The bug under the microscope

I have lost track of how many times I've told our story. There are the storytellings I expect - when we pull into a campground or host for the night - and the storytellings that don't surprise me - like when we ask for directions, bikes loaded down with food and panniers full and tents in tow. But there are also the times when I feel like a rather curious looking bug caught under a scientist's magnifying glass. My favorite such moment was when we were in Portland; Zac had run into a bakery to get some bread for our picnic in the rose garden. I was waiting outside with the bikes...no tent, only one pannier...nothing to really mark me as a touring cyclist. but lo and behold, a gentleman walks up to me and asks if we do tours on our bikes. I told him our story...turns out he recognized the Surly mark and knew them to be reputable touring bikes!

Anywho. I digress. Portland was absolutely wonderful. The food was wonderful...woodfire pizzas, strawberry honey balsamic vinegar with black pepper ice cream, vanilla yogurt pancakes Zac couldn't quite finish...We had very happy tastebuds and tummies! The city was a feast for the eyes, too. We were staying with a family in the Hawthorne neighborhood; when we had dinner in Colorado with Felix and his friend Cyn, she got in touch with her friend Dori in Portland who welcomed us with open arms. Sidenote: the hospitality we've encountered on this trip has been amazing and has restored my faith in people. Again, I digress. The houses in Portland are shorter than those of Chicago...two story bungalows reign over the taller apartments. But they're so pretty! And it's a very green city, literally and metaphorically. in addition to a recycling bin, each home also has a yard waste bin so that grass clippings and weeds can be composted!

 oh, and the major bridge into the city has a tally of how many bikes had crossed it so far...!

So we spent our days wandering the city, taking in the experimental rose garden (where all the roses were in bloom and the air smelled divine), having dinner with the one and only Erin Kouwe (a high school friend who also moved to Chicago and also happened to be in Portland!), enjoying a live blues band (where of course we showed off our dancing. but only a little, I swear!) and resting weary muscles.

 He is oh so dapper!

My favorite...looks like fire!

one of the places to lock your bike outside Powell's Bookstore

I can't say I was exactly excited to get back on the trail. Those damn hills just about broke my morale. But we reworked our route to create shorter, more leisurely days...And so far, so good! We took a bus from Portland to Tillamook in order to get back on the coast; the campsite we were planning to stay at was only about 15 miles away. This is mainly due to the 1000 foot climb we get to tackle first thing in the morning. eeeek! But we pulled into camp around 330...a solid 4 hours earlier than nights past! Which meant we had time to shower, hang out around the fire with other cyclists, go swimming...

Yep. You read that right. The water was nowhere near warm enough for such shenanigans, but that wasn't about to stop me from seizing the first opportunity I had to swim in the Pacific ocean! It took three tries to get in the water, it was so bone-chillingly, teeth-achingly, skin-burningly cold. But third time was the charm...I channeled all my years swimming at the Jersey shore and dove through a wave! Felt a lot better after that! And Zac has given me permission to tease him mercilessly here on my blog...for being waaaaaaaay too chicken to take the plunge! He made it out to his hips, but couldn't bring himself to come out any further. I sure enjoyed giving him ice cold hugs!

also, I decided those are not rocks. They are kissing dinosaurs!

So. trip take two. Pre-Portland was characterized by a whole lot of frustration, pain and tears. while I still anticipate more of those things to come, I think we've better set ourselves up for fun now :)

And hopefully we'll make it to San Fran three days before our train goes back to Chicago!