. We saw shooting stars and satellites, and learned about stars and planets. Then we teetered (those of us on heels, at least) back across the cobblestones to our rooms.

Saturday (May 25):  Our last day riding, sadly. Just 17 miles to a nearby town for a pottery demonstration and then a loop back to the hotel where we packed up and loaded on a bus sans guide for the return to Lisbon. We opted to be dropped in town instead of the airport or the railway station where we began, and then we ubered to our hotel for the next three nights (Kayla only one night, sadly). It was a cute, boutique hotel, with free wine and cheese plates each evening, and very central to downtown Lisbon. Dinner that night was at a restaurant on Pink Street which was good, but the waiter misunderstood our order for sardines and brought us four orders instead of one, so she abandoned us to another waiter. Eyeroll.

Sunday (May 26):  Goodbye to Kayla – saw her off to the airport and then walked around before picking up a mini tour from a random driver in an open air vehicle. He showed us several cathedrals and viewpoints, took pictures for us, and shunted us by a woman peddling the local cherry liqueur. Then we had dinner at a place Margo and Bill had recommended (Sea Me) and had our fill of sushi.

Monday (May 27):  Took
the bus north to see some outdoor sculptures and lunched at a small café. All the museums were closed on Monday, but it was a great day for strolling. Our favorite spot was the Discoveries Monument and then we wandered through a Georgetown-like setting and had drinks at a rooftop bar. Cheap but great Indian dinner. Holly was ready to rent a flat in Lisbon. Excellent city!

Sunday (Sep 17):  After weeks of planning and prepping, including the purchase of new bikes for Craig and me, and the installation of tubeless tires on my bike, we were itching to get rolling. We had hoped that Craig’s would be tubeless as well, but we went back and forth with WTB who manufactures the rims because REI said they were defective and wouldn’t hold the tubeless seal, but once the new rims were sent, we didn’t have enough time for the wheel builds and conversion.

This would be our first time riding distance with Shannon, with whom I volunteer at Cascade Bicycle Club. She works full-time for them in their education division, and I met her when I helped deliver and pick up bike fleets from Seattle schools. She is just a few months younger than Kayla, a background in racing, fencing, construction, and bike mechanics, and has a contagious energy. When I mentioned we were planning to ride the Palouse to Cascade Trail she was eager to join us!

Shannon worked the Ellensburg Tour Light for Cascade that Friday through Sunday, so we couldn’t leave Ellensburg until 2:30. Craig and I had a mostly relaxed morning of last minute prep and loading the truck until we decided we needed to stop by the cabin (to assess the chimney teardown and septic status) and then we had to forego a sit-down breakfast to get to Kevin’s house in time to park the truck and ride into Ellensburg. The plan was to leave the truck there and have his daughter, Bellah, who is attending CWU, drive to pick us up the next weekend.

The first ten miles were smooth sailing. We were almost to the park where we were going to meet Shannon when the trail crossed a road and we heard a loud bang. My back tire (of course) blew the tubeless seal!  Sealant everywhere, which looks a lot like Elmer’s glue; I’m bummed that I didn’t take a picture! Luckily we were only a few miles from Shannon and she calmly arranged for one of the assist vans from the event to pick me up while Craig rode on to meet her. Did I mention that Shannon is a bike mechanic? After they put a tube in my tire (because no bike shops were going to be open until Tuesday, so tubeless was out), we had beer and cider, meandered through a park, and checked into a hotel, since it seemed too late to make the 35 miles or so to the campground. Good choice. Mexican for dinner – if we’d only known… [14 miles]

Monday (Sep 18): Slept well, ate a standard hotel breakfast (including waffles – yay!), and rolled out of town late morning on the trail. The Palouse to Cascade Trail is also called the Iron Horse Trail and sometimes the John Wayne Trail. If you ride the Snoqualmie Valley Trail to Rattlesnake Lake (in North Bend), that’s where the PTC starts up officially. A converted rail trail, it’s one of the longest sections to date of the the Rails to Trails effort to connect the west and east coasts sans highways. However, as we found out, even these Washington sections are not so contiguous. We ran into frequent detours due to damaged tunnels, missing trestles, or land owner rights, and we had to apply for and carry a permit for the part past the Columbia River. This earned us a code that we needed a handful of times to get through locked gates on the trail. And the trail was often flanked by barbed wire.

The first and last days of our trip were the warmest, the first being the only one I shed layers down to a tank top and needed sunscreen. We slogged through five miles of sand before the derelict tunnel outside Ellensburg where we also had our first owl sighting and claimed it as good luck. Then up and over the tunnel and down the long descent toward Beverly. Our new bikes (with 2.4” tires) were awesome for the mixed terrain of gravel, dirt, and random rocks, but Shannon did great on her 1.5” tires and flew ahead of us most the way. It didn’t hurt that we had a decent tailwind off and on, although it became a brutal headwind for the last few miles heading north to the Wanapum campground. The wind continued to hound us as we set up camp in a hiker/biker site by the bathroom, and we made a quick dinner of ramen with added veggies, which Craig and Shannon ate al dente; during the second round of boiling water we ran out of fuel, and Shannon berated herself several times during the trip (even though it was really no big deal!). Then we went to bed early. [36 miles]

Tuesday (Sep 19): Craig and I slept poorly due to continuing gusts of wind and the light from the bathroom, but we still felt ok enough to rise, eat cold oatmeal and guzzle cold coffee (instant hydration coffee which was quite good!). Then we made our way to the bridge, which we had gone to the official opening of in April 2022 (You can see us in the second picture here: https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2022/april/12/beverly-bridge-opening-marks-major-jump-toward-statewide-trail-connectivity-in-washington/ )

We had planned to ride to Potholes State Park to camp, but slow going due to wind and terrain helped us change our mind quickly and we aimed instead for Othello. We had eaten most of our snacks on the trail and were starving by the time we got there, so we stopped at a Mexican restaurant (Ramiro’s) to eat and drink first. The bar was so nice and allowed us to bring our dirty, loaded bikes into the back of the bar, which allowed us to completely relax and plot our next moves. From a nearby hotel, we ventured out and bought a few things we needed (including snacks and a canister of fuel) at Walmart. While Craig ran into an auto parts store, Shannon bought elote (Mexican street corn) in a Solo cup from a van, which earned her a few thousand views! Then we stopped at a park to chill awhile and went to bed early. [46 miles]

Wednesday (Sep 20): We tried to get an earlier start but fought a headwind right away on our way back to the trail for ten or more miles. We started counting onions and potatoes that had fallen off trucks on the highway, and I was nearly hit by a potato! We rejoined the trail at Warden, but detoured before the end of the trail to stick to our plan of a hotel in Ritzville. More head and crosswinds made it a tough day, and from the hotel we walked to the closest restaurant (Mexican again, but substandard and poor service). [62 miles]

Thursday (Sep 21): Toughest day. Good breakfast (waffles, eggs, etc.) and earlier start (on the road by 8:30), but the wind changed again and we had mostly crosswinds with which to contend, as well as drizzle and solid rain for a few stretches. We also bypassed a part of the trail which required a hilly detour and rejoined the trail east of Marengo. But we were barely on the trail before we were required to detour again, which we did just after meeting Jay from Tacoma who was riding alone. He took a different route but still got to Malden around the same time, which luckily he had already told us had a park for camping.

The detour included a few menacing hills and was nearly all gravel, some deep, but we did manage to have enough water and snacks to get us by. With necessary stops, it took us more than 9 hours (7 hours riding) to reach our destination, and we had constantly encourage each other to stay strong. Can’t remember if this is the day we saw more owls, but we definitely saw hawks and deer (and cattle, goats, horses, etc.). We had very little traffic except for the occasional farmer or hunter.

Malden, where we camped, was devastated by fire a few years ago, and their town hall and library are currently single-wides as they strive to rebuild (which includes constant heavy machinery moving through town at all hours of the day, not ideal for camping). We never actually talked to anyone there (except Jay). Dinner was Indian lentils for me and freeze dried chicken dinners for them, but we were too wiped out to play cards or be very social before crawling into our tents. [63miles]

Friday (Sep 22): Took more advice from Jay and decided to head to the Idaho border and then backtrack 5 miles to camp at a park in Tekoa (tee-coh). Originally we had planned to continue onto Spokane or else into Idaho, but after our previous long days, we weren’t as willing. We had a little oatmeal first, then rode the ten miles to Rosalia for breakfast/lunch. The trail and several trestles were under repair between the two towns, but the construction workers let us through, and we had to use the code to get through a few locked gates. In Rosalia, the Brass Rail Bar and Grill had little to offer for me, so after greasy round one there, we crossed the street to a delightful coffee shop and I had a vegetarian sandwich and we split a raspberry roll (and took a scone for later). It was a long stop, but we would go only 42 miles total, so we weren’t worried.

Much better day riding, mostly trail with minor detours, including short descent/ascents where short trestles had not been restored. The wind was kind and we weren’t rained on, although we stayed layered all day. Once we got to Tekoa (and crossed the 975 ft trestle, which also reopened the previous Spring), we decided an early celebratory beverage was in order while we scoped out where to camp (and Shannon bought a few things at the antique store next door).

Jay decided to set up camp and leave some things there, but we rode the last five miles to the border still loaded up. Turns out we could have ridden a ways into Idaho, and possibly onto Plummer (the start of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes) without too much trouble, but it was late enough we didn’t even entertain the idea. We were excited to be mostly done and planned to just meet Bellah somewhere along the way the next day towards Spokane and call it good!

Back to the C&D Bar and Grill in Tekoa (joined by Jay) for dinner and beers, then to bed! Definitely could have used a shower… [42 miles]

Saturday (Sep 23): We rose late, said goodbye to Jay (who had decided to take Highway 27 all the way to Spokane) and then had a great coffee and breakfast at Éclair’s coffee shop in town. Luckily they had wi-fi because we hadn’t had enough signal to make a firm plan on routes, and we mapped a great meandering route to Spangle, which we stopped just 6 miles short of to avoid a busy highway with no shoulder. The wind in our favor for a change and a little more sun, plus more descent than ascent along mostly gravel roads with little traffic.

