Via Byway, My Way.

#5

Riding the 36 mile “Avenue of Giants” scenic road. Very light traffic, moderate grades, and coastal redwoods on either side. Just serene riding, taking a short hike, and camping later that night at Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

#4

My two all-you-can buffets! Kings Table in Coos Bay and Chinese in Eureka. Definitely famished, I cleaned up and didn’t over-do it, despite plates and plates of food. I recently weighed myself and haven’t lost much weight, as I’m still hovering just over 150 pounds.

#3

Globalfreeloading in Eureka and near Fort Bragg. Just fantastic people paying it forward with kindness, generosity and stories galore. The people I’ve met have definitely made this trip a blast.

#2

Waking up between 6-6:30am every morning, on the road by 8am, and taking the day to just enjoy our beautiful lands of the Western Coast. Browsing small towns and meeting locals. Stumbling upon other surprises like local farmer’s markets, watching a 4th of July Parade (where logging trucks are celebrated as floats), catching the rehearsals of the Mendocino Coastal Chamber Music festival, wandering through small art galleries, and discovering new coastal parks and towns that will warrant return visits in the future, maybe this time with a convertible car! (okay, after I win the lottery)

#1

Walking my bike through the artist “colony” of Sausolito (just north of the San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge), waiting for a table at a local cafe by the boardwalk, and then being seated next to Keira Knightley! She was on break from her filming schedule in the Bay Area, and she was intrigued with all my bike gear. We got to talking about my ride and my past few months, and I learned more about Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom and a bit about her as well. As she had an interview with the SF Chronicle scheduled for the afternoon, she had to go, but not before slipping me her digits and making me promise to call her once I reached Los Angeles. She does not live permenantly in LA, but does maintain a residence there and she said she’ll be around by the time I reach LA at the end of July. We agreed to do lunch, and I made her promise me that we’d go to In-N-Out Burger since I’ve been craving their burger, fries and milkshake for the longest time.

Quick pic at the cafe in Sausolito.

So that’s the plan in a couple weeks time, I’ll let you know how that goes. So eat your words Monica, I told myself that I wasn’t going to spoil my happenstance encounter with Keira, but you just had to make some comments in a previous post didn’t ya, and now you see that I have met and will meet her again so HA! But please please please, don’t contact People magazine or those sleazy tabloids cause we’re just friends and I’ve already had my 15 minutes of fame when I caught Mark McGuire’s record-breaking home run baseball, but then gave it to a little boy because that’s just the kind of guy I am with my heart of gold for the lesser, unfortunate kids who never grew up with a radio controlled car, Atari 2600 or a banana seat bicycle.

That’s it for now, but before I go, Happy 30-something Birthday to M.C. DI, aka Mike “Perennial Kruunch Runner Up” Rohrig. If you have real estate needs, give him a ring or an email or check out his web site at http://www.mikecandoit.com/. He was a real asset when I needed to sell my home and helped me find my new one, and he’ll take the time to give you a hand with understanding the whole real estate process. A real good guy and I’m glad to call him one of my friends that I can beat up on the basketball court anytime I want. So Happy Birthday to ya bruttha!

I’m actually paying to use the Internet this time around, $5 an hour, but at least it is going to a good cause for a Family Resource Center here in Gualala, CA. The last 2 days of riding have just been stunning and any more superlatives will do it no justice. Traffic is generally light, on my right is the coast and rocky outcroppings where the waves crash and the gulls float, on my left are rolling grass-covered hills that wave when the wind blows. Just no further words can describe my ride, and I am truly bummed that I have no camera to capture this pics.

Before I go further, gotta give out some public shouts since I haven’t been able to respond to your emails or comments recently.

– Mike R: so how was Vegas and do look up the nearest Kings Table Buffet in Portland so we can pay a visit when I get back. Or maybe just one of the Hometown Buffets or something.

– Yuh Wen: welcome back from China chica! Call me back and leave me your phone number this time so I can return your call since I didn’t bring my address book with me on this trip.

– Happy Birthday to Big Bomb from Vietnam, John “You Can’t See Me” Le. I still think you should get your Slurpee for free, but anyhow, enjoy your big day bruthha!

– Belated birthday greetings also to my homegirl Bev, who celebrated last week with no doubt a big cake and only a few candles…

– Mike J: hope you kicked some ass at World Series of Poker in Vegas, give me an update on Dank and have and send my love to STP this weekend–wish I could have gone, but eat an extra Creamsicle Bar on my behalf and you better not pull an Evan and stop in Centralia and quit. I’ll be looking for that cheap finisher’s medal when I see ya.

– Lisa: Welcome back from Japan! I hope you were able to bring me that souvenir Sumo Wrestler outfit that I asked for. And I think when I’m done with this ride, yeah, I’ll be up for some yoga, maaaaybe.

– Hope and Nicole, aka “Welfare and Safety Committee”: thank you for your message, I did take your advice and went to the Safeway, but only ONE in Fort Bragg. As soon as I see another one, I promise, I will check in.

– Ezra: Welcome to the Darkside my friend. Now that you have a cell phone, you can vote for your favorite American Idol by text message! Yeah baybe, yeah!

– Nicole: See Ezra’s note above, and come join the Darkside!

– Melody: You’re on, October 1st, just like you said, I’ll jog along for the first few miles, then put on my jets and leave you in the dust. 2:30 here I come!

– Jay the ex-military dude from Harris Beach State Park, who doesn’t even know my blog address: Okay, yeah, I did try my tuna with mustard and mayo and not too bad. But I’ll still need to wait to try your suggestion of scrambled eggs with tuna when I get back.

