Introducing The 2007 American Bicycle Tour and Megatransect

Where are my manners? I can't believe it's taken me this long to introduce our adventure to you. Every bike tour needs a name, and so for this tour I came up with: the 2007 American Bicycle Tour and Megatransect. As we ride across the US we will also be doing a large scale tree study, which is where the megatransect part of the name comes from. Every 100 miles or so, Janice and I stop and sample trees. We lay out six 10 meter by 10 meter modules and sample the trees contained inside those modules. More details about the megatransect to follow.

Our Friends From Eugene (Photo)

From left to right: Stanley, Worthington, Mark, Heidi, Basho, Jordin, Janice, and Me.

Jan And Me Along The Coast (Photo)

Traveling Through Oregon (And Making Friends)

Life on the road has been good to us. Today is day 11 of the tour and we are in Sisters, Oregon, which is as small town nestled on the eastern side of the Cascade Range. Going up and over the Cascade Range was awesome. It was a long uphill climb, twenty two miles to the top of the pass, and this occupied us for all of yesterday. A lot has happened since my last post, and there is no way for me to tell you everything. So I will use my best judgment and pick a few moments that I think you will enjoy.

Day 5: A Rest Day along the coast. When we rolled into Pacific City, Oregon we knew we had to stop and have an afternoon along the beach. It was our last chance to enjoy the Pacific because our route was about to take us east. So we sat on the beach at Pacific City and enjoyed a cool, sunny afternoon. Janice had her usual drink, a cup of tea, and I opened a bottle of beer--my first beer of the tour. I walked in the ocean until my feet were two blocks of ice. Our campground that night was full of rabbits, and we were the only people camping there.

Day 6: Another good day of riding. We went up and over the Coastal Range. We found a good site to sample trees and spent about 2 hours sampling trees. (I guess I'll explain more about the tree project in another post.) Then it was onward into the town of Corvallis, Oregon, where Janice and I both bought tickets for the opening day showing of Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End.

Day 7: Was a rest day, and the day we watched Pirates III. I wonder if Walt Disney ever imagined that Keith Richards would be playing the blues in a movie about the Pirates of the Caribbean. Rest days are good.

Day 8: Took us down into Eugene, Oregon, which is a place I must give some attention to.

So we rolled into Eugene and went to the post office. We had some burritos for lunch, and then we went on over to REI. We spent a good hour or so just hanging outside the REI (Janice and I took turns going in the store because we heard how easily bikes get stolen in Eugene). Standing in front of REI turned out to be a very good idea for us, because it was at that exact location that Mark White, one of the good people of Eugene, rescued us from a night of homelessness and mediocrity. By his friendliness and goodwill, Mark transformed our evening into the brightest star of our tour. Mark, who seemed to be about the same age as me, saw that we were touring and started talking to us. We told him we were trying to find a place to camp and it was then that he said seven of the most hallowed words a traveler can hear: "You guys can stay at my place."

Before long we were back at Mark's house meeting his three roommates: Basho, Jordin, and Heidi. Mark, Jordin, Basho, and Heidi were excited about our trip, and they were also excited about sharing their love of Oregon with us. We talked about Oregon and about Eugene. We talked about Steve Prefontaine, a running legend who was from Oregon. The happy living room sparkled with conversation and laughter as we talked on into the night. Bottles of Chilean wine were opened and shared. Tennis balls were located and then juggled and then stolen by Stanly and Worthington, the two dogs that lived in the house. It was fine night, and a night that Janice and I were very thankful for. So thanks again Mark, Heidi, Jordin, and Basho! We will never forget you all.

A Little Bit About Our First Three Days

Greetings one and all! Today is our third day of biking, and the tour is off to a fine start. We've covered about 100 miles in 2.5 days of riding, not a bad effort considering how hilly the coast is (anyone who as ridden the west coast knows that it is not flat.)

Springtime is in full bloom in Oregon, and things are looking good. Oregon Green is everywhere. We ride along past farms and horses and houses. There is so much to hear and see and smell. The sound of our tires on the road--just a whisper compared to the sound of the car tires that thunder past. And then there are the slugs. Everyday for the last three days we have had to dodge slugs. The rain seems to bring them out, and they like to crawl along the right side of the road. If you were riding with us you would hear Janice and I exclaim, "Slug! Slug right. Slug left!" Every so often.

As far as the Megatransect, things are also off to a good start. We sampled trees at our first site, an old growth forest along the coast, and everything went well. This gives me hope that this project will be able to continue as we ride our bikes across the country.

We are in Tillamook now, and yes we stopped at the cheese factory. It was impossible for us to resist the free cheese. Tillamook, of course, also brings back memories of my first tour, summer of 2000's Western Bicycle Odyssey, where Travis, Jake, and myself rode our bikes from Seattle to Vegas. In the time that has passed both the coast and myself have aged 7 years. Riding our old route I've been thinking a lot about coming back to old places, places from the past. My first expectation was to tap into the same magic that was once there, but this, i have learned, is foolish. People and places change. And the only thing it seems for me to do is to find some new magic, for this is a new adventure. But luckily for us the new magic is not hard to find. We ride. We see and hear and smell things. We stop and walk around and talk to people. People see the gear on our bikes and naturally they are curious. We take off our sunglasses and talk, and then we move on. The day flows by like a river and even at night when I am sleeping I know that I am still moving. I'm just a single point on the surface of a spinning planet, a planet that just so happens to be pretty good for bicycle touring.