When Bellah picked us up before 2:00, we drove her back to Kevin’s and sped home to meet Justice (Shannon’s boyfriend) at the Eastgate Park and Ride. Our cat, Midnight, was elated to see us! [22 miles]

This is not the kind of writing I aspire to publish. It is really a brain dump of all the details I could remember each day, and I know I forgot some (like the fact that Shannon won the cemetery game both days we saw any, and how we bought caramels anywhere we could find them). It’s easier to include more interesting details when I have my laptop with me and can write before going to bed. But this also serves as my scrapbook of sorts, which is really for my own purposes more than yours!

Sunday (June 25):  Parked at the garage near the terminal and coasted the few blocks there with all our belongings. It was an easy check in process and we got there plenty early. I paid for prime seats which in retrospect wasn’t that important. Just being on the upper deck would have been enough. But it was still nice to be able to watch the shoreline as we left Puget Sound and identify all the Seattle sights. We had coffee and a few snacks at our disposal, but we still ordered breakfast sandwiches/wraps and Craig had a bloody mary. Entering the Victoria harbor on the Clipper felt different than forging in on the Coho so many years ago. We watched little water taxis racing around and admired lots of new hotels and condo complexes. The Empress looked almost small in comparison to some of them.

It took awhile to disembark, but we had no issues and enjoyed chatting with a young German couple who had been traveling around the States and now Canada with giant duffels and backpacks. We were lugging all our panniers until we got to our bikes and could load them and the day was already warming up. Then we dropped our bags at the Best Western only a few blocks away and mounted our bikes for a short tour of Oak Bay that I had already mapped out, 29 miles in total (or 47 km). A few trails, but mostly bike-friendly roads along the water or through nice, residential areas. The parks were full of families and people enjoying the water, volleyball, or just picnicking and hanging out. Once back in Victoria, we stopped for a beer (and fries, aka chips) at an Irish pub, while live music was coming to an end on the street near our table. When we finally meandered back to our hotel on the other side of the harbor, our room was ready, but they required us to lock our bikes downstairs instead of using the elevators (or we could carry our bikes up six flights) – very silly, since the elevators were plenty big, and I meant to send a note of complaint later but just realized I never did.

After showers and relaxing a bit with our partial view of the harbor, we walked back to Finn’s for a great seafood dinner. It was getting a bit breezy so we sat inside, but right next to a window. I had a Poke bowl and Craig had steelhead I believe.

On the way back to the hotel, we realized they were playing live music near the harbor and it was a free reggae and ska concert! We only saw one band play (My Son the Hurricane) but they were awesome, and it was a great spot to people watch. We decided to bail before the headline band (Ojo De Buey) since we had a longer day biking the next day.

Monday: Rose and had the typical BW breakfast (mini pancakes but no waffles though). Then we followed the route I had planned which almost immediately put us on the Galloping Goose trail downtown and over a beautiful, short bridge. The urban trail led us through commercial areas and across a pedestrian bridge in a park, and then it paralleled Canada Highway 1 for quite awhile before turning away and into forests. The path was mostly paved but often hard packed gravel, not unlike the SVT. We passed lots of people walking and biking until we got closer to the end and then they were more infrequent. We did stop at one bike store to try and replace the screw in one of my bike cleats. We ended up having to buy new cleats because they couldn’t find a loose one to fit, but at least it was an easy stop.

We biked over a cool train trestle and past a nice campground and followed the trail all the way to the end (people kept asking us if we went all the way to the red gate so we were able to say yes!). Then once we turned around we stopped at a nice spot along the Sooke River and lounged for awhile, putting our feet in the water but not quite tempted enough to swim. Then we sailed back down the trail and detoured from it to head to our bed and breakfast for the night, but not after stopping at the Liberty Kitchen in Langford where we shared some amazing crunchy cauliflower (a signature dish), Craig had an enormous chicken sandwich with fries, and I had a tofu bowl. Overall, a great meal! Then we slithered the last few miles to the Birds of a Feather B&B and checked into the honeymoon suite (the only one available and luckily reduced from two to one night requirement). We had a great view and lovely amenities (including kayaks which we never used) and the breakfast the next day was heavenly. The couple had been running it for decades and own a second home in Thailand, where she is from, and where they spend a few months of every year. Might be worth looking them up if/when we make that trip!

Tuesday: After the large breakfast, we peddled over to Hatley Castle and explored their gardens (walking our bikes). Then we made a loop around the little peninsula in the fog and headed back north to our next destination. What was supposed to be the easiest day (only 12 miles) ended up being the hardest day, as all the elevation was in the last few miles up Bear Mountain to the Westin at the top. We may have argued about which route to take as well, since the original route looked like a mountain bike trail and probably too rugged, and we ran into construction along the way as well. But it was hot and brutal and we were grateful when we made it to the top (and immediately had double margaritas, fish tacos, and a beer – vacation after all!).

When we crossed the street to the Westin, Craig stayed outside and chatted with the doormen and I check us in. I was informed we were their “guests of the day” and they had upgraded us to a better room with a view of the golf course and abounding forested hills (as well as a new hotel being constructed). Craig had befriended the doormen (Bernard and Christopher, we think) and they showed up at our hotel room door with a card offering us free Proseccos as well. So sweet!  We even donned bathing suits and sat in the small hot tub for awhile.

Dinner that night at the hotel restaurant was fancy, but delicious, with great, personable service. Amazingly I don’t remember what we both ate, but I do know we had chocolate cake for dessert which I regretted because it overstuffed me! I also didn’t sleep well that night, but we still woke early and had a good (albeit expensive) breakfast at the hotel.

Wednesday: I changed the route the night before, because the hotel is not part of the golf course community and they wouldn’t allow us access to the trail on my route without paying an activity fee ($45 per person). Good grief! But I wasn’t sure it wasn’t another mountain bike trail anyway, so instead we headed down the other side of the mountain and then headed north toward Butchart Gardens. The backroads were well paved and very lightly trafficked, especially as we got further north. A little up and down, but nothing major – we loved it! Then we locked our bikes up to tour the gardens, trusting that no one would mess with our panniers and taking only the one with my laptop and our other electronics with us. Luckily I changed shoes, too, because we did a lot of walking! The Gardens were amazing; I can’t believe I never visited them all those years we lived across the straits. It didn’t seem crazy busy either, and the weather was beautiful.

Then it as a fairly direct route back to Victoria, mostly roads, and we had a beer at our Irish Pub again before getting back in line for the Clipper. We vowed we would try to make an annual trip, revisiting the Galloping Goose and some of our favorite stops, but also exploring further up the mainland and maybe returning via Vancouver. All in all a lovely trip!

March 26

Home again, home again, jiggety jig. But not before stopping in Portland to see Zack and take him to breakfast :). We managed to get home by 4:30!

March 25

Great hot breakfast at the hotel and then onto Bandon to charge. This time we stopped in their little museum and managed to find pictures of Mom as a Cranberry Princess in 1956. Then through Reedsport and east on the Umpqua scenic highway which followed the river on one side and steep, mossy walls on the other – gorgeous! One more quick charge got us the rest of the way to Corvallis, to the home of my brother and his wife. Neal and Michele made us right at home and we were able to watch the Sounders real time beat Sporting KC (Morris set a club record with 4 goals!!) with pizza and beverages. We even got to see Preston and Erica. Such a great stay!

March 24

Woke up to no power again today (!) but it came back on shortly after and we had a hot breakfast (including waffles!). Mostly driving today, but we took the scenic byways through the Redwoods which we love. Like September, very few people driving through the Redwoods. We had planned to stop and bike a stretch of them again, but the rain really didn’t let up so we took a lot of pictures through the wet windshield. We also stopped at Wild Waffles in Del Rio and had maple and egg waffle sandwiches – couldn’t forget that!

And we visited the Humboldt Bay Social Club on a peninsula near Eureka; we had stayed at their other property in Scotia on our coastal trip. Worth a stay next time!

We had to stop and charge in Crescent City and ate dinner at the Seaquake Brewery but we decided to drive a little further before stopping for the night and ended up at a great beach hotel in Brookings, just over the Oregon border. Getting closer! Managed to do laundry there because it was so accessible – nice to have clean clothes for the last few days of the trip…

March 23

Went through a car wash today in Oakland, even though we knew we would hit more rain before getting home. Delilah was actually blue again! Avoided the San Francisco crush and headed up into wine country. Great stop at Benziger Winery in Sonoma, which we have been members of since 2012. Beautiful property and excellent wine.

We pushed on to Ukiah to charge and then just stayed at a stock hotel there.

March 22

The next morning (breakfast in bed!) we rode our bikes north to Castroville, almost entirely on bike trails, including a paved trail through Ford Ord Dunes state park which was brimming with early color. Still a little cooler, but blue skies! Again a repeat of part of the ride we did last September. It was fun to recount our travels, although the details we remembered were less about where we ate or stayed and more about the things we saw and the people we ran into (or the pee stops). Overall we rode another 36 miles – yay!

A non-descript dinner and another chill evening. Another short power outage that didn’t really effect us, but still… We were lucky really; the whole city had lost power for three days the previous week!

March 21

Speaking of power outages…. we woke to no power (insert eyeroll). So a few pastries but no coffee. We headed north on 101 which we decided would be our main route home, at least well into Oregon. We planned to go to Santa Cruz, but more weather warnings and road closures encouraged us to hit Monterey instead, stopping to charge in Pismo Beach (which required a visit to Old West Cinnamon Rolls, yum!) and Greenfield. We quickly settled in a great hotel in the Cannery district and had them stow the bikes for us, then we had a top notch dinner at The Sardine Factory. We already planned to check if we could stay another night so we could ride the next day since the weather was supposed to be nice.

March 20

We had a nice continental breakfast at the motel and then headed south on our bikes to recapture part of our coastal trip ride, which included a great trail from Rincon Point and only a minor stint on 101. We saw paragliders on the way, turned around at Mussel Shoals, and stopped at The Sacred Space on the return, an idyllic store and gardens where we spent along time looking at crystals and sculptures and the like. I posed like a Buddha outside. Highly recommend if you need a little Zen and you’re in the area :). We took a few different roads on the way back for a total of 36 miles with little elevation gain. Then we had a Poke bowl at a small seafood place just before they closed early and a few beers at one of the local watering holes (Finney’s). Many restaurants and stores closed early (if open at all) – quite a different scene than the bustling one we experienced in September!