– Jonas and Rene: Can’t wait to go with you guys on your next tour of Portland area poker games, good write up and wish I could have gone last week.

– Jonas: yeah, it actually was Robin Williams, but no one would have believed me, so I made up the Bigfoot sighting instead because that’s more believeable.

– Monica: yeah, still pedaling, and you still owe me some of that Guatemalan food you promised me.

– Katie R: raincheck for lunch when I get back, and this time you better answer your cell phone.

– Katie:  now that the World Cup is over, I just know that you are bummed and depressed that you have to wait another 4 years! 

– Christine: So here you can finally see what I have been up to….say hello to Ross, Peytone and Callahan for me!

– Dan: so you gonna ride with me for a few days south of San Francisco or what??

Okay, moving on….

Stats

Number of flat tires:  0

Roadkill sightings:  skunk, deer, various birds, cat, racoons, opposum, snakes, coyote/dog?

New addiction:  Super Sundae ice cream bars

Mileage:

Day 19: 55 miles, overnight at Hidden Springs Campground in Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Day 20: 82 miles, overnight at MacKerricher Beach State Park

Day 21: Rest Day, overnight with Globalfreeloaders Darrell and Lynn in Comptche on their 62 acre parcel of land

Day 22: 40 miles, overnight at Manchester State Beach

Day 23: (today) 62 miles, overnight at Bodega Dunes State Beach, or another place that another cyclist told me about.

**COUCHSURFING lives on!!!** Received an email a few days ago that Couchsurfing will be back online and improved, which is Fantabulous news! Globalfreeloaders and couchsurfing are just incredible uses for the Internet and I’ve met some many awesome people through them.

In Comptche (sp?), the couple that hosted me were very hospitable and kind. Former hippies, about 25 years ago they bought the land with 7 or 8 other families, with the idea of setting up a communal living situation. One long story later, they are the last remaining family and the land has been divided. They live with solar power, produce little garbage because they do a good job of recycling, and they work in the city (Fort Bragg) as a therapist and the other as a dietician. I was treated like a king during my stay…lounged on their hammock, walked with them to see their horses and to watch the full moon rise, and later in the evening Lynn whipped up grilled salmon, pad thai noodles with carrots and brocolli and cilantro, a garden salad, and a fresh mixed fruit salad. They are both into swing dancing, so later in the evening I sat with them in front of their TV and watched the 1940’s flick “Swing Time” with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, while eating freshly air-popped popcorn with butter. Simply amazing people, Michael once hitch hiked from Denmark all the way to India!

I have many more stories to tell, but must soon get back on the road. I do want to say that Leggett Hill almost kicked my ass, but I conquered in the end, though I had to stop half way up to catch my breath. Originally, I was only supposed to cycle 45 miles that day to the campground and rest up BEFORE taking on Leggett Hill the next morning. But I got into camp at noon because the raccoons woke me up at 5 in the morning when trying to get into my bike bag of food.  So I was on the road early in the morning.  Like I said, I arrive into camp at noon, and I decided to be ambitious and do the next day’s ride the same day, and to take on Leggett Hill.  The killer hill.  And it was hard, don’t get me wrong.  When I stopped mid-way, I stopped because I needed to catch my breath and get some shade; the hardest part of the hill was the heat.  I almost blacked out at the side of the road while trying to cool down.  But once I was better, it was back on the saddle for the long ride up.  And then a long, winding descent down until the 2nd hill, which I think was actually harder than the Leggett Hill, because at least Leggett was gradual, whereas #2 had more vertical.  The end of my story is that I arrived into camp at 6pm after almost 12 hours of riding my 82 miles.

New topic, which are the people I’ve met.

First guy is Kyle, 19-year old from the Whidbey Island area of Seattle.  He’s a youngster that was tired of working his Best  Buy and Target job, living at home, same town and same routine, so a few weeks ago he buys himself a bike and bags, quits his job, and starts out about the same time that I did.  He’s 210 pounds (and overweight by his standards cause he is a couch potato), not a bicyclist at all, but this is something he set off to do and he is doing it.  And he’s still determined despite all the bad luck he’s had since crossing over into California.  3 flat tires.  Hit by a SUV.  6 miles of pushing his bike on the highway before getting a ride into town to fix his bike.  And yesterday he got another flat tire.  I stayed with him while he was trying to fix it, and it was a lost cause.  Perfect timing because the next thing we know, this grandmother pulls up to us in her Toyota Corolla.  She offers him a ride into town to get the bike fixed.  Her name is Doris, probably close to 60, or maybe she is older and just looks younger than 60.  At any rate, she told us that when she retired, she put 2 things of on her list of things to do.  And she did them.  One was riding a bicycle across America from CA to Georgia.  Then she also rides from Mexico to Canada.  The other thing was to hike the AT–the Applachian Trail.  It took her 6 years to complete all the segments at different times, but she did it.  Now she leads an active life of adventure, he next trip is rafting some famous river in Alaska.  Last year her daughter participated in a bicycle ride around the world called Odyssey 2005, and Doris rode the support vehicle in Africa.  Just totally inspiring, you are never too young and never too old to do what you want to do.

I could go on and on with stories.  Stories of other people, and not from me.  Because my ride has been pretty uneventful, which is how I like it.  Just beautiful mornings of getting up on the road early, great scenery, getting enough to eat to keep me going, meeting new people on my breaks and in the campgrounds.  If only my camera still worked! 

