OTIS AND THE BIKE RIDE

Long Day

Monday, August 13, 2007 - Day 53

Distance traveled - miles

Today I decided to do a long day all the way to Fort Stevens, which is on the northern tip of Oregon, just west of Astoria. To be honest, I'm thinking I can meet up again with Dusty Rhodes in Washington and travel with them for two days. I need to go back inland, however, to meet them at interstate 5. So I have to put in some high mileage days to get there by Wednesday, which is when they will be passing though.

That made today a day of pushing. I knew I had to make good speed to make it there before dark, knowing that it was over 70 miles. The day started out lovely, with a nice ride back into Tillamook, some conversation with a road construction worker holding a stop sign. From then on it was churning and burning on up the coast. It was a nice day, no rain, which I am grateful for. Throughout the ride I really kept focus on moving forward, on getting there. That's not really how I like to ride, but I guess that's what my mind wanted to do. I didn't want to think about what I will eventually need to work out. For now I'm just trying to move, not be stationary for too long. I need a healthy dose of that every now and again.

There were some hills, not necessarily easy ones, but not too bad. I stood up out of the saddle for most of them, just pushing on up. It's not really the best way to get up a hill, to stand up and push hard when it's not necessary, but again, I was just focused on getting there, on moving quickly.

I got into camp with just enough time to set up my hammock before it got dark. The hiker/biker section is full of people. There's an older couple, I think, and some group of women or something. It's hard to tell because mostly they are all in their tents already or getting ready to. Probably won't talk to any of them. There are also three motorcycles in here. I didn't know that motorcycles qualified for hiker/biker. I guess I think of the section being reserved for people who power their own transportation. I like motorcycles, and I want to get one, but that's just not the same. Then again, maybe the campground is full and that was all that was left. I don't think people should be turned away from campgrounds, unless they have a 50-foot RV. If you have that, you really don't need a campground. You might as well find a parking lot somewhere.

Also here is a homeless looking guy. He is older, with long, graying hair. He has a shitty bike with a trailer and a dog. He is friendly and said 'hi' to me when I walked by. I talked with him a little bit. He enjoys a 40-oz and chases it with a Tilt (alcoholic energy drink). That's his system. Says he can't have the forty without the chaser. He offered to smoke a joint with me. I told him I needed to make some phone calls. The dog's name is Dog. Straight to the point, nothing wrong with that. I like how he talks about Dog and how Dog talks to him. He's a really sweet dog, but big. That's exactly the kind of dog that is good for traveling, one that can watch over your stuff and look intimidating, but is really is like a big puppy. He and Dog cover about 9 miles a day, as Dog does not ride in the trailer, but walks beside it. I guess he hasn't figured out yet that he can ride in it. The guy's plan is to go to Colorado from here. I don't think he's going to be riding all that way on his bike.

Tomorrow may be a long day. I had planned on reaching a campsite in Washington called Rainbow Falls. It sounds like a nice place, but it is inland and north a ways, and probably around 100 miles from here. I don't know if I can handle a 100-mile day again. P.D. informed me of perhaps a better route to a different campground in Washington, that would bring me inland in Oregon, more than halfway back to Portland, and then up into Washington right around the 5. That is probably a much better route, considering it's at least 20 miles shorter and brings me right by the 5, where I want to get picked up. I'll give it a looksie tomorrow morning when I roll into Astoria. Either way, I need to get an early start tomorrow. The ranger said checkout time here is 9am. Usually it's around 1pm. I guess that's just more motivation to get my ass in gear in the morning and head out at a decent hour.

next time i'm gonna get a little trailer so i can pull a little boat behind me

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