Lake Tahoe

From Emerald Bay overlook

Donner Camp Picnic Ground

I can't believe this place exists.  Google "Donner Party" if you don't find this funny.

Bikewashed

Are you familiar with the term "Greenwashed"?  When products claim to be "natural" or "earth-friendly", so you buy them even though the claims have no particular backing?  I am often Bikewashed.  Which beer should I buy?  I don't know, I'll just get the one with a bicycle on it.

Killing It

I've been having an awesome time ever since I got down from Lassen.  Yesterday, despite the foggy adventure, I managed to get in 80 miles and ended the day going through the Feather River Canyon - my map actually had a note to consider taking a bus as there is no shoulder and logging truck traffic - but I checked with a local bike shop and they said the trucks don't run on Saturday, and traffic would be light overall.  They were correct and the ride was spectacular.

Today I was focused like a laser on getting to Truckee, 82 miles away (and lots of uphill in between).  Four days ago I looked at the map and thought I should be in Truckee in four days.  The first two were relatively lackluster, but yesterday's miraculous milage put me in range today.  It was a lovely day, mostly climbing through the forest, and I am happy to report that I am writing this while waiting for a pizza in lovely Truckee, California.

OK GO climbing soundtrack

These are all actual songs by the band OK GO:

- Get Over It
- If I had a Mountain
- This Too Shall Pass
- White Knuckles
- WTF?
- I Won't let you down (get it?)
- You're so damn hot (more applicable back in the 100+ temps of Washington)
- There's a Fire (not here - clear skies ahead!)
- 1000 Miles per Hour (for descending only)

Trouble at Lassen

The plan yesterday was to get up and over Lassen National Park.  This would be no easy feat - I started the day about 60 miles from (and 5500 feet below) Lassen Pass.  Despite an early start it was a tough day and I got to the park entrance around 3:30; 20 miles from (and 2500 feet below) the pass.  There was a campground about 10 miles before the pass, and another just before you got out of the park.  So, my conundrum - either get off the road around 6:00 and camp on this side of the pass (and get to see some Lassen attractions tomorrow), or get up and over, but then be past (and below) everything tomorrow.  Not enough daylight to get up and over AND do any hikes.  So, I fought my usual urge to make more miles and set up camp early.
Well, this morning it was very cloudy.  As I climbed that turned into fog, and as I reached the summit that turned into very thick fog (see picture).  I'd say there was maybe 50' visibility.  On the way down it became very windy and a bit rainy - I was very cold.  The hike I wanted to do (Bumpass Hell, through some geothermal features) was completely socked in, so after all that I didn't even get to see the one thing I wanted to.

I stopped a couple times and kept running into the same guy who seemed to mean well but kept laughing at my situation.  "How's the ride?"; "It's really cold and foggy and I don't feel completely safe"; "Haha, I'll bet!".   He had a cup of coffee the whole time.  I was not amused.

Anyway, since I'm writing this I've obviously survived my ordeal.  I've been drinking coffee in the visitor center for the past hour, the sun is coming out and I'm just about ready to go.  I even stopped shivering (it took 30 minutes).  I just finished eating lunch with a group of grandmas from Reno.  They said it was clear and sunny until just a few miles from the park.  Damn you elevation!  <shaking fist in general direction of Lassen Peak>

Apologies to Steve Martin

If I had one wish, it would be for all the children of the world to hold hands and sing in peace and harmony.

And if I had two wishes, the first would be for all the children of the world to hold hands and sing in peace and harmony, and the second would be to get The Thong Song out of my head.

Stand By Me bridge?

I'm told that this is the train bridge from the scene in Stand By Me where the kids run across just before a train goes by.  Will need to confirm...

Yes please

This was the big descent yesterday into Ashland - about 3000 feet in nine miles.  That was a great 18 minutes!  I've known that this was coming for a few days, so exciting to finally be here.  Also got to see the scenery completely change from a pine forest to dry, brown hills.  Elevation is a crazy thing.  Note the sign in the distance - "Sharp Curves".

The name of this road is "Dead Indian Memorial Highway".  We don't have names like that back East!

Weed etymology

Named for founder Abner Weed.  Grow up, you stoners!

Weed, CA

Shame they're stuck with the name, Weed actually seems like a nice tiny college town - College of the Siskiyous (go Eagles!)

On the other hand, they have fun with the name and it's the only reason you've ever heard of the place, so it's probably really a blessing.  Now to enjoy a turkey burger and Shastafarian Porter at the Mt Shasta Brewing Company...

Pronunciation Station

Pop quiz!  How would you pronounce the town of Yreka, CA?

California!

Forced onto the freeway to cross the border - how Californian.  No "Welcome to California" sign, which is a bummer - but if I've left Oregon where else could I be?

Crater Lake

Two days ago.  Very little data network out here!

Magic Rocks

It's random, the individual things you might remember from classes in junior high.  But I do remember my 8th grade science teacher bemoaning the fact that some local group was putting on a show called "Chemistry Magic", showing the results of different reactions, etc.  It's important not to present science as magic, especially in an educational setting, he said (paraphrased). 