March 19

Leaving the park early was no problem. We went out the south end, stopping a few times to see the sights, turning the wipers on a few times, and charged first in Baker at a massive 40-car supercharger. Delilah was definitely one of the old-timers in the bunch. Then we debated where to go. We had already (obviously) ruled out Las Vegas and returning through Utah because the weather was daunting on their passes as well. We finally settled on Santa Barbara because we had enjoyed it so much on our coastal trip. We found a quaint, newly remodeled motel near the beach and walking distance to the main restaurants and shopping on State Avenue. The weather was slated to improve dramatically the next day so we opted to stay an extra night so we could repeat part of our ride. One of the best things about traveling in March is it’s before the high season, no spring breaks are in motion, and so it’s easy to get impromptu lodging and meals! None of the nearby laundromats were good options so we abandoned that side goal and settled for dinner at a great Mexican restaurant (Santo Mezcal).

March 18

Happy anniversary to us! We had a nice, sit-down breakfast at the hotel. Then we drove Delilah north to the Ubehebe Crater, about 60 miles away. We had decided we would probably leave the next day instead of Tuesday when another storm front was predicted – we knew the resort would honor our choice (as well as charge us half price for the first two nights) and so we forewent a second bike ride and went for a hike instead. This was a short but awesome hike (maybe 2 miles) around the crater, and just the drive exposed us to some new landscapes. It also allowed us to get back in time to try and watch the Sounders game which we could watch on regular channels only because we were playing LAFC.

The only two bummers for the day were that the charger was occupied when we returned and that the Sounders tied (when they should have won, bad reffing). After the game we relaxed by the pool (much quieter than the other resort) and then I drove Delilah to the other resort to plug her in since we wanted to leave the next day. I just rode my bike back the one mile and it was no problem – I had snagged the last free charger.

We had reservations for our anniversary at the elegant dining room at our resort. Lovely views, nice service, and a great meal. Here’s to the next twenty-three years!

March 17

The next morning we geared up and took a change of clothes so we could shower at the other resort at the end of our ride if needed. We parked Delilah there, had a buffet breakfast, and headed out on a beautiful, sunny morning. We had originally looked into a guided trip for an obscene amount of money but when I looked at the itinerary it seemed so obvious that I couldn’t see paying for guides. There’s basically two main highways through the park (with some additional options for hiking and mountain biking). So we headed south to Badwater, the lowest point in the park (and the States) at 282 feet below sea level. Death Valley typically sees less than 2 inches of rain a year, and often 0, but we saw remnants of the previous week’s storm. The temperature got up to the mid-70’s which was perfect. Alas, too early to see the fabled Super Bloom. April will be amazing.

18 miles to Badland, but we added some miles on a side loop on the return and ended up riding over 40. How could we not do a detour called “Artist’s Drive?” Well, in retrospect, it was a little more than we bargained for. A constant, serious climb that rivaled Flowery Pass on our cross-country trip only not as long. The main climb was 3 miles long with an average gradient of 7% climbing over 1000 ft. If the road hadn’t been one-way only, we might have turned around after the first mile… But the views were fabulous and the downhills almost made up for the grind. In the end, we were really glad we did it!

Of course when we returned, the hotel was still without water, and the showers at the other resort’s pool left a lot to be desired – picture concrete floors, queues of parents and kids, no soap or shampoo, and all the clean pool towels were taken. I planned to ask the resort if they had ANY other way to accommodate us since not taking a shower was out of the question but they were busy checking in a slew of new guests for the day so we were logical and went to have a beer and pizza while we waited for the line settle. Amazingly (luck of the Irish, maybe) when we finished, we learned the water was back at the other resort and we were able to return to our room! We spent the rest of the evening chilling.

March 14-16

I normally only write about the bike rides, but it seems worth it to throw in a few extra details about our twelve day trip in what would normally be early spring in California, especially Death Valley. When I started planning the trip a few months earlier, March seemed like the best month (average highs in the 80’s, very beginning of the high season) but the epic snow and rain across the Pacific Northwest hadn’t taken hold yet. It’s difficult to get reservations in Death Valley – there are only two (affiliated) resorts, and they have very stiff penalties for changing or canceling dates. Considering the effort it takes to get there and the fact that it’s in a national park, I was not surprised.

So the few weeks leading up to our trip we started to sweat a little. Driving to Death Valley requires going through multiple mountain passes no matter which way you go. We considered various routes and we heavily debated whether taking an electric car was the best idea – should we take the gas-guzzling truck or the more efficient Subaru instead? The latter would require either a bike rack or taking wheels off to fit two bikes inside. And in this economy, I really wanted to test the Tesla out, even if she’s eight years old and has half the range of the newer models. The day before we left, we decided to risk it!

Two bikes fit well when Delilah’s back seat is laid down, and we put the rest of the bike gear in the “frunk” since we would only need it at our major destinations. That still left room for a few suitcases, a computer bag, charging cables and adapters for the car, and extra shoes. We left only a little after our (my) 8 AM target, not worried in the least about our one remaining pet (Midnight) as she was in kitty heaven already with Mary staying for the duration! We had decided to take I-5 as far south as Bakersfield before cutting over to Death Valley, figuring that there was less snow risk further south (which was true). Surely I-5 remains bare and clear at all times, right? Not so much as it turns out. The forecast for Ashland was snow, and we kept watching red and black traffic indications in that area as we approached. It was late enough to be getting dark and we considered just staying somewhere before Ashland, but we were both anxious to push through since it would be even colder in the morning. Despite having the luxury of flexibility, we did have to get to Death Valley by Thursday or forfeit our reservation for the first night. So we took a side road in Ashland to avoid some of the slowest traffic on I-5 and then when we were finally merging onto the freeway (amidst falling snow and slush on the road), we saw a sign requiring chains unless you have 4WD or AWD, and luckily Delilah has the latter. Before long there was more gravel on the road than slush though, and once we passed a jack-knifed semi, things improved substantially, allowing us to make it to Yreka before settling nowhere special for the night.

The next day was less worrisome, passing through Shasta Lake without incident. We stopped to charge I think three times, including one by Sundial Bridge Park in Redding where we walked and even rode Bird scooters along the river. Charging at a supercharger is an interesting event. Of course, we had been to them many times already, but generally just the same ones between home and Spokane or Port Angeles or Portland. In California they have places with as many as 40 charging spots, sometimes alongside other EV chargers. They are either 150kw or 250kw and when you first plug in, if your remaining mileage is under 70 or so, it charges at a rate of 350-400 miles per hour! But as it fills the battery cell, it slows down exponentially, so it still took us 30-45 minutes most times to get us close to the top range. Unless you need the full range you usually stop charging at 80-90% capacity because then you are lower at the next charging station and it charges faster, etc. Tesla is pretty good about making sure there are amenities nearby – usually some form of restaurant or fast food chain or a hotel that allows you to use their restrooms. The ones next to parks or malls or places of interest are always preferable! So we definitely added hours to each day by driving electric. BUT we paid $0 for gas (and $0 for charging for that matter – she’s old enough to be grandfathered into free charging for life). And the required stoppage time is usually welcome unless you are in a hurry.

We detoured from I-5 to Highway 99 in Sacramento to head to Fresno (Clovis actually) where we met Eli for dinner and stayed at his and Kim’s lovely new home. Kim was actually back in Washington so Eli was a gracious host on his own. They’ve lived there since November and are already more settled and decorated than I’ve ever been within a year of moving into a new home! But we got up early to head towards Death Valley. No snow concern about the climbs up and over into the valley except that it might test Delilah’s range ability since there are only a few superchargers close to the park (and by close I mean within 150 miles. She can do close to 220, but steep inclines draw more energy than what she regains on the downsides. So I was nervous enough that we took a detour into Bakersfield to fully charge, and even then we rode without air to conserve energy. (The temperature was in the upper 50’s so not a problem at all anyway.) I had called ahead to make sure we would be able to charge there since it wasn’t a Tesla charger but they couldn’t give us much information. They did, however, warn us that they were having a water issue and we might want to bring some extra jugs of water. Hmmmm.

We rolled into the Inn at Death Valley with 60 miles left. No problem! And furthermore, their one working charger was free when we got there and our adapter fit fine. It would take eight hours to charge, but we were golden. The other resort, about a mile away, had four chargers, but most of the time they were all in use. Come to find out, many people had arrived and immediately left (without penalty) because the resort was still without water. Not an option for us so we hauled our jugs with the rest of our luggage to our beautiful room and tried to ignore the fact that we couldn’t take a shower or use our bathroom. Sani cans – sheesh! They were assuming the water main would be fixed that night or the next morning and luckily the other resort had water and restaurants so we shuttled there for the evening and had a decent albeit way overpriced meal.

Septmeber 30

No sleeping in today, but only because we went to sleep so early last night! Breakfast at the hotel and then leisurely onto our bikes around 10 for our “victory loop.” We had decided today was optional since we did make it to San Diego after all, but we are really glad we opted for it.

Leaving San Diego through industrial and Naval base areas was interesting albeit not terribly scenic (other than a few murals). But around 20 miles got us to the Mexican border park at Imperial Beach. A lot of people walk 15-20 minutes from the parking lot to the border park, but we were able to ride there quickly and take some pictures which seemed more climatic than yesterday’s arrival in the city. No hassles from the border patrol but we definitely saw them by trucks and helicopter. Then through some residential areas and up the coast to Coronado where we stopped on the beach in front of the famous Coronado Hotel for a drink and sat at the same table we sat at with Holly and her friend, Tami, last February. And their same friend, Ben, came to play live music! Very fun – great music, and the sun came out in full force. We both swam in the ocean before we rode the last few miles to the passenger ferry which took us across the water to downtown San Diego. 40 flat miles in total.

After a quick stop at the bike shop to see if they will box our bikes as planned (fingers crossed but we confirm in the morning), we showered and headed out to dinner at Bud and Rob’s, a small New Orleans bistro. Catfish on shrimp etouffee and penne with shrimp and mushrooms. Delicious! The Padres lost again but we saw that the Mariners clinched the wild card tonight so we are happy about that!