I should be into San Francisco by Friday, and should be able to upload my WA/OR pictures at that time with another update.  Here are some closing thoughts before I get back out on the road for the afternoon…

http://www.texas4000.org/  Ran into these guys while descending Leggett Hill.  They are cycling from Austin, TX to Anchorage, AK!  They’ve raised over half a million for the Cancer society.

This morning I met a guy from Switzerland who has bicycled from Miami, FL and has been on the road for 17 weeks!!!!  He has 7 more to go to reach Canada.  And all he’s had are headwinds in Nevada and California and is a bit discouraged at this point with his morale because of the strong winds.

Okay, that’s all for now!!!

(See Below **** for new update)

Vital Stats:

Number of flat tires: 0

Number of buffets eaten at: 2

Number of Dairy Queen Ice Cream Bars eaten: 3

Mileage Log

Day 11: 42 miles overnight at Beachside State Park

Day 12: 35 miles overnight at Jessie Honeyman State Park south of Florence

Day 13: 55 miles overnight at Sunset Bay State Park near Charleston

Day 14: 57 miles overnight at Humbug Mountain State Park, south of Port Orford

Day 15: 53 miles overnight at Harris Beach State Park in Brookings (CA border)

Day 16: 70 miles overnight at Elk Prarie State Park, Redwood National Park

Day 17: “Rest Day” (not)

Day 18: 48 miles overnight at the home of a retired couple on Globalfreeloaders.com

Day 19: tomorrow, 51 miles

So once again I find myself at the public library internet terminal, and after taking 10 minutes away to check my emails, that leaves me with 20 to churn out a post for this blog. So so, where to begin??

I’m in Eureka now, and not camping tonight. I’m staying at the home of a retired couple that answered my request on Globalfreeloaders.com. Unfortunately, the other great internet site I’ve used in the past (most recently via my Honda road trip) is now defunct. Sadly, www.couchsurfing.com has shut down, which is a major blog because it brought so many travelers together. Hopefully Globalfreeloaders will be able to absorb some of the couchsurfing member community into theirs. Check out the web site to see the final comments of the founder of this super Non-Profit web site.

12 minutes left already?? Gosh! Okay, Oregon Coast was simply AMAZING! Especially the section from Port Orford south to the Oregon Border. So many pullouts from 101 to view the rocky outcroppings and shoreline. Prior to that, I spent some time hiking the dunes at Honeyman State Park (not a good idea if looking to rest the legs, as it is difficult to hike up and down sand), Bandon was gorgeous, and I thoroughly recommend a detour off of North Bend/Coos Bay to Cape Arago, home to 3 state parks including the Shore Acres Botanical Gardens.

Okay, I finally got rained out! In the middle of night at Elk Prairie State Park. Fortunately I had my rain fly attached to my tent. Unfortunately I did not stake it down properly (because I was missing a few stakes), and when I awoke early at 6am in the morning, my tent had collected pools of water inside the floor area! So, basically where I was sleeping. I was forced out in retreat and used my small hand towel to soak up the water and try to dry out as best as I could. That was yesterday, my “rest day.” Yeah, some rest day. Despite the cold and the rain, I was determined to do a little hiking. No hiking shoes, as I have no room on my bike. Just my sandals, and I wasn’t liking the idea of hiking through mud, but onward I went.

Fortunately, it did not rain for the rest of the day. The hike was just beautiful, through towering, majectic and “Oh Shit!” redwoods to Gold Bluffs Beach, across the sand north to Fern Canyon, and back through the Redwoods to Big Tree (304 feet high with diameter of 22 feet!) and Cathedral Trees trail, and back to the campground. All in all, my rest day consisted of an 8 hour, 17-mile hike. And thus my body and especially my legs, didn’t feel so rested when I awoke this morning.

But at least I filled up on my buffet! Yep, right here in Eureka, Chinese Lunch Buffet, All I Can Eat! And I think I did, topped off with 4 ice cream cones for dessert. My other buffet was in Coos Bay at the Kings Table Buffet, one of my favorites growing up in Portland, but they don’t exist up there anymore.

Oh my, 4 minutes left!

Okay, here’s where my millionaire dreams are dashed…but I have no more time to explain, so hopefully I’ll find more internet access in the next days. Sorry I couldn’t answer your emails to those that have emailed me in the past week, I promise to email when I can! Okay, have a great weekend everyone, over and out for now!

*********************

I now come to you live from Ferndale, CA. I stayed last night at the home of a great couple in Eureka. They made a wonderful dinner of ravioli, brocolli salad, steamed carrots, garlic bread and we had apple pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Just a wonderful, lovely evening spent with them. They are both retired and have used Globalfreeloders to find hosts in Scotland, England, Australia and even in Hawaii. I had a warm and dry bed, hot shower, and they even fed me for breakfast. My oh my I was spoiled, and I can’t say enough good things about Joyce and Darrell, I’ll definitely come back to Eureka to spend more time to explore the town and nearby Arcata.

I have arranged for another Globalfreeloader stay near Fort Bragg for Sunday night, but the couple live about 20 miles away off my route and from the sounds of their email, they live waaay out in the country surrounded by acres of land land land. So this will be an interesting experience, and it will come at the end of the day of the legendary Leggett hills. Apparently these hills are THE hardest part of the Pacific Coast Bicycle route…I experienced a little preview just past Crescent City, when I pedaled and pedaled and pedaled up triple peaks, taking over an hour to go 2 or maybe 3 miles. But I’ll be ready this Sunday for the Leggett hills. I should be into San Francisco by next Friday, where it will be a weekend of bad movies, greasy food and then a little basketball. And if I live through the Sunday basketball scrimmage with Ezra’s friends, then it will be back on the bicycle to continue down south towards Monterey and beyond.