So, I know they're just trying to sell some rocks (a dubious business to begin with), but let's be clear - pumice is formed when lava cools, and in such a way that it traps a lot of air, resulting in a rock that is lighter than water.  Sorry kids, no magic here.

T-shirt weather

9:55 AM, shorts and t-shirt.  The sun is the best!

I get dry with a little help from my friends

Had some condensation on the tent, so I'm drying it with the help of my friends:
- A tree
- Nuclear fusion (aka sunlight)

Brrrrr

It must have dropped below freezing last night - I know this because there is frozen water outside.  (science!)  I think it was a max of 37 degrees inside the tent.  Good think I bought thicker socks in Bend!  And more coffee!

It's hard to believe that in a few hours I'll be sweating in a T-shirt.  But it's true!

Mt Bachelor

Took a chairlift about halfway up Mt Bachelor.  Nice view!  That's the Three Sisters in the middle, but now from the other side.

Apologies to W.P. Kinsella

"Is this heaven?"

"No, it's Bend, Oregon."

Three Sisters

Where the town of Sisters gets its name.  As always, much more impressive in real life that from the camera phone...

On my way to Bend

Where'd all the mountains go?  No worries, I turn southwest at Bend, back into the mountains!

I've been here!

(Turns out this didn't send the other day, so here it is out of order)

Cascades Locks, Oregon.  Between here and Hood River I am overlapping with my cross-country trip.

Also, I just came across the Bridge of the Gods - this was the site of the last scene in Wild.

Limited Services

That's the name of the game out here.  It was 70+ miles from Randle to Packwood, 90+ miles from Parkdale to Detroit (where I just left), and now 50+ to Sisters.  I do enjoy the camping, especially when I end up at a nice site, but I'd enjoy a night in town at some point.  Maybe tomorrow night in Bend.

I am a scientist

Testing my hypothesis that an insufficient breakfast was to blame for yesterday's general sluggishness.  I'll have to repeat the experiment several times to get the margin of error low enough.  Science!

Gifford-Pinchot National Forest

I entered this forest yesterday, just after coming down from White Pass.  It goes all the way down to the Columbia (where I am now), so I just got out this evening.  I really haven't had real cell service since Yakima, which explains the lack of blog updates. 

It was just about a perfect route.  Three climbs (two big ones) and two big descents - like, cruising around corners at 30 mph for 6 miles.  After White Pass I was apparently back on the west, wetter, cooler side, and it showed - thick forest, moss, ferns, everything!  It was chilly too - I was in long sleeves and a fleece this morning.

Funny story.  My map warned me that it was 71 miles with limited services through the forest.  As I headed in, I did a quick supply check - I just did a big grocery run, and I have my water - but I looked down and saw and empty water bottle cage.  I had left it behind somewhere!  Oh no!  Objectively, I should still be fine.  I had three bottles (a spare on the rack), which was as much as I carried across Nevada.  And I wasn't going to DIE - there were rivers and lakes ahead, I'd drink from them in an emergency.  And the campground would probably have water.  And there was some traffic, I'd stop someone if I ran out.

But even still, I found myself getting all anxious as I continued.  I was making contingency plans - OK, if the campground has no water, and no people, and it's hot tomorrow, I'll head back to town and buy more bottles.  I tried to exhale through my nose instead of my mouth.  So silly, not sure why I got so worked up.  Anyway, I got to the campground, which was full of hundreds of people.  There were water fountains.  And the campground host gave me two bottles of water.  And there were a couple places to fill up the next day.  And it was cool the next day and I didn't even drink more than the three bottles I originally had.  Well, better safe than sorry I guess!

Stories from White Pass

Random lady: "Where are you going?"
Dave: "South through the National Forest"
Random lady: "It's hilly that way, I hope you're in good shape"
Dave (in my head): "Lady, exactly how do you think I got this bike up here?"

At the viewpoint a mom and dad and their two year old were hanging out.  Mom asked if I'd like a PB+J sandwich, which I accepted.  She also gave me an apple juice.  As I finished the sandwich:
Mom: "Would you like another sandwich?"
Dave: "No thanks, I'm good"
Mom: "Are you suuuure?"
Dave: "Umm...no"
So she made me a second one.  And gave me some trail mix. Moms are the best!

Lastly, think what you will about me, but PCT hikers look TERRIBLE.  Northbound thru-hikers have been at it since early spring, that's a long time in the woods!

Rimrock Lake

Keep it coming, Washington,

Scenic Byway

Hmm, this might do the trick.  I even turned south a bit, the wind might drop off too...

Escape from Yakima

Taking a detour into Yakima was probably the worst decision of the trip so far.  Nothing much to see (or perhaps I missed it?) and fairly difficult to get back on route.  But I made it to Naches and now I turn towards Mt Rainier (and into the wind, unfortunately).

This route has done a good job of giving me what I need - as soon as I'm sick of one thing it completely changes and I end up following a canyon, or climbing a pass, or something pretty.  Let's hope that's what's coming because this has been a gross afternoon!

