Heading Home

Despite so many wonderful experiences during my recent time in foster care, it's time to head towards home. Before I do, however, let me take a few lines to acknowledge many of the people, in no particular order, who have made this such an enjoyable trip:

• Eliza and Sarah, for the High Trestle Trail ride;
• Jim from Charter Oak, for opening the town pool early, and for sharing his love of pedal tractors;
• Boudreax, of Boudreax's Butt Paste (it really works!);
• Grandma, of Grandma's Ice Cream Shop in Wood Lake, Nebraska, who became a great-grandma while I was having lunch;
• Sheriff outside Chadron, NE, who had ice-cold water and was willing to share;
• Hajar, Carl, and their families in the Black Hills to scatter the ashes of a friend;
• Mark and his wolves, outside Deadwood, SD;
• Jim Davis, rancher with land on both sides of rt. 212 in Montana, for the refreshments and the natural history lesson;
• All the people in Crow Agency who told me where to go to get out of the path of the coming storm;
• Tom and Marina, for taking in and taking out a total stranger in Billings;
• Dan and Marcia, such wonderful company in Bozeman;
• Milo and Alex, kind libertarians at the Big Bad Lunch Box, in Columbus, MT;
• Nick, on the way up to Glacier to hike with his dad;
• All the suitably insane riders in the Tour Divide, whom I met in Ovando, MT;
• Cathy, Isabel, and James, who somehow get along with an ornery ram and a spitting llama - and let's not talk about the turkey;

To be continued...

More Marin

Old RR Grade Rd. up Mt. Tam, after getting a little turned around on small Mill Valley roads

There are so many choices of beautiful rides around here. I know that soon enough I'll be leaving these hills, with their endless variety and stunning views, so I soak it up on this day.

Fairfax-Bolinas Rd. 

View from Ridgeline Drive

From the top of Mt. Tamalpais

View of just about everything,
best viewed on a big screen

Immensity

After all the land I've seen on this trip, I thought I understood the scale of things. The openness of Iowa and Nebraska, the vast skies of Montana, the Continental Divide, a first glimpse of the Columbia River Gorge -- these all inspire a measure of awe. The Pacific, though -- it floors me. Especially from Jack's Beach, up in Pt. Reyes.

Miles of this...

Traveling there with Bob and Sally, I had forgotten how long it can take to get to the ocean once you think you're at the ocean. When we finally did arrive, it became clear:

Wave after wave after wave

Bob and Sally settled in like the veteran beachgoers they are

While Sally scouted for kelp (not to take home and use for artistic purposes, of course -- after all, it's a national seashore) and Bob got comfortable with his book, I made my way to the water.

Whether on the Cape, in the Maritimes, or here at Pt. Reyes, being at the ocean brings back memories of sea glass expeditions as a kid. Now, though, I find myself looking out more and down less, drawn to the expanse and away from the details. This is the big picture I try to keep in my head. Here, where one can feel so small in the presence of the ocean, the idea of this trip becomes clear once again: it's all about connection. 

Marin County

You're leaving San Francisco!?

After the joys of city riding, it was a change of pace crossing the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County. That is, once I got past the hordes of walkers and bikers (nothing but a damn nuisance, those bikers...).

One look back at the city

A few winding roads later, and I found myself in Tiburon, heading up the hill to Bob and Sally's. It was a great surprise to see Alexa, even if it was for much too short a time. She had to get back to Fresno for work the next day.

Alexa and Sally down by the ferry

What's not to love about this place? They have a climate that would bring a smile to any Easterner, biking roads second to none, and a guitar store that makes me sigh. My second night here, I got to listen to a really good player sample about a dozen vintage Martin and Gibsons before his concert at Schoenberg Guitars here in Tiburon. That's one more beautiful thing about having family who live in nice places!

San Francisco from my bike

Took off from Molly and Nate's this morning to tool around the city. A lot has happened here in the last 30 years, but it still brought back memories from well before the last time I was here. It was beautiful, and the city is ever so bikeable. Tomorrow I ride over to Tiburon to Bob and Sally's. 

Sunrise in Mission Bay

Golden Gate Park

Something's missing

Rose Garden 1

Rose Garden 2

Rose Garden 3

Twin Peaks 1

Twin Peaks 2

Stern Grove

Way too cold for swimming

Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Dog

Haight St. Market

From the Presidio

Very steep, very steep

Painted Ladies

Sacramento to Berkeley

Even when I'm not riding...

I needed a new water bottle. Curiously, my NE Randonneurs water bottle fell off somewhere around the third cartwheel that the mountain bike was doing without me, and I didn't notice until there was no going back for it. So I figured that while I stayed with my cousin Brian, I'd find the nearest bike shop and get a new water bottle.

It just so happens that the nearest bike shop is a sponsor for two of the riders I met in Montana from the Tour Divide Race. When I mentioned that I had run into Jim and Trev in Ovando, the guy in the shop said, "Oh, you're the one from Vermont!"

This morning, I rode out bright and early to catch the train from Sacramento to Berkeley. I'd highly recommend it. Got to Berkeley without a hitch, and went for a little ride. So different from much of the cycling I've been doing!

Natural yellow things

Unnatural yellow things

On the way to the Bay Bridge

Old Naval education barracks on Treasure Island

Stumbled upon a rugby tournament 

Obligatory city backdrop

At rest in Berkeley 

After a delicious lunch at Cafe Leila back in Berkeley, I rode up the hill to Tom and Lillian's house, where I was greeted much more kindly by Stella than I was by the last Blue Heelers I met with Vivian and Grant. What a relief.

A fond farewell to Oregon, and on to Sacramento

 

Crossing the American River

The joys of biking were forsaken for the comfort of train travel from Klamath Falls to Sacramento. After our magnificent weekend of mountain biking (still wondering when my left hand will decide it doesn't always need to be clenching a handlebar), it didn't take too much beyond the words "Sacramento Valley" and "105 degrees" to convince me to take the Coast Starlight down to California's capital city. Arrived at 6:15 am, found a Starbucks, and rode out to Carmichael and a great meet-up with Vince, Margaret, Brendan, Ela, and their three young'uns. Brian joined us for dinner, and I'm now happily ensconced at his place. I'll be here for a few days until heading down to the Bay Area to see Bob, Sally, and Molly.

A Slight Change of Plans

My hosts, before cooling off at Lava Beds National Monument

Vivian and Gregg, Klamath Falls hosts extraordinaire, became tour coordinators on my second day. While escaping the heat at Lava Beds National Monument (really -- the lava caves are at least 20 degrees cooler, and sometimes have ice floors), Vivian put a bug in my ear about weekend plans. It seems a group of them was planning on going mountain biking in Oakridge; would I like to join them?

Well, yes! Although I'm not sure if I would have had that response if I had watched this first...

Well, three days and many thrills, spills, and chills later, we came out of the hills. It was great, and I hope Kent and Vivian have speedy recoveries! A wonderful weekend with a great group -- Vivian and Gregg, Grant, Kent, Marsh, and Chris -- thanks so much for making me feel so at home.

Here are some pics of the calmer moments. No scree, no blood, no wondering how I'm going to get down this mass of switchbacks.

from the top at Day 2

All smiles!

looks can be deceiving; seems like a pleasant ride, doesn't it?

The view from my seat on the shuttle

A little spent, maybe a little lost...

End of Day 2

the view from my bike seat at the top - Day 3

among the firs

Ready to head back to K Falls

After three exhilarating days of riding, back in the truck Grant and I went to Klamath Falls. I immediately was unconscious, while Grant ferried us back like a champ. There's a September ride planned for Waldo Lake. Hmmmm....