About my Millionaire Dreams….

So there I was, hiking through these majestic Redwoods.  They are simply awe-inspiring…so high.  I had some pretty tall trees back at my home in Tigard, but these Redwoods, man oh man oh man, just unbelievable.  Many times I would just stop in my tracks and gaze up, up, up towards the sky to see how far those trees stretched.  And during one of my moments of being mesmerized by Mother Nature, I caught the glimpse.  Something flashed by my eyes in the distance.  Elk?  Bear?  Cougar?  I was a little scared, I’ll admit that.  But curiosity got the better of me, and I followed off the path to where I glimpsed the animal.  Scrambling up a little hill, grabbing hold of roots to pull myself up, I now stood above the trail and looked down the other side of the ledge….and there he was.  Or maybe she?

Sasquatch.  AKA Bigfoot.  Yep.  No lyin’.  Bright as day, right there below my eyes.  Looking up at me.  Huge, hairy, like a man in a suit, but this was no hoax.  This was the real deal.  You want proof?  Of course you do.  The proof is in the pictures.  I grabbed my digital camera.  But….herein lies the problem.  2 days ago, just before Gold Beach, my camera went out.  No explanation.  Just died.  The digital zoom lens just froze open.  Doesn’t close.  New batteries do no good.  It just makes a horrible noise when I try to power it on.  And thus no photos of the Southern Oregon Coast, no pics of the Redwoods, and certainly no proof seeing Bigfoot.  No chance of selling my pictures of Bigfoot to the local and international papers for a cool million.  And thus, my millionaire dreams dashed.

But take my word for it.  I saw Bigfoot.  For real.  He looked at me.  I looked at him.  He sized up me.  I sized up him.  And then he ran.  And that was that.  I didn’t dare tell anyone at the park what I saw.  They’d think I was lying.  But you know I wouldn’t make that up.  I’ll just have to draw a picture of what I saw when I get back.  But it does suck to have my camera out of commission.  Maybe I’ll end up buying a disposable for my next few weeks.  Oh well, at least my brakes still work.

Gotta run now.  Still have 50 miles to go.  One thing though before I go.  Why is it that people, when driving along, deem it okay to just throw trash out the window?  It is not as bad here as it is in Guatemala, but riding the roads each day, I am apalled at the amount of garbage I see strewn by the sideway.  Styrofoam containers, plastic cups, pop cans, food wrappers, etc. etc.  During one section in Washington, in a mile stretch I counted 30 pop cans.  That’s $1.50.  If that holds true, then for 100 miles I could make $150.  But that would be a lot to carry on my bike in addition to all the weight I already have.  Just one of the many things I think about while just pedaling the miles away.  So that does it for this short update, until next time!

STATS

Number of time dogs have chased me:  3 times

Number of dogs barking out to me from a passing vehicle:  5 timees

Number of flat tires:  0

Cost for bike repairs in Astoria:  $67.50

Number of cross-country cyclists encountered:  2 (going from west to east)

Mileage log:

Day 5:  53 hard miles

Day 6:  52 miles

Day 7:  Rest Day

Day 8:  42 miles

Day 9:  50 miles

Day 10:  37 miles

Day 11:  ??

It is now day 11, and hopefully biking as close to Florence, OR before 7pm rolls around.  I’m posting this entry one day early just in case I do not find a library tomorrow while en route. 

Thus far I’ve had my fair share of days high and low.  Sometimes discouraged at my progress (or lack thereof) because of my weight, the wind, or other conditions, and at other times inspired by others taking on the same journey and having the chance to go slow and see our beautiful coastline.

My ass sure is sore.  My arms and shoulders stiff.  Leg muscles sore as well.  And I think I’ve had a little sunburn.  But fortunately I have not had any hint of rain.  And while Portland was experiencing 100 plus degree days, I was in milder temperatures hovering around 80 degrees with a slight breeze.

I have considering stopping my ride to go back home, I won’t lie.  Sleeping on bare ground, freezing almost everynight while mosquitoes swarm around me can get old pretty quickly.  There is only so much PBJ that I can take. 

I’m still at a pace of 6-8 miles per hour, which is pretty slow compared to other cyclists who have passed me up with their fancy bikes.  Part of the reason why I’ve wanted to quit is because of my bicycle, which just isn’t cutting it.  I did get necessary repairs completed in Astoria, but when I ride I still have the sense that something is amiss.

The last few days have been enjoyable, as Lisa met up with me and acted as my sag wagon sherpa for a few days, so I didn’t have to carry all of my bags on my bike.  She’d meet up with me at the next camp, and I was able to pedal the miles faster and stronger than I have the previous days when I had all my bags.  It was great to have her along for a few days to give me company and someone (aside from myself) to talk to, as well as eat hot, cooked food every once in a while.  But now it’s back to carrying all my bags, and if I encounter a long, steep hill, I’ve resolved that there is no shame in walking, which I have already done many a time.

Other thoughts:

* The scariest part of my ride thus far has been the wind.  Riding along, all of a sudden a sudden gusts will come from out of nowhere and just about knock me over.  Scary because I become unbalanced and I definitely do not want to fall onto Highway 101 traffic.