Septmeber 29

Up for a mediocre breakfast (no pancakes or waffles) and on the road shortly after 8 for our last long day. Fog and cloudy weather again but mostly trail or unbusy roads for the first 20 miles. Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base, will only allow bicycles if you get a permit, in person, in advance, from the gate at the south end of the base – basically impossible if you are riding north to south and don’t live nearby. So bikes are allowed on this 7 mile stretch of interstate 5. We were prepared though, having ridden on I-90 a couple (brief) times last summer – the shoulder was very wide, and they require you to take the rest stop exit 2 miles in so that you aren’t crossing any exits. After the rest stop we ran into a litter patrol who enthusiastically cheered us on as we walked our bikes around their truck which was blocking the entire shoulder. That meant walking our bikes through debris, however, and sure enough shortly after passing them I got a flat. Ugh! Luckily Craig fixed it quickly (and luckily we bought an extra tube yesterday!) and we were off the freeway before long. The rest of the day flew by – just one two-mile climb out of Del Mar that slowed us down. By Torrey Pines golf course and into San Diego on some decent urban trails and bike lanes. Had to stop at the Kissing Sailor and the Midway for pics before getting to our hotel and having a celebratory beverage (while the Padres were losing nearby). Dinner and crash. 72 miles today!

Septmeber 28

Good breakfast with a peaceful view this morning. Took some extra raspberry muffins for the road. We started almost right away on a paved, beach trail which lasted around 10 miles – so happy to not be on the highway for good chunks of the day – past Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, and then “shortcut” from Torrance to Long Beach where we escaped the fog for a short while and got to see the Queen Mary from afar. Coming down into Long Beach we were on another bike trail along an aqueduct (the Los Angeles River Trail) and at the very start there was a ramp leading down into it with only a small stream in the center before it led to all kinds of dirt, vegetation, and eventually the river; Craig was kicking himself for awhile that he didn’t ride down into it just for a funny picture. The sides are much steeper than the pictures show! Unfortunately, the trail is also home to a lot of encampments which we later learned were sometimes dangerous – we were happy to get back to the coast.

When we got about 8 miles from our destination, I felt something snap (mechanical, not physical ha ha) and discovered I could no longer change into low gears. Why is it always me? (Here’s a fun stat that could help explain – I have now put over 16,500 miles on that bike!) Anyway, luckily we had passed a bike store less than a mile prior (thank you, smartphone) so we slogged back and they took it right in. Terry at Laguna Cyclery was a pro and diagnosed the problem right away. He had to replace the cable in the handlebar, no small feat, and kept us watered and conversed while he fixed it. Thank you, Terry! We also picked up extra wires and a new spare just for insurance. After all, we have 1-2 more days of riding on this trip…

Happy bikes conveyed us the last miles to our Best Western for the night, this one free on the points we’ve racked up. We did laundry right away and then walked across the street for a great Mexican dinner at Carmelita’s, followed by Paradis ice cream, which we couldn’t resist despite being full already. Even with the bike mishap and foggy weather, a fine day overall. Longer day tomorrow into San Diego, but given the low elevation gain (like today), we are optimistic for a smooth ride to finish our trip.

Septmeber 27

Why are the longest (mileage) days often the fastest and the shortest days are often longer? Woke up and prepped to leave by 9 and discovered I had a flat. But the valve on the spare was pesky and it ended up taking us (and by us I mean Craig) almost an hour to get the new tire to inflate properly. But finally we were off on the PCH, which through Malibu is quite harrowing actually. Besides fast traffic you have to watch for all the workers and surfers parking (or having just parked and about to open their car doors in front of you). But we survived for six or more miles and then were able to get on a lovely paved trail along the waterfront all the way to Venice where we detoured to our first destination of Google; we stopped in front of a parking garage to see if we were close and then I realized the entrance was marked by a giant pair of binoculars so we knew we had found it! Donovan was quick to come down and meet us and we had a brief but happy reunion in front of his new workplace. Technically Donovan was never my student, as he did Calculus through Running Start, but he used to hang out in my class for fun (because math rocks 🙂 He has only been in Los Angeles for about a month – wishing him the very best in his new job and new surroundings.

Next we wound our way up near UCLA where we met Bradley who is a junior (and bio-chem major) there. He is so well adjusted to school and LA. No doubt he will finish strong, have some travel adventures, and make his mark in the world.

It was heating up and we hadn’t eaten yet, so we stopped to have a sandwich and then realized we still had 12 miles to get to USC. Because of the flat we were a long ways behind what little schedule we had, and Aileen had a class at 2. Normally 12 miles would not be a problem on flat territory, but in this case we hadn’t planned for all the stoplights. Not only were the stoplights numerous and busy, they were l-o-n-g and we couldn’t make up any time. So we inched through Beverly Hills (not sure why we thought it would be cool but Rodeo Drive did not impress) and did stop-and-go for quite awhile before we realized we wouldn’t make it on time. Luckily we talked to Aileen and she only had a 45 minute mid-term to take, so we found our way to campus, had a beverage in the shade while we waited, and then were able to visit with her for awhile as well.

I’m always so happy when students find a college that is a good fit – definitely no such thing as a one college fits all. Big, small, public, private, urban, rural. So much to consider! And I love seeing past students thrive in their new environments. It has certainly been a highlight in both big bike tours we’ve done to visit different students. I need to make the rounds closer to home as well… Thanks again to Craig for being supportive and patient about the side trips (and also the trips themselves 😉

We took our time after leaving USC. Well, more stoplights, intense heat, and headwinds contributed in the slow speed, too. But the last ten miles or so were on the Ballona Creek Bike Path (next to an aqueduct like you see in the movies where cars race on the sides of the channel) which allowed us to bypass stoplights and finally cruise into Playa Del Rey. We’re staying at a lovely hotel overlooking the Ballona Wetlands. Back to a Best Western tomorrow (and hopefully laundry) so soaking up what we can. We had a great dinner at the Dockside (Craig had octopus and I had a salmon salad – both excellent) and the server was a riot who awarded us “Cool Kids” drinks for our accomplishment – so sweet. Well worth the half mile walk each way!

September 26

Woke, completely packed up, and then sat down for breakfast a little early (8:00 was the earliest offer). Very pleased that they served us early and it was even better than yesterday. Granola and yogurt, fruit, a poached egg, and Bananas Foster French Toast! The perfect heavy duty meal before a long bike day. We were out on the road by 8:20 and agreed that we needed more time to explore Santa Barbara another trip. We also left the town on trail and proceeded to take trails and off roads for a lot of the first 50 miles. The rest was Pacific Coast Highway (PCH, 1) but we had a lovely westerly wind nearly all day (which is ideal when you are going primarily east). We cruised past Pepperdine (where I spent my first year and a half of college) and into downtown Malibu by 3:00.

Some of the sights today: Art City (a community of stone carvers that is sadly closing to most members this week), a beautiful memorial near Oxnard for Alaska Airlines Flight 261, stacks of rocks along the PCH (to which, of course, Craig had to contribute), and many busy beaches and stunning homes. Craig even spotted one dolphin.

After checking into our retro hotel (retro in the good way – very chic), we were so pleased to be picked up by Craig’s cousin Jeff and his lovely wife, Amy, who live in Los Angeles. They took us to a great dinner in Santa Monica at The Misfit. Can’t imagine better company for a night out – could have talked for hours longer and we hope to lure them up to Seattle for a visit sooner than later!

So grateful for a great day today – crazy that some of our longer days turn out to be our favorites. Tomorrow is a shorter day in miles. Hoping to visit a few past students if schedules align. Good night!

September 25

Day off! Managed to sleep until after 7. Then an excellent breakfast at the B&B and much lounging. Walked back to downtown and stopped in a few galleries, but most were closed because it’s Sunday. Temps in the 80’s so happy to stop in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art for the bonus of air conditioning and nice bathrooms 😉 Then we found a sports bar, Eleven 14, which advertised that it televises every live NFL game. True to their word, they had the Seahawks vs Falcons game and we watched the first half of the game before heading back to our room to let them lose the lead…

Another walk back to town for dinner, this time at a pizza and pasta place, and an early bedtime as tomorrow is a big mile day! I have been trying to plan shorter days so we have more time to enjoy ourselves, but Malibu’s options for lodging range from expensive to more expensive so we are pushing a little further than I originally planned to something more reasonable!

September 24

Waffles, egg crumbles, and paper thin bacon but good service at our Best Western this morning. Got on the road a little after 8 in “dense fog” and then took a slow detour through Lompoc to see some of their murals, which were very cool. Then onto Highway 1/101 for about 30 miles. At one point we approached a closed rest stop and had to detour into it since the highway (considered a freeway) gave up the bike shoulder at the same time. Good stop to take a secluded break anyway, although I didn’t see the rattlesnake warning sign until after I peed in the shade – yikes! Shed our long sleeves because the fog was gone and the sun was blazing already (high of 90 degrees later).

Back on the highway a bit further and then we got off at El Capitan state beach, excited to be on an actual bike trail with ocean views. Two miles in, however, the trail was closed. A little warning in advance would have been nice! Craig investigated, of course, and a jogger passed through, so we felt safe walking our bikes past where the trail and fence had given way. The trail finally got better through a nice campground and then passed under 101 to continue on the other side, but that was actually an even worse trail, clearly unused and overgrown. Bumpy enough that once we got back to the highway I noticed I could no longer get into my high gears. That had happened once before and Craig managed to fix it, but this time to no avail, so we rode a few miles further into Goleta, home to UCSB, and found a mechanic at Varsity Bikes who immediately put it on the stand, diagnosed, and repaired. Yea! Since the next day is a zero day, we opted to continue on the scenic route instead of the obvious shortcut to our B&B in Santa Barbara. This time we were met with a beautiful trail and nice roads past ocean estates, a good choice. Even with our stops (to fix the bike and to eat the last cinnamon roll), we got to our finish line a little after 4, tired but happy.

Staying at the Bath House Inn. Not real close to the ocean, but a half mile walk to downtown Santa Barabara with lots of shops, restaurants, and galleries. So plenty to do tomorrow. We had dinner at Carlitas, excellent Mexican food, then strolled back.

September 23

Earlier start after thin pancakes and egg disks in the hotel lobby. No long sleeves necessary this morning; it was already upper 60’s and warming up. We stopped at a Ralph’s in the next town for a big jug of water (because the hotel water tasted bad) which cost less than the fingernail file that we also needed. Then we hit Pizmo Beach in another 20 miles where we found the Old West Cinnamon Rolls store which Murdock had told us about. Well worth the stop and made up for the mediocre breakfast. We shared one and took another for later. Delicious!