Leavenworth, WA

This place is a riot.  This small town reinvented itself as a Bavarian village - all the buildings in town look like a ski chalet.  I like how even Starbucks and McDonald's get into the spirit!

Roller Coaster Road

When I was a kid a hilly, curvy road was called a "roller coaster road" (I assume all kids do this).  Here in Pestashin, WA, they made it official.

Directions home

Turn left onto Interstate 90.  Continue for 2940 miles.  Take exit for Allston/Brighton.

Deadman Hill Road, post-descent update

Wheeeee!  Thanks ACA mapping department!

Deadman Hill Road

Dryden, WA.  If anyone from the ACA mapping department ever reads this, I'm very upset with you right now. 

On the bright side, I'm writing this from the TOP of the hill.

Spray bottles

One of these is sunscreen, the other is olive oil (spray oil!  What a country!).  What are the odds that I eventually spray myself or my pan with the wrong one?

Peanut Butter physics

With all this climbing I was joking to myself (I do that a lot) that my bike has become a machine that converts peanut butter into a bicycle at a slightly higher elevation.

So, my jar of peanut butter has 2470 food calories.  Assuming I convert that to mechanical energy with 100% efficiency (which I do), how far can I raise my bike fueled solely by one jar?

Dave + Bike = 100 kg

Bike trip deluxe

What's for breakfast?  Hot coffee and oatmeal?  Oh my!

* Columbia River

Turns out that spot on the river was 8 miles upstream of a dam, so the river was more like a lake.  Not quite as big downstream but still pretty good.

Hello Columbia River

Good to see you again!  It's been a few years.  Who knew you went so far into central Washington?  Even this far upstream you're an enormous, enormous river!

See you again in Hood River in about a week!

One pound of raisins

I bet I could eat this at one sitting!

They have both kinds

In delightfully named Twisp, WA.

Fire on the mountain

There's a forest fire burning about 50 miles south of here.  Check out the color of the sky!  I asked several people (including a forest ranger) how concerned I should be about this, and the answer was "not much".  They move slowly and shouldn't be an issue if I stick to paved roads.  They're redirecting hikers on the PCT, but road traffic should be unaffected.  Avoiding forest fires, a new degree of difficulty!  (pun!)

As soon as I cleared Washington Pass the skies cleared up.  The smoke tends to stay in a valley, so I've got clean air ahead of me.

Two passes

30 miles from the campground to Rainy Pass, almost all of it up!  East Coast passes/gaps/notches are much shorter but also often much steeper - Appalachian Gap in Vermont was 12% for the last couple miles.  There were no signs but I'd guess this was probably never much more than 7% or so, but it went on for THIRTY MILES!

My three best friends

National Park map

Your guide to adventure!

Heading into North Cascades NP.  It's 76 miles from here (Marblemount) to the next town (Mazama).  I could push myself and get there tonight and have no fun doing it, but instead I'm going to go for a swim and a hike at Diablo Lake, then head up towards Rainy Pass, where the road crosses the Pacific Crest Trail.  That area is National Forest so I can camp anywhere off the road there, perhaps at a trailhead.  Then a hike in the morning, then onwards!

A day in Seattle

I was given a great agenda yesterday of things to do and places to go around the city.  Most of them were outside of downtown, which was really nice - I was in less touristy places.

I followed the canal that runs through the city and saw the locks and salmon ladder, with aquarium-style viewing area so you could see the fish swimming against the current.

Saw Ballard and Fremont, two nice neighborhoods north of downtown.

Saw two very different views, from Gasworks Park and Kerry Park.  Gasworks is on the northern shore of Union Lake and looks south across the lake to downtown.  Kerry is where the postcard pictures come from - up on a hill, overlooking the water, Space Needle,  and downtown, with Mt Rainier looming in the distance.

Went to the EMP museum, a very cool museum with exhibits about Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, video game design, the art of Chuck Jones, and the allure of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy movies.

Spent the night in Seattle and now I'm on the bus heading north to Everett.  That will get me to the edge of the metro area, so I'll quickly be on quieter roads and heading for the mountains!

The goal tonight is Darrington, maybe Rockport if I'm feeling good.  There is a road through the mountains, the Mountain Loop Highway, that I could possibly take.  It adds some distance and some climbing, and given the late-ish start today I fear it might be best to stick to the shorter path, especially for the first day.  I think there will be plenty of mountains and valleys and rivers to see on this trip, no need to stress about it on day one, right?

Seattle

The Seattle light rail from the airport is delightful.  Makes me think that Boston, umm, could do better.

After a delightful coffee with my Seattlelite friend Adam, I've decided to spend the day here and get started tomorrow.  I like this decision.  I have a bad habit of pushing ahead too quickly on these trips and telling myself "it's OK, I'll explore Seattle next time I'm here".  And that's bad, because there are some places I probably WON'T ever be back to (maybe not Seattle, but you get the point).  Hopefully this bodes well for enjoying some hiking and swimming and other exploring I might otherwise zoom by later on.

Reassembled and ready for adventure!

Well, a trip on the light rail.  Then a bus.  But THEN adventure!