* The hardest part of my riding has been the huge steep hills, but the wind has also led to many cursings and struggles.  I’m going as slow as it is already, but when I face a headwind that makes it feel like I’m pedaling but going nowhere, that’s when I want to just stop and hit the fast forward button.

* Craving Burgerville’s Strawberry Shortcake.  Haven’t seen one yet along my ride, but have seen plenty of Dairy Queens.

* Way to go Beaver Nation!  College Baseball Champs!

*  And what about them Trailblazers?  Finally we get rid of Telfair, I was not impressed with him and look forward to Brandon Roy and maybe LaMarcus Aldridge will turn out to be a good pick.

*  I’m treading water now, not too much more left to say with 3 minutes left on my public library internet watch clock.  So thanks again for your comments and emails, I do miss aspects of home (like no mosquitoes, lazing in front of a TV, being warm at night), but I am grateful to have the opportunity to do this ride and hope that I will soon find a place where I can finally upload some pictures!  So until next Friday, happy 4th of July!

Currently in Westport, WA, with only 20 minutes to spare at this public library.  Here are the vital stats for the first few days of my bike journey…

Number of flat tires:  0

Number of logging trucks sweeping past me with those heavy gusts of wind:  too numerous to count.

Number of other cyclists encountered going north to south:  5

Number going south to north:  1

Also heard second hand about a Brit that started in Los Angeles.  All he’s had is wind and rain.  He’s continuing up to Canada, then biking ACROSS, then south to Florida where he hopes to finish in November–apparently, that’s when his health insurance ends and his plane ticket back to England begins.

Mileage:

Day 1, 30 easy miles

Day 2, 75 miles

Day 3, 63 miles

Day 4, 56 miles

This has been harder than I expected.  I haven’t really gone for any training rides since last summer’s Seattle to Portland (sorry Mike, can’t go with you this year), and I’ve never really cycled with a fully loaded rear and front rack.  Thus, my peddling is sluggish and I am still trying to get used to carrying all this weight.  Plus I need to make sure everything is in good balance, because everytime a big logging truck zooms past me, the wind they create can blow me off my bike if I’m not careful. 

I have been blessed with great weather, knock on wood.  I was scared about rain, but so far, so good.  I have been freezing at night though.  My flimsy sleeping bag from 15 years ago isn’t doing me much favor in the evening, especially the first night when the wind whipped and howled and found little crevices in my cocoon to chill me as I tried to fall asleep.  As a matter of fact, I woke up at 4am Tuesday morning, and wanted to get riding right away but I had no light.  So I “snoozed” in til 5am, and was on the road at 5:30.

There have been some times where I have been discouraged about my ride.  I suppose it comes down to my bike and how I’m feeling.  As far as my bike goes, yes, it is my 7th grade bike of 20 years ago, not fancy at all.  I didn’t think gearing would be an issue, but when 3 other cyclists whiz by me and I’m trying my hardest to keep up to their pace, it does come down to equipment, of which I am poorly set up.  My back brakes are virtually useless, my front ones are just about finished, and yes Mike, I read your comments, you are absolutely right about my bald tires.  I roadtripped with my Honda on poor tires, now I’m doing this with my bike.

I wish I could post pictures of my ride, but the library won’t allow me to ‘possible infect’ their computers, so maybe I’ll find web access in the next few days to update this entry.  The scenery has been incredible.  I’ve ridden past deer, coyotes, countless birds, and took a cheese and cracker snack break while watching two boating fly fishermen battle a 25 pounder than got away.  My pace is slow, maybe only 6-9 miles per hour, but my body is feeling it.  My leg muscles are very sore of course, but so are my hands and my arms.  There is pain when I lift up my arms, so I am trying to be consistent with my stretching after every stop I make. 

I’ve only used my tent once.  My first night I came across a church with a huge grassy meadow.  I knocked on the door and received permission to sleep there, under the stars in my sleeping bag.  Tuesday I used my tent, Wednesday I slept tent free, but tonight I’ll probably prop it up. 

You can tell that I’m trying to squeeze all my ramblings in before my minutes expire, nothing is much organized but I wanted to give an update on my ride.  My food diet has been PBJ, cheese, crackers, chocolate bars, bananas, cereal, tuna, and an occassional ‘splurge’ at a fast food joint.  All in all my first few days of riding have been pleasant and I am happy that I’ve had the chance to do this.  Whether or not my bike makes it completely to Mexico is another story, so I’ve changed my plans to ride at least until San Francisco and then decide from there if my bike is travel worthy for more abuse.  That’s all for now, I know I’m leaving a lot of details out but hopefully I’ll be able to update this blog again before next Friday.  Until then, send good thoughts my way about my bicycle’s health (and me too!)

PS  Go Beavs!  Win tonight and they go to the College World Series title game against North Carolina!!

Well, here I am back in Portland for my last weekend, which will be spent at a friend’s wedding and then a Sunday Father’s Day.  Then, Monday…. and the start of the two-wheel test of seeing how far my bicycle can go south via the Pacific Coast highway.

I’ve had somewhat a change of plans, as I just learned that another friend will be getting married in early August, and thus I’ll need to be home sooner than expected.  So, instead of starting my bike ride in Vancouver, BC and riding around to Victoria, I’ll be getting a ride to Anacortes, WA (just north of Seattle) and then catching the ferry to Victoria.  This will shave off about one week of my time. 

From Victoria, my route will follow the Washington Coast, across the Astoria bridge to Oregon, down 101 to California, and then hopefully all the way to Tijuana, Mexico where I hope to be able to say one or two phrases in Spanish, unless I’ve forgotten everything I learned by that time.