Eventually we were forced back onto Highway 1 (which was also Highway 101 for awhile) but at least had a wide shoulder, although not always the cleanest or smoothest of surfaces. The later the day got, the hotter it got, especially because we were inland the rest of the day. At one point my Garmin registered 93 degrees (Craig’s always reads another 5-7 degrees hotter). After stopping for a BodyArmor and reapplying sunscreen we forged on, eventually turning onto a more rugged (but still four lane) Highway 135. At one point I sent Craig sprawling as I stopped too suddenly which forced us to find some shade to take a break in. Then we turned off onto an ominously named Harris Grade Road which wound upwards for 3 miles at a steepening grade – not the worst hill we’ve climbed on this trip for sure, but near the end of a long day and in the heat, it seemed pretty grueling. At least we finally had a picture worthy view at the top and several miles of downhill before we rolled to a stop in Lompoc.

Showers, laundry, and a so-so Italian dinner and we are DONE. Did I mention I slept little to none last night for some reason? I don’t think I’ll have that problem tonight…

September 22

Slept very well last night! And the my favorite breakfast with a twist – waffles with ice cream (and maple syrup and peanut butter)! Murdock and his dog, Kili, waved us off at 9:00 and we hit the road prepared for as tough a day as yesterday. Similar climbs at the start (including one lovely 3.5 miler) but then the road flattened out and the sun was starting to intensify. We stopped briefly before San Simeon at the Hearst Castle visitor’s center and thought about doing a tour but decided we had too many miles left as we were only half way. Usually you have to reserve days in advance but it was definitely past their high season and the parking lot was not really that full.

Next stop was the Elephant Seals a few miles down the road, and then we picked up a glorious little tailwind, going decent speeds even up some gradual inclines. We sailed into Morro Bay before 3:00 and were drawn to the Morro Rock which towers over the bay and town. Stopped to watch the otters playing in the water (and some strange rock squirrels) and then had a local beer and a snack in the harbor. When Craig was eating his last fried oyster, he found a few rough pearls! Lucky he didn’t break a tooth or swallow them… Then we went the remaining few blocks to our motel for the night. Caught the tail end of a beautiful sunset and ate an amazing meal at Dorn’s Seafood. Long day tomorrow but feeling optimistic.

September 21

Took our time this morning leaving Carmel as we didn’t want to arrive at our Warmshowers stay before 6 PM. Picked up breakfast burritos and Macaroons at the Carmel Bakery. Started worrying a little that we hadn’t allowed enough time because we had some big climbs, but plodded away and crossed some iconic bridges, resting infrequently because at least there were lots of pull-outs for vistas and slow traffic (which we qualify as). Not the best shoulders, sorry to say, but we are feeling pretty confident that we chose the right time for the trip as summer traffic would have been far worse. Also, the temperatures have been warming up but still in the 60’s or high 50’s in the mornings and 70’s in the afternoons — pretty darn perfect.

Ran into “21-timer” for likely the last time – he is only riding to LA, but this his twenty-first time riding some version of Vancouver, BC to California; he’s easy to spot because he is carrying an extra wheel on top of all his camping gear. He disagreed with our estimation of which climb was the worst but it was still fun chatting with him.

We arrived at our destination near Gorda only a little early. If you remember all my blogs from our cross-country trip ha ha, you would know that this was only our second Warmshowers stay, as we have been generally able to find lodging at reasonable distances (or campgrounds for which we were equipped on our other trip). This particular stretch of Big Sur was a challenge though, as a lot of the smaller motels don’t always show up in online searches. So our Warmshowers host, Murdock, was a real lifesaver in this case, making the difference between two 60ish mile days with 4000-5000 ft elevation gain and one 75 (and one 45) mile day with 7000 ft elevation gain. The concept behind Warmshowers is people providing a warm shower (duh), a place to sleep (could just be tent space but often a bed), and then optionally meals or access to a kitchen, etc. Murdock pulls out all the stops though. We had an excellent pasta dinner with garlic bread and a stocked salad, beverages, and the Macaroons with ice cream. It was so fun to trade travel stories and hear about the many (almost 200!) guests that he has graciously welcomed in his home. Did I mention he’s a big 49ers fan? He didn’t rib us at all about the last game against the Seahawks luckily, but his home is full of all kinds of memorabilia, including their actual season seats they held at Candlestick Park. He is so kind and personable – sets the bar pretty high for other hosts (which we did for the first time ourselves this summer).

September 20

On track for an early start and then while eating breakfast (including waffles – yea!), we heard on the news that the only section of Highway 1 we had to travel today (about 5 miles long) was closed due to a fire in a power plant at Moss Landing. Doh! Luckily I was able to remap our route away from the coast there and it only added 4 miles to our day. The added back roads were fine except that all the cars were trying to detour as well, so it was a little more traffic than we would have liked. However, we did pick up an early trail or two, then took trails most of the way to and around Monterey Bay. The pickers were friendlier than most of the other bikers we passed today – we always appreciate a wave and a smile. The fields of strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and artichokes were impressive!

Lots of sunshine today. We really never saw any smoke from the plant fire. And we had mild headwinds and crosswinds here and there but nothing too impactful. Once we made it to Carmel, we checked into our hotel, walked through a few galleries, had a beverage, and decided on Flying Fish Grill for dinner. Just an appetizer of edamame and “chips” and salsa were incredible, but then we had halibut and black cod – second best dinner on the trip so far!

Tomorrow I may not be able to post. We are staying with a Warmshowers host and he warned us we wouldn’t have cell signal after leaving Carmel so I suspect we may not have wi-fi there either. We will see – the adventure continues!

September 19

Breakfast wasn’t until 8:30 and then Craig had to oil the bikes and check the tires after yesterday’s hard ride so we ended up getting on the road at 9:45. Not too long a day though – no rain (except for a few sprinkles), milder headwinds (but still…), better shoulders on Highway 1, and eventually the fog burned off and we even had some lovely sunshine as we meandered by the Santa Cruz waterfront and into Capitola. We stopped just a few tenths of a mile from our hotel at Nu Bohemian Brewery where we sat outside and visited with someone’s dogs.

Best Western upgraded our room – it’s like a one bedroom apartment sans the full kitchen – and they have guest laundry which we set to immediately. They also happen to be next door to the Sage Float Spa, which we just couldn’t pass up. We chose to skip the isolation tanks and opted for massages instead since they had openings. Wishing we could do that every day after riding!

Just dinner and relaxing left. And finishing the website. Apple and Microsoft just don’t work well together ha ha, so I have to jump through a few hoops to get pictures downloaded from icloud. No worries – this all serves as our personal scrapbook when we are done 🙂

September 18

Slept much better and didn’t wake up until 7! Watched the weather reports all morning with breakfast in the hotel again and hoped we were going to be able to avoid the rain (which yesterday had looked like an all day event) but to no avail. Donned our rain gear and headed out on the streets, heading first to a bakery that Alexis had recommended, Arsicault. When we got there, the line was halfway down the block, but it seemed to be moving, and the rain was letting up, so we decided to wait. We started chatting with the people in front of us (I only remember Bridget’s name now, my bad) from Hermosa Beach (and New Jersey) – we’ll pass right by their house on the PCH later! A few bites of warm chocolate croissant and we were on our way again, passing through Golden Gate Park which had quite a few roads closed to cars and open only to peds/bikes. Then we were pleasantly surprised to find “the southbound lanes of “Great Highway” was also closed to car traffic on Sundays. The rain may have kept the sand from blowing in our faces and it was fun to see families out in addition to joggers and bikers.

Onto Skyline Blvd until we were finally forced to join Highway 1 in Pacifica for the rest of our journey to Half Moon Bay. The wind was howling, about 16 mph from the southeast with very strong gusts. At one point we went through a tunnel (with better shoulders than the highway leading to it) and when we came out we could only peddle about 5 mph. The rain did taper off but the wind stayed steady – we struggled into Half Moon Bay around 3:00, found the Sacrilege Brewery, and watched the Seahawks lose…

Checked into our great B&B, had dinner at Pasta Moon, spent too much time updating this website, and we are done!

September 17

Not a good night’s sleep 😦 but we still lounged in the morning and did a little laundry in the bathtub. Breakfast buffet at the hotel was decent and then we walked down to Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. Bought chocolates, of course, but also margaritas and nachos (with vegan chorizo!) at The Barrio where we had a great view of people swimming in the bay, sailboats, and Alcatraz. After wandering the waterfront a bit, we stood in line for over an hour to get on the Hyde/Powell Streetcar (which probably lasted 10 minutes). Visited an eclectic museum, had a beer at the Liquid Gold bar, and then had Italian food delivered to our hotel room. All in all, a good day off!

September 16

Up and completely ready by 8 when the restaurant opened. Amazing setting on Bodega Bay where we watched seals and pelicans diving for fish. Loaded up snacks for the day, including a 6 inch tall rice crisp (chocolate caramel) by the Crispery – spendy but worth a repeat! We set off on Highway 1 but took a back road detour for about 8 miles that had a couple climbs but was peaceful; even passed a few other bicyclists. Riding along Tomales Bay was beautiful albeit hilly and then eventually we turned off on Sir Francis Drake Blvd and then the Cross Marin Trail. The trail was probably only 6-7 miles long, mostly paved, but we always love a good trail.

Through Fairfax, San Anselmo, and then in Mill Valley we picked up another paved, two lane trail that took us through Sausalito and to the bridge. Luckily we talked to a few other cyclists at a stoplight who explained that the bridge has paths on both sides, and at 3:30 the west side is open only to bicycles. We arrived right at 3:30! So we took the right route and avoided the constant obstacle of pedestrians on the other side. A strong westerly wind made it interesting, but we had a blast crossing the bridge and stopping for pictures. Then bike trail nearly all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf where we headed south for our hotel near China Town and the Financial District, detouring only to ride down Lombard Street with the rest of the tourists, and pause for beer and Caprese at an outdoor Italian eatery.

Showers, dinner at a nearby pub (The Last Drop), a quick Walgreens stop for toothpaste and ibuprofen, and then back to our room to crash. We both had problems sleeping though – I think our bodies were just toast and our minds were still buzzing. What we had dreaded as a long and difficult day turned out to be so fun!

September 15

Our funky little cabin was cozy this morning after we started another fire in the wood stove. Breakfast was brought to us in a big box after 8:00 and was delicious (homemade oatmeal, fresh fruit and juice, and a tapioca pudding slice). No fog and the sun was out right from the start, although cool enough we never shed our light long sleeves. We weren’t worried about the late start (9:30) because we only went 52 miles today, although the elevation gain was more than what Garmin originally promised, almost as much as yesterday although fewer big climbs.