I will stop writing now, for my library time is almost up and I need to go back and edit this post before i send it out. And even after I edit, I'll want to edit again, and rewrite, but i know that that won't be possible. So I'll send it out as is, and wonder what you will think of this, as you sit in front of you computer, so many miles from here, and read these words off the computer screen. And I will wonder still what you will do after you read these words. I for one will get up, walk outside, talk with Janice, get on my bike and start riding. It's 5:15 out here on the West Coast, and there is a bit more riding to be done.

About To Start The Tour

Hello again. Janice and I have been in Portland, Oregon for a few days now, enjoying the good weather and getting ready for the tour. Tomorrow, Janice's friend Ingrid will drive us over to Astoria, Oregon where the tour will then begin. I'm looking forward to being on the Pacific Coast almost as much as I'm looking forward to starting the tour. The murky power of the Pacific Ocean, the cool salty breezes, the sun and the fog and the rain--these are all good things.

Late Night

In 26 hours we will be at the airport waiting for our plane. Janice and I have both been working hard the last couple days, but there is still more to do. My mind and my hands have been busy battling the mighty forces of Entropy, and the battle is not over yet. Will it ever end? Entropy, or the tendency of things to move to a state of disorder, seems to be everywhere. Although the bikes are finally ready, they still need to be boxed. And then there is the matter of packing our bags. My bedroom is just dripping with Entropy and I sometimes feel like I'll never see order or neatness again. But I plod onward. Moving, shifting, rebuilding--compartmentalizing the pieces of my life. The headset bearings that were once dirty are now smooth and packed with fresh grease (I took this photo before I added the grease). It's 2:30 in the morning, and in the quiet of my basement I can feel the tides turning. The smell of victory mixes with the smell of Simple Green. A cup of tea is falling asleep next to me. When the sun comes up old Mr. Entropy will be on his way out of town.

And now, back to work.

The Wheels

Our departure is getting closer and there is still more to do. Many of the final preparations revolve around getting the bikes ready. My bike, as well as my sister's bike, both needed new wheels. I decided to build the wheels myself. It was a fun project, and I'm glad I decided to go for it. I learned a lot and I look forward to building more wheels in the future. I built these wheels slowly and carefully and I hope they will be strong and smooth and willing to carry us for many miles.

The first set of wheels you see will be for Janice's bike. The other set (with silver rims) will go on my bike. The rims and hubs are made out of different metals and alloys. The spokes are stainless steel and the nipples are brass. Each wheel has 36 spokes and 36 nipples.

Packing and Preparing, Part 2

On past bicycle tours I have carried juggling balls. I use them to entertain myself as well as other people. I juggled on San Francisco's sidewalks. I juggled in front of supermarkets, in parks, and at parties. I can remember one memorable party back in in Lee Vining, California where I juggled two balls and frying pan. That was a great party, and it was one that I never expected to go to.

The party in Lee Vining happened about a week into 2003's California Bicycle Tour. I was traveling with my brother Chris, my sister Janice, and my good friend Travis. If the four of us would not have gone into the Mono Lake Committee Bookstore, we would not have met Anna and Ariel. And if we didn't meet Anna and Ariel, we probably would not have been invited to the party that was happening at their house. It's funny how some of the best parties are the ones you don't even expect.

Like the ukulele, the balls are a luxury item: something I don't really need. Will I bring them this summer? Probably, but I'm not sure. The balls that are pictured above are simply street hockey balls. I like their weight and the way they juggle. They are also durable and good looking. And yes that is me juggling beside Ring 2 of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily Circus.

Packing and Preparing, Part 1

Packing for a four-month bike tour is an interesting thing. We'll carry a tent for shelter. We'll bring different clothes to help us survive. Everything we bring matters. Even if we don't use it, we have to carry it. Previous bicycle tours and backpacking trips have taught me that lighter is better. Ray Jardine is right. Carrying less weight allows us to travel more efficiently and have more fun. But I've also realized that I'm not just packing for a bicycle tour--I'm packing for the next four months of my life. Do I need to bring my ukulele? No, but I probably will. I brought it on my last bike tour (2005's 1,500-mile Rocky Mountain Bicycle Expedition) and found it to be well worth its weight. Being a guitar player, I am used to playing my guitar everyday. But my guitar is heavy. So is my banjo. I thought about buying a mandolin, but didn't have enough money. I guess I'll save the mandolin for another tour.

I carry paper and pen because I never know when a good idea will come to me. I carry my ukulele because it gives me the means to create something, to solidify the musical ideas that are floating around in my mind.

Four Days Until We Leave

This summer, my sister Janice and I will be attempting a cross country bicycle tour. We will start riding in Astoria, Oregon and follow the TransAmerica Trail for as long as we can. We will ride during the day and camp at night, and if all goes well, we will reach Yorktown, Virginia sometime in late summer. The route is approximately 4, 250 miles. We are giving ourselves about 4 months. We will ride for adventure. We will ride to see things. We will ride because we like to ride, and because we can, and because we have found bicycle touring to be a safe, fun, and environmentally friendly way to travel. But Janice and I will not ride alone. The TransAmerica Trail has been around for over 30 years. Every year hundreds of people follow it. Some start in the east. And some, like us, start in the west. For us, the decision of where to start was not easy. For days, and then weeks, we went back and forth. East. West. West. East. I laid on my back and stared at the ceiling. They were just two small words, and yet I knew they would define our summer. The more I thought about it, the harder it was to decide. But eventually we decided. We decided to start in the west. And we both feel very good about this, which is important because after 4,000 miles of riding, a fly in the ointment can really start to reek.