So, what exactly will I be riding?  Here are the pics!

1987 Open Road 12-speed road bike, purchased on sale from Montgomery Wards almost 20 years ago for $129.

I peeled off the stickers when I got it so that it wouldn’t look like a cheap store-bought bike.  I’ve replaced the seat, the rims and tires, added foot clips and a rear rack.

Last year I replaced the front brakes, and just yesterday added a front rack to hang 2 front panniers.

I’ll have 2 panniers (bike bags) in the front, 2 in the back, and on the back rack I hope to carry my sleeping bag and tent.  I’ll be camping at state parks for most of my ride, with a splurge at a motel in real inclement (think RAIN) weather, and will spend a few days at the half way point in San Francisco to recoup at my friends.

That is, if my bike even makes it.  I’ll be biking solo, averaging about 50-60 miles a day, and though I have a guidebook that basically traces the entire route, I have allowed 5-6 flex days where I can rest or modify my schedule to fit the weather patterns or whatever. 

So that’s it in a nutshell, nothing too exciting, but it will be nice to be on the open road once again.  It was only 15 years ago almost to the day that I biked the Oregon Coast with a group of high school students, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Well, make that part 2. 

Before I head off, here’s a shout out to all my friends that I was able to see during my short time here, and if I didn’t see you, I’ll be back in less than 2 months so I’ll see you then!  Oh, and sorry I kicked your ass so bad at basketball last night Mike and Jonas 😀

It sure is nice to be back home in America. Hot running water, sidewalks, Sweet Tomatoes, Oregon rain, drinkable tap water, $3.19 gallon for gas, the Portland JailBlazers back in the news, and a home cooked meal. Man oh man, despite our domestic problems and a huge to-do list of what needs to be fixed, I love our country (cue Patriotic Music and waving flag in the background as fireworks erupt to light up the sky).

Now that I’m oficially back, it’s time to get down to business: I’ve been without the Internet for the last 10 days, so I have quite a bit of catching up to do.

– THE TRUTH REVEALED –

1. True: I did contemplate the volunteer opportunity at Finca Tatin. The opportunity was real, the place rocked, the food was fantastic and the jungle setting incredible–it would just require one month and getting used to mosquitoes sucking my blood every day. I passed.

2. True: while I was hanging out in Antigua, I did receive a job offer from Paxton to work in his little coffee garden shop. He laid it on thick and heavy and it was hard to say no, especially from a personality such as his. It was a cute little place and had I not other plans I already committed to in the US, I would have gladly taken the job.

3. True: I did visit the Church of Scientology, as my pictures proved, and even took them up on their offer of a free lunch (you know I can’t pass up free food!–in this case, BBQ burgers, hot dogs, potatoe salad, chips, melon, soda pop….)

4. Not True: I never once considered joining the organization to train in their program and recruit others in Central America. But you all figured that out, didn’t ya??? Where did I go wrong? The pictures didn’t work. My defense of the Church also fell on deaf ears. How about my friend Mike’s assessment and his jog down memory lane when I returned back from Morocco years ago with my discovery of the Muslim traditions?

 5.  True:  I have been gone for the last 10 days on a family trip.  Call it a vacation away from my extended vacation.  So I am now only getting to your emails and comments.  Here’s the quick run down….

After Finca Tatin, I did travel with Niklas and Aliscia to Antigua, I did hike up Volcan Pacaya, and I did hang out for a few days before catching a plane back to the US.  But I didn’t return home to Portland right away.  Nope.  Instead, I eased back into US culture in San Francisco with my friends from AmeriCorps.  Unfortunately, I was still suffering from my bouts of food poisoning, and got to know Dan and Ezra’s bathroom quite well.  It would actually take me 4 days of recovery in San Francisco to get me back to 80% health.  But during that time, I enjoyed watching cheesy movies; hanging out at UC Berekley; eating Italian, Mexican and Chinese food; relishing a burger, fries and shake at a Piedmont burger joint; stuffing myself silly at a Sizzler buffet after a few hours of trying to play basketball (and my body felt the aches and pains for 3 full days afterwards); and clogging up my arteries with our traditional breakfast spot, Ole’s, the famous grease spoon in Alameda.  In addition to all of that, we also found time to visit the San Francisco Church of Scientology, where I got my cool pictures and my free lunch. 

The Church!  Not located on the lake in San Pedro in Guatemala, but rather, in San Francisco right off Columbia.

Ezra and Dan finish off their food with some soda while a friendly Scientologist encourages them to come to her 7pm seminar on financial success.  Unfortunately, we were not able to make it.

Still sick, in recovery at Dan’s.  Left over pizza from the night before doesn’t sit so well in me. 

Decisions, decisions.  Should we go with the special edition “Cheaper by the Dozen” flick with Steve Martin or the romantic comedy “My Best Friend’s Wedding” with Julia Roberts?  How about NONE OF THE ABOVE.  We settle on a 1990 indie filmed RIGHT HERE IN ALAMEDA starring David Cassidy with appearances by Tommy Chong, Joyce Brothers and other BIG name stars! 

Immediately following our viewing of “X-Men:  The Last Stand,” we find this statue of the superhero “Many Hands Manny.”  Question:  If you had sucky superpowers such as the ability to eat 40 hot dogs in 5 minutes, wouldn’t you take the syrum to change you back into a normal human being?   These are very profound questions that I’m sure the Church of Scientology would not be able to answer.  