We ran into Andrew from Ohio again and took our picture with him. He finishes tomorrow in San Francisco while we will still have more than 500 miles to go. We stopped at a couple little stores for snacks but decided not to stop for lunch. At one point about ten miles from our destination we took a longer rest to watch kayakers and paragliders over a gorgeous inlet. But we waited for Bodega Bay to have a beer because we still had a few climbs left. Once here, we tested out their pool and hot tub then had a great dinner at The Tides (pasta, a little carbo loading for tomorrow). Just relaxing now and hoping for sunshine, tailwinds, wider shoulders, and a Garmin error in our favor tomorrow – not asking for much – ha!

September 14

Nice view of the harbor from our Fort Bragg hotel. Tried to sleep in but only made it until 6:30 and still didn’t get on the road until 8:45. We love our leisurely mornings, which seems only fair since most of the trip isn’t exactly leisurely ha ha. We had a quasi continental breakfast at the hotel then just snacked most of the day (a little too heavy on the junk food but our options were limited). Today’s elevation gain was much less than yesterday but all those ups and downs really do add up – in elevation gain and also tired legs. Garmin said we climbed 4,088 ft in only 55 miles but most of the “climbs” were less than a mile. One half mile hill outside Elk, CA was a little harrowing though – we were forewarned by a sign on a store that said “Dangerous Road Conditions Ahead – Stop Here,” but we thought it was just an advertising tactic. We had already been dealing with no shoulders on this part of Highway 1, and even though the signs strongly discourage big trucks, we were still being passed by logging trucks (5 today) and lots of other kinds of RV’s and big trucks. But they were right about the dangerous, dare I say harrowing climb ahead of us. After a hairpin turn on a steep downhill, in which trucks started revving to make it up the hill, the shoulder disappeared entirely and the grade jumped to 11%. We managed to time it ok as we could see the vehicles across from us now starting the descent, but we also had to stop mid hill and walk our bikes because it was steeper than the hill we live on – and that is much shorter! Craig got a decent picture of a logging truck ascending after we safely made it up the hill to a pull out. But I wouldn’t want to repeat that. We did notice a lapse in traffic a little while later and a police car zing towards and past us and wondered if someone hadn’t been so lucky on that stretch. Can only hope…

Made it up the final climbs to Anchor Bay where we stopped at a grocery store for snacks that turned out to be dinner (because we didn’t want to ride the mile back once the only restaurant opened). We are staying in funky place called St Orres, which sits between the tiny towns of Anchor Bay and Gualala (wah-la-la), and we are staying in a rustic little cabin called Wildflower with an outdoor shower, a wood burning stove, and a bed in the loft. The implied celebrity guest here is Tom Petty but who knows. Anyway, we will enjoy our sandwiches and chips and retire early.

September 13

Best Western breakfast was so-so (pancakes on a conveyor belt but on waffles) but we did wrap up a PB&J bagel to share for lunch later. Even though we got up at 6:30 to try and hit the road early (knowing today would be a big day), it was still 8:30 before our tires hit the pavement. Owell!

We were pleased to start on off roads edged with things like wild fennel, dill, and oregano next to the Eel River, and that went under or over 101 a few times, but eventually we had to merge with the beast. We were climbing off and on all morning and dared to add an extra few miles and hills to hit the last drive thru tree (the “famous” one). I did manage to talk the ticket booth guy into charging us $10 instead of $20, but even that was a bit ridiculous. Then onto Highway 1 finally and a grueling 3.5 mile climb as we headed toward the coast. We tag teamed with Andrew from Ohio who was traveling from Portland to San Francisco, mainly camping; guessing we will run into him again in the next few days.

A few more climbs before and after hitting the coast brought the day’s elevation gain close to 6,000 feet, as much as we climbed last summer on some of the mountain pass days. We were toasted as we crawled into Fort Bragg and stopped about a mile from our hotel for beer, pizza, and ice cream. Staying at a lovely hotel on Noyo Bay (besides the expected shampoo and whatnot we found earplugs which may be necessary with the incessant fog horn, but otherwise the setting and amenities are awesome). A few gentler days ahead before another long haul into San Francisco.

September 12

Rode 1.5 miles back to Rio Dell for breakfast because the restaurant at the hotel is not open weekday mornings. But Wildwood Waffles did not disappoint! We had waffle wraps with egg and cheese (and bacon for Craig) but also got one to go that had bananas, peanut butter, and Nutella. We looked forward to that all morning and finally shared it for lunch after noon. We were only on 101 for a couple miles and then the rest of the day on Avenue of the Giants. Thinking we timed things pretty well (knock on wood) for cooler temperatures and fewer crowds now that school has started pretty much everywhere. We were only passed by cars or RVs or motorcycles off and on today.

The trees were majestic! We definitely enjoyed the scenery, as well as the shorter miles. I thought we had 56 to do today (or 59 with breakfast) but Garmin had some kind of a double-back section and it only ended up being 48 overall. We were at the hotel before 2 and did laundry before heading out for a beer and pool (guess who beat Craig 2 out of 3 games?!) and to watch Monday night football (Wilson’s first time at CenturyLink Field as a Bronco). We had dinner at a little place called Celia’s that had a menu of all things Mexican, pasta, burgers, and sandwiches; my jalepeno tuna melt was awesome. Then back to the hotel to watch the Seahawks win first regular game of the season (with Smith as QB).

Tomorrow will be a much longer game with more elevation game, so we are planning on getting to sleep soon and hopefully an earlier start in the morning. Back to the coast, and our first stint on Highway 1!

September 11

Left by 8:15 this morning, after coffee and instant oatmeal. We were pleasantly surprised to be on 101 for only two 4 mile stretches today. (You might think I’d be more familiar with the routes since I mapped them all from multiple resources, but I made most of them quite awhile ago so I am surprised along with Craig :). The rest of the time we were on back roads and even a few trails, mostly paved. We rode all the way to Eureka, about 25 miles, before stopping for breakfast at a bagel shop with tables on the street. Then the route took us pretty far from 101 to the town of Ferndale where we walked our bikes down the blocked off streets during a car show. We may also have avoided more of the hint of rain we had earlier, so a worthwhile detour overall, despite the last three big climbs of the day.

We rolled into Scotia around 3 and had dinner here at the hotel. Overall 62 miles for the day, and a more enjoyable day than we were expecting. Hopefully tomorrow will live up to our expectations as we get to ride the Avenue of the Giants!

Interesting thought that one year ago today (on the anniversary of 9/11) we left Manhattan on our bikes to head north toward Boston.

September 10

Poor sleep but decent hot breakfast at the hotel. Late start became later as Craig had a derailer issue to troubleshoot and fix on the first climb, a 3.5 mile doozer, more than the warm-up we needed in the fog. After a few more climbs on 101 with little to no shoulder, and must-do picture stops at Trees of Mystery and the first drive-thru tree, we took a 9 mile detour (which started with a 2 mile climb) through the redwoods. We were cursing the climb (with a headwind no less) until we realized the traffic was gone and the scenery was fabulous. Also, the remaining 7 miles were essentially downhill, a big bonus.

A few more climbs on 101 and then the last five miles took us to our motel for the night. The only downer is we had to don our sweaty helmets and get back on our bikes (after showers and chilling, of course) to go the 1.7 miles into Trinidad for dinner. But our dinner at The Trinidad Bay Eatery was well worth it. We shared an Ahi Poke Bowl as an appetizer and then Craig had a cajun pasta with shrimp and I had an excellent portobello mushroom sandwich. We didn’t even mind the ride back too much. Tomorrow is a longer day in mileage but a lot less elevation – heading inland for more redwoods! Luckily the temperatures have dropped in the last day or two – one of the places we will be staying was over 100 degrees yesterday!

September 9

Good sleep! So-so but hot breakfast (my first waffle) at the hotel. On the road before 9 but first 20 miles were slow due to big climbs (the first right off the bat was 2.5 miles long) and multiple viewpoints. Had to stop and take pictures, of course. We leapfrogged a couple on a tandem and finally stopped to talk to them; they are German and started in Vancouver BC but are only (ha!) going to Los Angeles. One of the photo ops was a commercial being shot on the beach (a truck turning sharply through the incoming waves). Around the 40 mile mark (after crossing into California) we finally detoured from 101 and enjoyed some side roads nearly all the way to Crescent City. 57 miles and 2800 ft elevation gain. California is already warmer, and so far the views have been less than spectacular, but tomorrow we will be back to the coast and then the day after we start the ascent into the Redwoods. Hoping that one of our stays is done with their 105+ degree weather!

Dinner in Crescent City at Seaquake Brewery. More than a mile from our Best Western so we had to ride our bikes, but they were so light without our paniers that we didn’t mind. A quick stop at Rite Aid for the trail mix we like the most and now we are back relaxing. A good day overall!

September 8

Not sure what my problem is with being awake for hours in the middle of the night, especially in a very comfortable bed after busy days, but we were still up around 7 for another bag breakfast and good coffee (alas in paper cups). After Neal and Michele waved us off in the parking lot, we did one last drive-by (ride-by?) of Face Rock, and then headed out of town on 101, our route for the majority of the day. Despite the 20 logging trucks and countless RV’s that passed us, we felt safe on our wide shoulder and stopped frequently to take pictures of the incredible scenery (and a few dinosaurs). Still a few big climbs, but not as big as Wednesday, and still a light hand on our back helping us along. One big bridge with a We left the hotel around 8:45 and crossed the day’s only big bridge into Gold Beach around 2:00. We did pass a bike shop near the end, and the store staff ran out to greet us with free stickers (“we love bike packers!”). They were also delighted by our Sena helmets (they were already familiar with the motorcycle versions) and vowed to start stocking them at their store. Going to have to start asking for a commission on helmet sales.

A total of 57 miles in only four riding hours was welcome, and we felt strong. Laundry done at the hotel, we walked a half mile to an adequate seafood dinner. Hoping for better sleep tonight and similar sailing tomorrow!

September 7

Not the best night’s sleep, but we were able to be leisurely in the morning
while I updated the website. A bag breakfast in bed was not the highlight but
it sufficed. Then we walked to Rite Aid to get a few necessities and Neal and
Michele met us there so we didn’t have to walk back.

First stop was Grandma’s grave. It’s crazy how easy it is to look up where
someone’s is buried – not only did we drive right to the cemetery, but the
website gave the GPS location and we walked right to the grave. Hadn’t realized
that Grandma (Esther Frey Prewett Russell) was buried next to her first husband
(Mom’s dad who died when she was only 18) and we later figured out that her
second husband was in the same cemetery.

