Day 95 - 9/10/16 Portland to Clatskanie, OR

Billy met me outside of Ben's place just before 7:00am.  He made it to Portland a day after Colin and I.  With tires and spare tubes double-checked this time, Billy was ready to ride out of the city and toward the coast, so was I.  We couldn't leave town without a donut so we each bought a couple from Voodoo and a nice cup-o-joe to get the blood pumping while the city was still warming up.  We both agreed this was the best time in Portland, early morning on a Saturday; not many cars or people or other bikers, just the pigeons picking up scraps and the rare city-slicker that has somewhere to be (besides Voodoo Doughnuts) on Saturday morning.  

Out of the city, we stayed on highway 30 for the whole ride, a road not too scenic but, with a comfortable shoulder for riding along.  There was nothing we were hoping to see at this point, we just wanted the blue of the ocean in our eyes.  So we pedaled and pedaled for nearly 70 miles to Clatskanie where we went to bed early with talk of the ocean and the final miles on our minds.

Day 91 - 9/6/16 Hood River to Portland, OR

This ride aint over til I jump into the Pacific Ocean but, nearing the end, it's hard not to talk about what this trip has done to us as people when you sit down with someone who has racked up as many miles as you.  I've had some great conversations with Colin, this was my 3rd day riding with him and last night, just as we were about to sleep in Cindy and Mac's backyard Colin brought up how special it is to have shared childhood experiences; like when you're on the playground and you just play with whoever's around because you're both trying to have fun.  

We came to the conclusion that this bike trip is the exact same situation; encountering other cyclists on the road, heading in the same direction, you just start riding together, there's no real question or consideration about it.  That's how it's been with every cyclist I've met, we're all just out here to have fun.  That being said, sometimes kids play in the rain and mud for fun.  Colin and I knew it was going to rain today but, we knew a little water couldn't stop us from the major milestone of Portland.  

So last night we psyched each other up saying how epic today would be.  We were not wrong.  The day started on the interstate, riding next to the fog covered Columbia and then it took us to quieter bike paths that wove through vegetation so green you could practically see it growing, underneath and around I-84 on graceful switchbacks, through shallow puddles that mirrored an inverted world.  Our halfway point was Multnomah Falls where we stopped to snack and suck down some coffee while the rain continued to fall on us and all the other folks that thought looking at waterfalls in the pouring rain was a good idea.  

Continuing down the road, we felt like we were in the rainforest.  The road started to snake its way up the hills and we were riding against the current of the water that slid across the pavement.  Despite the caffeine, we were tired and delirious from pedaling so hard for the first 40 miles.  We started screaming, some obscenities, mostly just loud noises, we had both lost it, every yelp accompanied by a tremendous laugh.  We pedaled further up, the rainforest opened to would-be great views but, it looked like we rode our bikes straight into a cloud, all the sky and ground below was behind a white curtain of mist.  

And then Colin got a flat, just as we were about to bomb down back to Earth from the clouds.  By the time the tube was patched we were both freezing; being soaking wet all day is only okay if you keep moving.  I estimated I had an extra 8 pounds of water soaked into my clothes and shoes.  I don't have a fender on my front tire so I had a steady stream of water blasting me in the face the whole day.  I hid behind my sunglasses like I was Roy Orbison, giving everything a soft, blurry appearance like an impressionist painting.  I'm thankful for Colin leading the way, I couldn't have made it from Hood River to Portland on my own.  

Finally getting into the city we got excited and started screaming again, cursing at broken glass and red lights and laughing our way downtown.  Colin and I parted ways on 7th ave, he had friends to crash with and so did I.  We continued in different directions to finish the most epic ride of the trip, only 100 more miles to the coast.

Day 89 - 9/4/16 Paterson to Maryhill State Park, WA

Billy and I didn't get to Paterson Elementary until after 9:00pm, the only place that seemed to have any space for us to pitch our tents.  There was a big garage with a couple school buses parked inside and plenty of room to eat dinner and set up camp inside.  

In the morning on the way out of town, we were hoping to get coffee and pancakes in the one restaurant in town but, I guess it's just closed down for good.  But outside was another cyclist hoping they were open as well.  

It was this dood, Colin who I briefly met in Missoula.  Heading to Portland, Colin joined Billy and me and left town.  Colin tode ahead and Billy dropped back until I lost site of both of them.  Billy had more tire issues and decided hitching to the next town was best for him.  

I caught up to Colin when he got a flat himself.  We rode the rest of the way together, for the most part, Colin's a quick rider.  Some of the hills we got to go over were incredible, brilliant views of the pure blue Columbia River glistening at the bottom of the rustic brown and gold rocks.  

The last mile of the ride was down one Hell of a hill that plummeted back down to river level.  The river engulfed my whole vision in the golden hour of the day, the bridge leading to Oregon looked like a toy model that grew to lifesize as we came around the last downhill bend to the campground.

Day 88 - 9/3/16 Walla Walla to Paterson, WA

We briefly rode into Oregon today along the Columbia River but, we crossed back into Washington and will ride along the river on this side.  We made it about 80 miles today, the last 15 or so taking place at sunset and into the dark.  I've never ridden that late before but it was very peaceful with no wind and no cars and cool air compared to the hot heat that beats down on you in the gorge.  

Billy's been having a lot of tube and tire issues since we started riding together, I hope I'm not some sort of jinx for him.  We're about 3 days from Portland, it looks like we'll be there sometime on Tuesday.  

Til then, we'll be riding along this beautiful river that looks like nothing I've ever seen before.  Every so often I feel like I can smell the ocean and I wonder if it's real or all in my head just because I'm so close now.

Day 87 - 9/2/16 Pomeroy to Walla Walla, WA

Just as I was about to retire to the rent for the night, another cyclist rolled into the park, his headlight cutting through the freshly fallen night.  Billy's from Ohio, fresh out of high school and he's been riding his bike all summer long.  I wish I had those kind of guts to do this trip when I was 18 but, I guess 26 isn't that much older.  

It was a windy ride from point A to point B, about 70 miles total.  The sun was shining and the sky never looked so blue behind the big splotches of pure white clouds cruising across the sky.  Billy said the hills of golden wheat looked like Zen gardens, they sure were beautiful.  Going into a store to buy weed fit right in with the surrealness of this whole trip.  

Glass cases of products, lists and menus and that smell, fresh bud, just lingering, going nowhere fast.  We found a place to pitch our tents and enjoy some of Walla Walla's finest just as the sun went down.  Tomorrow, we continue to Portland.

Day 86 - 9/1/16 Orofino, ID to Pomeroy, WA

I have officially made it through all the landlocked states that separate the East from the West coast.  It's truly exciting to be in Washington, not just because weed is legal here

– that certainly helps but, knowing the ocean is on the other side of this state is uplifting as all Hell.  I'm about 300 miles from Ben's place in Portland, my number

1 stop before I continue to the coast to deposit my bag of East coast sand.  I think I can be there by this time next week.