So there you have it.  While I was trying to plant the seeds of joining the Church, I was actually in San Francisco loading up on carbs and weight, and then quickly losing those pounds as I sat on the toilet every hour getting readjusted to a new American food strain.  All in all though, I think I gained back 5 pounds of what I lost in Guatemala with all the food I ate in SF. 

– A FAMILY VACATION –

I flew home from San Francisco for just a few days to hang low in Portland, hence my made-up story about going off to join the program in Guatemala.  I needed some time alone to unpack, SLEEP, eat, catch up on emails and bills, and then 4 days later I was off on a little vacation with my family down to Sunriver and to Reno for some gaming action.

View from Lava Butte, just south of Bend, OR. 

Hiking in the Lava Tube Cave.  Dad, Mom, my brother and his girlfriend, Hong.

Benham Falls with my mom.

Dad casts his line into Paulina Lake for an afternoon of none-biting trout…..

…while I take my mom on a hike up to the crater.  But we are forced to turn back when the ice and snow is just a little too much to traverse.

Rafting on the Deschuttes River.

Taking a break and watching the Native American Dance performance at Mills Park in Carson City, NV for their Carson City Rendevouz Days. 

Checking out the ol’ western town of Virginia City.

My bro and I ham it up for the camera.

We stayed 5 days in Sunriver, 4 in Reno, and 1 long day driving back.  Don’t even ask how I fared with gambling, let’s just say that I’ll definitely need to find a job sooner than later (if I only had 25 cents more I KNOW I would have hit that 10 million dollar Wheel of Fortune jackpot…well, maybe).  But Reno isn’t about gambling and lady luck now, is it?  No, not at all.  Reno is about the BUFFETS!  Gourmet galore!  Combined with the food from San Francisco, my few days back in Portland, and my family trip, and I have gained back a total of 11 pounds!  So only 7 more to go before I reach my pre-Guatemala weight of 5 months ago.

– PREP FOR MY NEXT TRIP –

I’m back home for 5 days to prep my bike for my next trip, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to see many friends or hang out to discuss the role of Scientology in our US political system.  This Saturday and Sunday I’ll be attending a 2-day wedding event for my good friend Amy and her awesome fiance Reto–what is so cool is that they orginally met in Antigua, Guatemala while learning Spanish.  So I got them a little something from Guatemala so that they don’t forget where they met!  Then, next Monday I’ll be hitching a ride up to BC, Canada to start the next leg of my year off.  Check back on Friday for details on this trip, and then every Friday thereafter for my updates on the road.  One thing I have learned is that when I was in Central America, Internet cafes were pretty prevalent and cheap.  Trying to find internet on my trip to Sunriver and Reno was like pulling teeth from a bear–impossible.  And when I did find it, like at the hotel, they were charging $12-$25 per hour!  I suppose I know what business to get into when I get back.  At any rate, I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll be able to find some access when I’m on the road, and hence my Friday weekly updates from here on out.  That’s it for today, hopefully I’ll be able to see some of you this week before I take off, but if I don’t, I should be back in mid-August with 10 more pounds lost, darker skin, and longer hair and my full grown beard and mustache (yeah yeah, laugh it up). 

Quick update for this week, as I have just a few minutes to use this very expensive Internet connection here in Flores.  I must say that I am not surprised by the comments I have received publicly and privately about my decision to continue on with my travels in an un-Edwin-like, unconventional way.  I am not hurt nor offended by the lack of support from friends and family because Geoff, Francios and others in my sect warned me about revealing the truth all at once.  It matters to me, but I do not take it personally, because I know what I am doing and I am content with my decision.  And to reiterate, I have not been brainwashed or sucked into a cult.  I am still me, with my own mind and my own take on life.  I have just decided to accept more tolerance and an open mind for a different way of living.  We are driven by a modern society that values work for money for living.  And with that we lose faith and lose sight of what we really want in life.  We get sucked into an endless cycle of a zombie-like trance, living the day to day in order to pay the bills, put food on the table and a roof over our head.

We are all different, our own minds, own values, own ideals and beliefs for how to live one’s life.  I have chosen a different path than the one I have accustomed myself to for the last 5 years of waking up every week to work my 40 hours, sit in the commute, pay my taxes and go out ocassionally for fun.  I chose a path where I do not trade off my spiritual side for profit.  I chose to positively affect the world around me through creating meaningful relationships and connections on a human, one-on-one level.  I don’t suspect that many of you will understand this, but it is my hope that by the end of 2006 you will all share in my passion for the life that discovered me through Scientology.

Tom and John Travolta may be punchlines for this misunderstaood way of living, but I am honest when I say that our intentions are true of heart and we only want to help people achieve all that they are capable of.  I have chronically been an underachiever with my life, always flying below the radar and doing just enough, but now I seek a greater maximum return of my potential through unlocking those obstacles that hold me back and keep me from being the best that I can be.  Well, no longer.

I can’t wait to get home back to Portland to share with my enthusiasm, but first I must complete my training here and improve my Spanish.  And this is my announcement.  I plan on staying for the rest of 2006, and returning back to Portland at the start of the New Year.  A new, improved New Year with a new, improved Edwin.  I can only imagine the possibilities of where Scientology can take me, and I am truly excited for the future.

But first things first.

Yeah, okay, I admit it, you all called my bluff.  Horrible poker face, no wonder I never win.  Suppose you all know me all too well.  I was hoping that I could pull the wool over yer eyes for at least another week…maybe convince 5% of you that I am for real.  I mean, come on, I had actual pictures of the Scientology Center!  Doesn’t that count for anything?? 