We also tried to find the house we remembered where we used to visit
Grandma. We knew it was near a little stream – Holly thought maybe a fish
hatchery – so we explored one near the cemetery without recognizing anything
for sure. It’s hard not to be able to ask Mom about details but we can’t, of
course.

We also stopped at Face Rock Creamery which was the Bandon Cheese Factory in
yesteryears. A snack and an ice cream cone later and we checked Neal and
Michele in at the same hotel. Unfortunately, Bandon pretty much shuts down in
the late afternoon, so we were only to go in a few little shops in Old Town. So
we drove to the Coquille Lighthouse across the bay, took a few windy pictures,
and then drove to the other side of town to view Face Rock (aptly named, see
the pictures). Finally, a fine Mexican dinner and a little more visiting to end
a great day.

September 6

Oiled the bikes and filled the tires and still on the road by 8:15. Regretted waiting until Reedsport for breakfast because we had a few climbs on empty and then settled for runny eggs and so-so coffee. But thankfully we left highway 101 in North Bend at mile 46 after crossing a scary bridge on a narrow ledge next to logging trucks and oversized vehicles. Then we took a lot of offroads per the Oregon Scenic Bicycle Route (with names like Seven Devils Road and Beaver Hill Road). A few more big climbs (total elevation gain 4,062 ft) and then we rolled into Bandon before 4:00. A grand total of 76 miles total by my Garmin, 77 by Craig’s Wahoo.

Have I mentioned how far superior the bike route in Oregon is to Washington? At least coastal 101 that is. More views, wider shoulders, and so far more tailwinds than headwinds. Hoping California is just as good if not better.

Food is a high priority for our two big meals a day. Usually we opt for shower first in the afternoon, but knowing we had the next day off, we made beer and appetizers first goal, and Tony’s Crab Shack was just the place. Hadn’t had a crab and shrimp cocktail in at least 7 years, but Craig also had oysters on the half shell (yuck) :). Once we cleaned up, we went to dinner at Pablo’s Corner, which had less than 10 tables and was run by two people (one being Pablo, the chef, who frequently checked in with us in our bubble tent outside. The Caprese was just three slabs of heirloom with a a few squares of mozzarella and basil and it was fabulous. Then I had spaghetti puttanesca and Craig had scallops and prawns on squid ink pasta. A fabulous dinner overall (topped off with a peach cobbler).

We are staying at the Bandon Inn which sits above old town. It has a lovely view of the bay and the wind is currently whipping through it. Besides following a long day, one of the reasons we chose to take a zero day here is that Bandon is where my mother grew up and went to high school. My brother, Neal, and his wife, Michele, will join us tomorrow to do some trips down memory lane.

September 5

After searching for the second (metal) room key for awhile, we left our hotel a little late, around 8:45. Generally if we have 60 miles to travel, we would figure 6 hours; even though we ride faster than that, it generally works out that way with stops (which range from changing layers to peeing to snacking to taking pictures, you get the idea). But we also stopped in Newport for a quick breakfast which ended up being a long breakfast because it was so busy. But worth it! Craig had a breakfast burrito and I had an avocado/tomato/spinach breakfast sandwich, with a pancake and peanut butter on the side, of course. Lots of coffee insured several additional stops later!

Once we got going, we made good time all the way to Thor’s Well and Spouting Horn, which required walking our bikes down (and up) steep but paved trails around many pedestrians. Craig ventured out on the rocks to get a closer view and some video. After that we made even better time as winds picked up, in our favor. We did have a few big climbs, with varying shoulder widths, but we sailed into Florence a little after 3:00, which was great time for 59 miles.

After restorative showers, we walked to Homegrown Brewery (couldn’t get into one of the restaurants we wanted in Old Town Florence) and had a great dinner. Only bummed that they were out of “Whale Exploding Pale Ale” ha ha.

Tomorrow is a bigger day (75 miles) so we are hoping to get a good night’s rest and an earlier start. Wish us repeated tailwinds!

September 4

We didn’t rush out this morning because it wasn’t going to be a long ride. It was the warmest morning we’ve had sincTe we left and we quickly shed layers. Twice we took detours off 101, the first being Slab Creek Rd which included a 2.6 mile climb followed by an epic downhill, with very few cars and a mix of sun and shade. We were passed on the uphill by two men from Brittain on a tandem bike. Later we went east around Devil’s Lake, again grateful to leave the highway, but it included more small hills than we wanted given we hadn’t had breakfast yet (and didn’t until almost 30 miles). Eventually we landed in Lincoln City for an excellent breakfast at the Nelscott Cafe – highly recommend. Craig had a crab omelet and I had a spinach and tomato egg benedict. First cinnamon roll to go, which will be our breakfast tomorrow.

We stopped a mile or two before our hotel at a couple pull-outs and designated parks. We stayed the longest at Boiler Bay where we saw several gray whales surface and spray. Then one more big climb and down to our splurge hotel for the night, The Inn at Otter Crest. We got here plenty early (only 45 miles total) intending to ride further to Devil’s Punchbowl and then come back, but the hill down to the hotel was so substantial we called it quits, only to find out we could do a much easier walk there from the resort. After starting laundry (yay!) and sitting in the hot tub, we ordered dinner from the only restaurant (pizza) which does not have dining-in options again yet. So pizza in the hotel room (with a great view), then a walk to Devil’s Punchbowl at the highest tide time (still nothing spectacular to see – more interesting to watch the surfers!), watching the Sounders vs Dynamos game unfold on social media (playoff hopes still viable), and then fighting with the bad internet signal here to get this done…

September 3

After coffee (made in a espresso pot from Alessi, Italy) and breakfast snacks, we said goodbyes and headed out. Morning mist became un-forecasted rain as we headed south (on 101, of course). I donned my raincoat and rain-pants and helmet cover while Craig regretfully skipped the rain-pants. By the time we reached Tillamook around 25 miles we were more than saturated. After a short stop at the Blue Heron Winery for cheese curds to go, we had to work to find a good place to eat, but we managed to find a sweet bakery with great scones, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches. Luckily the weather began to clear as we were finishing.

MJ had luckily warned us that the road along the coast from Cape Meares had been closed for years, so we took a shorter route back to the coast (down Fraser Rd and 131) which turned out to be a lovely route: less shoulder but less trafficked and more scenic than 101. Then we meandered along the shoreline until a 2.6 mile climb slowed us down considerably, eventually earning us an equal (but much faster) downhill. We coasted past Pacific City and to our motel by 3:00 and later had amazing Bahn Mi’s (Craig’s BBQ pork and mine fried tofu) at a nearby restaurant.

September 2

Misty start a little after 8 this morning. Made good time to the bridge, just before which Zack met us on the side of the road with donuts! We were nervous about the 3+ mile, two-lane bridge with construction in the middle of the mini high-rise section on the far end… But turned out no construction (maybe because the Friday of Labor Day weekend), and we did have a narrow shoulder, so we managed to cross without incident. Then we headed west and south, eventually abandoning the business 101 route for the Lewis and Clark Road, and even a few miles on a trail! After a lovely downhill with little traffic, we slid into Seaside and found the Firehouse Grill for brunch (really breakfast, with coffee).

After a short stint on 101, we rolled into Canon Beach, which was starting to get busy with Labor Day weekend. We stopped on the far end of town at the Dragonfire Gallery and then Miska’s beautiful gallery. Miska carries quite a few artists from the Snoqualmie Valley and it was fun to visit with Carol and Julie there (Miska was not due until the next day). Craig actually has two sculptures there as well. Right up the block from the gallery, we saw flashing lights and stopped cars. A local herd of elk were taking up part of the road, and we were intimidated slowly passing a well-antlered bull without the protection of a car!

Then up and down a few times on 101 to Nehalem. On the final descent in Nehalem, we were surprised to see two people waving their arms and cheering us on – Mary and Jens! We knew they were aiming to be on the Oregon coast this week but had no idea they would go out of their way to greet us again (first time was Kingston).

Shower, dinner, and a good night’s rest was found with Craig’s artist friend, MJ Anderson, in Nehalem. She has an amazing home and studio, and we loved wandering around looking at her prolific work inside and outside her home. Hard to believe someone might have more stone than us ha ha, but I think she might… (Don’t be surprised if when we get back we acquire an MJ original.) Over an amazing dinner served on personally selected souvenir china (mine was Seattle themed), we chatted with MJ, (other) Craig, and their friend, Joan. Finished off with homemade berry cobbler.

September 1

Nice leisurely morning. Made coffee here and scarfed the pastries that the office drop at every door before 9. Walked down to the beach, down the boardwalk, and through the town. Eventually had Streetside Tacos and then went for a drive up the peninsula as far as we could go. Back to the North Jetty Taproom for a beer and then lounged until dinner at Pickled Fish. Just trying to prep the bikes and gear for an early departure tomorrow!

August 31

No (open) nearby breakfast places this morning, so we drank a little substandard motel room coffee and shared an apple pie (like the Hostess ones only worse) from the gas station, then we rode 28 miles to Raymond for breakfast. Same story there – the place I wanted to eat was not open today, even though the website had assured me it was. Luckily the diner across the street had great coffee and all day breakfast options. One of the locals struck up a conversation with us about our trip and ended up buying our breakfast which was SO sweet, the first of two acts of kindness today.

The best thing for working off a big breakfast is riding another 47 miles. Even though the elevation gain wasn’t significant today and the Garmin promised only one “climb,” we had many ups and downs and occasional headwinds that wore us out. Fewer logging trucks but nearly all highways with poor to great shoulders. Around mile 40 an old red pickup pulled over in front of us, and that gentleman proceeded to offer us Coors Light from his cooler for the road because he could tell we looked thirsty LOL. We accepted one (not the two he offered) and stored it until we got to our cottage in Long Beach. Nice people in these necks of the woods!

Now we are relaxing with Zack and Mya. We already did our laundry at a nearby laundromat and had dinner at “The Lost Roo” (while watching the Sounders lose on Craig’s iphone). Looking forward to a day off tomorrow. Beach with the dog and plenty of chilling!

August 30

Breakfast in the lodge didn’t start until 7:30 and when we came down at 7:27 there was already quite a line to be seated. Good breakfast but later start on the road (9:00) than we would have liked. That’s the way it often goes and we don’t really stress over it.