So there you have it.  I’m lying, cheating, faking, BS’ing, etc. etc.  The truth is, I’ve been home for almost one week.  Laying low, to acclimate myself back to eating full meals, flushing toilet paper in the toilet, and not filtering my water from the tap.  And catching up on my sleep, cause you know about that severe jet lag from traveling all the way from Guatemala!

But don’t try to contact me now, no, not this week.  Cause I’m back on the road.  A short, 10-day trip with my family down to Central Oregon, Nothern California and Nevada.  Then it’s back for a few days in Portland as I ready my bike for my trip down the coast from Canada to Mexico.  My best case scenario is to be back in Portland in mid-August, at least for 2 months.  Maybe I’ll find a survival job in that timeframe.  But this is my year off from doing the work thing, so then again, maybe not.  I hope to head off to Thailand and Vietnam later in the fall, so you just might see me at a highway onramp or off-ramp asking for donations to supplement what is left of my meager savings. 

So there you have it.  Yes, I am technically back in Portland, but out on the road as you read this.  I’ll be back next week for a few days to catch up with friends and show off my long, curly perm-like hair-do’, and then it’s back off my butt and onto my bike saddle for the ride.  I lost almost 20 pounds in Guatemala, but have easily gained 5 back from Nestle, Dreyer’s, Sweet Tomatoes and Baja Fresh.  Ah, it’s great to be back in America.  Unfortunately, I fooled no one with my tale of Tom and John.  But you knew that already.  So have a nice week everyone, I’ll be seein’ y’all later!

I don’t want to get on a soapbox and start telling the world what I’ve learned.  And I don’t want to use this blog as an advertising medium to celebrate my newly discovered ideas of living.  But I will admit that it is hard to contain my excitement and my feelings for the last week of training that I have been involved in.  I have been exposed to wonderful people and a cause that has inspired me to continue with my journey on another level.  My whole perspective on life and my worldview has changed for the better, and in the next few months I hope to share some of these teachings and my new experiences with you.  I’m probably not the best person to convince another to try something out, as evaluation and choices come down to the individual.  Changes come from within.  That’s all I’ll say for now about the positive changes that I have experienced.

The last week I have been learning, questioning, discovering and healing with new friends and mentors.  My learning will never be finished, but the next step of my journey will take me back to the Peten area of Guatemala, where I will spend a month or two to find and encourage new members to learn more about our program and then bring them back to San Pedro for further instruction.  I will be living with a fellow from Canada, Francios, who grew up just outside of Montreal.  We’ll be leaving this Sunday.  There is very limited access to Internet where I’ll be stationed, but we will pass through Poptun on Monday, so I’ll provide another update at that time.  But for now, please enjoy the following pictures that were taken this past week at the training center in San Pedro, housed in an old colonial style building just a short walk to the lake’s edge.

We have 3 levels of space–one for our meetings (the public face), one for operations (behind the scenes admin stuff), and an upper level for housing our new members.

Front entrance.

We sell our books in English and Spanish.  Over 20 million copies have been sold worldwide.

We also have our own newspaper publication we can hand out to the public in the capital city and other gringo trail hotspots.  We have these in German, English, Spanish and Chinese.  We talk to locals and international travelers alike.  Since my Spanish is still pretty rough, I’ll be shadowing Francios for a little while and helping where I can.  Our aim is to introduce Scientology and be available for people who have questions or misconceptions on what they may have heard from the media.  The true heart of our program is to help people live better, fulfilling lives. 

Please do email me privately or via the public comments section if you’d like to learn more about deepening and freeing your mind to our understanding of the world and our place within.

Finally, depending on my Internet access, please do check back on Monday for an important announcement regarding my plans for the future with the organization.  Happy June everyone!

So I did the rounds of the street vendor food, and this post is to remind me of what I enjoyed at Parque Central of Xela, Guatemala…

The round things on the outside of the plancha are called puposas — fried tortillas stuffed with cheese and sometimes with meat. In the middle of the plancha are las garnaches — little fried tortillas with meat and cheese topping.

Deep fried rolled tortillas, filled with meat or veggies…a Guatemalan version of a Taco.

Los Rellenitos… a plantano (similar to a banana) shaped into a ball and then stuffed with black beans and fried in oil (just like most things in Guatemala)

Los elotes — corn on the cob, but they take it to another level, smothering all sides with mayo and ketchup, and then adding some chile powder and some squeezes of lime. Huh?

My yummy yummy churros. Yeah, okay, maybe its all just oil I taste, but give me some hot chocolate to dip my fried donut in and I’m in heaven!

Los nueganos…little donut holes fried in oil. 3 or 4 go into a plastic bag, then the vendor dumps this really sweet liquid inside, closes up the bag, gives it a turn and a shake, and hands it back to you. The sweet liquid is soaked up into the little donut holes, and the result isn’t what I expected. One time is enough for me.

The taco stand…3 corn tortillas piled high with shredded pork, onions and salsa. Deelish!

In addition, there are other food staples that I had not gotten pictures for… tamale (basically a corn tortilla ball, very dense and not fried), empanadas (folded tortillas stuffed with fillings and then fried), chuchitos (tamales with chicken wrapped in banana leaves), los paches (rice in banana leaves) and chiles rellenos (stuffed pepper).

And I’m trying to forget black beans, eggs and tortillas for a reason, but I know they’ll always be a part of my memory regarding my life down in Xela for over a month…