Not the most exciting day biking. Mostly Highway 101 and later Highway 105 through Aberdeen and out to Grayland. We were passed by 14 logging trucks, some of which we pulled over for, and numerous other big work trucks, garbage trucks, and RV’s. We were glad to take a route that bypassed Hoquiam even though the shoulders were worse than Highway 101 because it was less busy and saved a few miles. We even managed a few miles on a paved trail outside Aberdeen.

Lovely little beach hotel right off the highway before Grayland. Three for three on second floor hotel rooms, but the view was worth it in this case. A nice balcony for enjoying the kites flying and later a gorgeous sunset. Unfortunately we had to get on our bikes again for an early dinner because the nice restaurant I had researched was not open Monday-Wednesday. Doh! So 1.7 miles each way to the Local Bar and Grill which was mostly fried foods but quite good and definitely a local watering hole. Everything tastes amazing after a long day of biking! Today we barely even snacked so we were ready for it…

August 29

We were worried about the restaurant next door (the In Place) which opened at 6 AM and was our main breakfast choice because the reviews online were so poor. But we were very pleased with the service, coffee, and food. Always best not to believe the critics when it comes to food and movies… It also helped us get on the road at a decent hour for another long day. We only got short views of the beach for part of the day, but felt like we are officially on the Washington coast now. Thought we were going a few miles less, but didn’t set the GPS course for the lodge – woops!

When we got to the hotel and I took the first load of bags up (second floor again, drat) and then I came back and asked Craig if he wanted the good news or the bad news. Bad news was the two flights of stairs but the good news was the bar on the way in ha ha. The room was very rustic and a bit tight with 2 bicycles, but the shower worked and we had a view of the lake and the front lawn. After a beer on the front deck, we forewent the indoor pool for the lake – plenty warm! Early dinner was excellent (salmon for Craig and polenta with wild mushrooms for me) and then we played cards for awhile. We were only allowed 30 minutes per device on the wifi so I didn’t have time to do more than Instagram. We did take a short walk up the trail, but turned back before the falls because we were worried about losing light; on the return we saw a woman walking a dog but also a cat on a leash. Very odd!

August 28

Early rise and 4 miles from my parents’ house to Craig’s parents’ house for blueberry pancakes (and venison for Craig and my Dad who drove and met us there). The sun was a welcome sight this morning but we still layered up. Most of the day we spent on the Olympic Discovery Trail which included a few hills, but worth it to leave the highway and listen to music. Despite being a little sore and tired from yesterday, we were in good spirits, especially after jumping in at Devil’s Punchbowl off the Spruce Railroad Trail on Lake Crescent. Stopped for snacks in Beaver. We did have to ride the last 20 (of 63) miles on Highway 101, with a bit of a headwind even, but we still managed to get to Forks before 3:00 and checked into Pacific Inn. Beer at the Westend Taproom and burritos from a stand not much further away made for a great evening. Just relaxing now and hoping to get an early start tomorrow so that we can make the most of our time at a splurge, Quinault Lodge. We are only allowed 30 minutes of wifi there so likely we won’t get the website updated tomorrow!

August 27

Got up early (5:30), planning to leave by 8. But the coffee, breakfast, and company were so good we lost track of time and left closer to 8:45. Cooler temps still and quite a few more hills today. Last year on our coast to coast trip (going the opposite direction) we had avoided most of Highway 104, but today we kept to it after the bridge to save some miles and time. We were happy to pick up the Olympic Discovery Trail in Discovery Bay which we stuck with all the way to Port Angeles, except for one unplanned detour in Sequim where they are working on a new trail bridge; that added a few miles when we were already tired (and Craig was hankering for potato chips) so not too happy about that. We also stopped in Discovery Bay to visit Craig’s nephew, Hayden, who was in a horrific car accident more than a month ago but is on the way to recovery – yes!

Met my dad in downtown Port Angeles and he carried all our panniers for the few miles, all uphill, to his house off Mount Angeles Rd. He was a hero with chips and cold beer but nothing tops the shower for me. Then we picked up Craig’s parents and had dinner at a Port Angeles institution, Traylor’s, which hasn’t changed (furnishings or menu) since I was a young child. First tuna melt in 7 years was better than the lobster we splurged on earlier this week…

August 26

Left only a little later than intended. Was hard to say goodbye to Hannah as she plans to move to Australia (!) while we are gone. She helped make sure we didn’t forget things and was a good sport about taking pictures for us. Love you, Hannah!

One would think, with the (easy) decision not to camp but to stay in motels and whatnot down the coast, that our loads would be much lighter. If you followed our coast to coast trip, we shed 15 pounds of camping gear in Chicago. However, with the potential for cooler weather and the newfound space, we managed to add a few things and ended up with fully laden bikes of 55 and 60 pounds (about half of which is the weight of the bikes) – not including the three water bottles we are each carrying. Owell…

The beginning of the ride was like so many others we have done: down the hill and up to Marymoor Park on the Sammamish Lake Trail, up the Sammamish Slough Trail to Bothell, onto the Burke Gilman Trail, a few roads and then the Interurban Trail, and then finally over to the Edmonds ferry. The temperatures had dropped more than 15 degrees from the previous day (even a few sprinkles) and we were glad to have layers. In Kingston we met up with Mary and Jens briefly, then rode the remaining 10 miles up to Hansville where we repeated last year’s stay at the Fasano B&B (Fasanos being our close cul-de-sac neighbors at the old house). So fun to visit with their son, Nick, whom we hadn’t seen for years. Their home and hospitality are truly amazing. Dinner was fresh seafood from local waters and vegetables from their garden. Did I mention I added seafood back to my diet this week? I plan to still primarily eat vegetarian, but seafood will make the rest of the coastal trip a little easier… Was grateful for this dinner for sure!

After dinner we unfortunately watched the Sounders lose to the Timbers and retired at a decent hour (after wrestling with file format and uploading issues which I finally addressed today). Tomorrow is a longer day…

BTW, let me know if you have problems with the website. The mobile version is a little tougher…

June 4

Short ride up to the tunnel and then up to the lodge and back within the park. Only 16 miles and 1,000 ft elevation gain. But still a great way to end the trip. Then shuttled back to St. George. We were let off at the airport where we picked up a rental car and waited several hours for Kayla to arrive on the shuttle (Salt Lake Express) from Vegas. It was in the 90’s but we had a great lunch at George’s Corner under a mister on their deck, and then we hung out at Pioneer Park where we climbed through mini canyons, watched rock climbers, and toured the Red Hills Desert Garden which was beautiful and interesting. Kayla finally arrived late, around 5:30, and we drove right away back to Bryce City, stopping for an early dinner in Mt. Carmel at the Thunderbird Diner (home of the “ho-made pies”). We spent the first of three nights in a very rustic cabin at Bryce Canyon Resort.

June 3

Most of the group headed to the Narrows to hike, but we had promised Kayla we wouldn’t do it without her, so we opted to do a ride instead. Jeff was the only other guest who wanted to ride, and Lauren graciously offered to shuttle us to a good starting place for a ride up to a reservoir. We didn’t intend to do the entire climb (5,200 ft elevation gain round trip) but once we got started, it was hard to stop, especially with Jeff (74 years young) well ahead of us. Lauren ended up riding herself as well, and we met her early on in the descent and we all rode down together. Quite an accomplishment (in 90 degrees no less) and the downhill was fast and FUN! About 3 hours up and 1 hour down. Then we all went to dinner at Bit and Spur.

June 2

Today’s ride didn’t happen. We did do a short hike (less than 3 miles) from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point via Wall Street. The views were incredible, although the hike was pretty crowded by the time we started. We stopped at Cordwood (Zion Mountain Lodge) for a great lunch in a beautiful setting (huge dogs, ponies, birds, rustic window arrangements, an old forge), then drove into Zion National Park. But we got stopped short of the tunnel, after which we were going to ride into Springdale. Supposedly five mountain goats triggered a rock slide which was bigger than usual and they closed the road for the foreseeable future (which ended up being 4-5 more hours). So Maggie expertly turned the van and cargo trailer around and we drove the long way (1.5 more hours) into Springdale and scrapped the ride altogether. We are staying the last two nights at Flanigan’s, which is a lovely property, and we ended up having a bonus dinner with the group at Zion Pizza and Noodle Company – yum!

June 1

41 miles (3,100 ft elevation gain) out and back (or rather up and down) to Rainbow Point, the end of the road into the Bryce Canyon National Park. So many views – of the “natural bridge,” the “Hoodoos,” etc. The colors and varieties of trees and rock formations were stunning! After descending (including a 2 mile bike path with sweeping turns – wheeee), we had lunch in a nearby park. Then we showered, rested, and shuttled to dinner at Stone Hearth Grill in Tropic (family run restaurant in a house with sweeping views).

May 30

Rode to Escalante for an excellent lunch (giant sandwiches) at Escalante Outfitters, rode on to Tropic, then shuttled the rest of the way to Bryce City. 47 miles total. Settled in at Best Western (not a lot of hotels and restaurants in Bryce City) and then had dinner “on our own.” Chris and Stacey gave us a ride across the street to Ruby’s Diner (they had a rental car because they missed their connecting flight in Boulder, CO but had stilled joined us yesterday). The restaurant had a buffet and I ordered a greasy mushroom croissant sandwich but the company was lovely at least.

May 29

Yesterday we flew into St. George (via Salt Lake City). For some reason I booked us on a 7 AM flight which meant Hannah had to drive us there before 5 AM. But the flights and connection were no problem. We just had to wait at the airport for awhile to catch a taxi into town, but then we walked/hobbled (my ankle) to Denny’s for a lunch and had snacks in the hotel for dinner instead of venturing out again. Then, this morning we met Trek and 8 other guests in the lobby and piled into the van for a 4+ hour ride to our first destination, a lovely hotel called Boulder Mountain Lodge (as in Boulder, UT, not Boulder, CO). It was in the middle of nowhere, but lovely rooms on a creek. We geared up and did a 33 mile out and back ride into the nearby valley, with a 3200 ft elevation gain and a nasty headwind on the return. But the views were excellent! Very spent from the last 5-10 miles – some people opted to van back. I had a noisy Garmin mount which led to an unhooked cable (for which I had no high speeds), and Craig swallowed some of the gusting dust and proceeded to cough the rest of the evening. But happy hour with the other guests and a gourmet dinner outside at Hell’s Backbone Grill (random afghans for warmth) made up for it.