tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89000428114677567262024-03-13T11:28:51.293-07:00Shut Up Legs ToursSojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-11549030307751837112014-02-12T08:01:00.001-08:002014-02-12T08:01:54.543-08:00What Cyclists Talk AboutCompilation of videos about what cyclists say. This is not too far from reality. Warning - this picture has nothing to do with the video so don't look for this because it is not in here.<br />
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Mt Girls Say<br />
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What Aussie's say </div>
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Mt Biker's Dumb Comments
- very staged and idiotic but a few funny lines....<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vPHSj18DvU4" width="560"></iframe>Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-40486643699313747632011-12-21T08:09:00.000-08:002012-10-26T14:19:00.964-07:00Summer 2011 Victoria, San Juans and Oregon Coast BookHere is the book with the highlights of this trip. It is not cheap at about $20 but I don't make a dime. Blurb is expensive to publish and I did it just to give away a few to friends. But, if you are doing this trip or parts of it you might it find it valuable.
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<div style="text-align:left; width:450px"><object id="myWidget" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf" width="450" height="300"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="book_id=2727034&locale=en_US" /><a target="_new" href="http://www.blurb.com/books/preview/2727034?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget"><img src="http://bookshow.blurb.com/bookshow/cache/P3845026/md/wcover_2.png"></img></a></object><div style="display:block;"><a href="http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2727034?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget" target="_blank" style="margin:12px 3px;">Vicotoria, San Juan Islands and Oregon Coast by Michael Sojka</a> | <a href="http://www.blurb.com/landing_pages/bookshow?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget" target="_blank" style="margin:12px 3px;">Make Your Own Book</a></div></div>Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-87504969840782931582011-12-19T17:59:00.000-08:002014-02-12T07:34:25.711-08:00Cycling ExplainedIf you are a "cyclist" you will most likely laugh. This video explains why serious cyclists do what they do. Though it is written to be funny, it is actually very close to what many serious cyclists think....<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47cGzu6-q40" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Cycling Explained</a><br />
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<iframe border="0" frameborder="0" id="xtranormal_Cycling Explained" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="xtranormal_Cycling Explained" scrolling="auto" src="http://www.xtranormal.com/xtraplayr/12674956/cycling-explained" style="height: 299px; width: 480px;"></iframe>Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-44265005328291020922011-07-07T16:08:00.000-07:002011-10-31T11:28:50.330-07:00Happy Camp to Home!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ItOyaNquHng/Th1AU8hFwDI/AAAAAAAAE5Q/eqR5pfLe-K8/s1600/Picture+265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ItOyaNquHng/Th1AU8hFwDI/AAAAAAAAE5Q/eqR5pfLe-K8/s320/Picture+265.jpg" width="320" /></a>Originally I had planned to camp at Tree of Heaven campground tonight. Somewhere along the road I decided that idea was not so great and that I wanted to eat and sleep at home tonight. I think when I got to the Klamth River market called Quigleys and was looking for food that nothing looked good and so I called my wife from the pay phone there since there is no cell coverage and told her my plan.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JX9XUFAOb4k/Th1AShaJFWI/AAAAAAAAE5M/c0ChBy5c3w8/s1600/Picture+264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JX9XUFAOb4k/Th1AShaJFWI/AAAAAAAAE5M/c0ChBy5c3w8/s320/Picture+264.jpg" width="320" /></a>It was going to be a heck of a ride but she could pick me up in Yreka at the Mexican restaurant Casa Ramos. And, I had done the 35 mile ride from Yreka to Mount Shasta a hundred times so that did not seem like a big cheat.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gaoyf2sAfQE/Th1AaNyKByI/AAAAAAAAE5c/4zcUn5NMUlI/s1600/Picture+268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gaoyf2sAfQE/Th1AaNyKByI/AAAAAAAAE5c/4zcUn5NMUlI/s400/Picture+268.jpg" width="400" /></a>Check out the State of Jefferson flag flying in the low position. <a href="http://www.jeffersonstate.com/jeffersonstory.html">The State of Jefferson </a>was a short-lived secession movement to try and get some politicians attention and more money sent up this way in 1941. <br />
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I get to the turnoff for 263 which is a beautiful road next to the Shasta River and find out the road is closed. That means the only way back is over Interstate 5!! I had never ridden this road on my bike and really wanted to do this. <br />
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There is no way I am riding 8 miles on I5 with the noise from hundreds of big rigs. So, I call my wife to come get me at the rest stop off I5 at the junction with 96. <br />
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Here I am ending the tour at a highway rest stop. A somewhat ignominious end to a bicycle tour but as you can see I was delighted!Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-85841671955137689392011-07-06T15:49:00.000-07:002011-08-19T18:47:47.530-07:00Decision TimeI had thought about this day a lot starting a month before the trip at least. Back and forth went the decision making process. Should I stay in Cave Junction or ride through to Happy Camp over the little used backroad from O'Brien.<br />
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Since it was an extra 10 miles past the turnoff to Cave Junction and I had not figured out where to camp there, I decided to go for Happy Camp. The mileage was a doable 75 miles but there was 7500' of climbing which was far and away the most of the trip.<br />
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It did not help that morning that I had a headwind all the way along 199. It is a narrow road right next to the Smith River. This is where the middle and north fork of the river come together.<br />
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Raft race? Sounds fun!<br />
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Now, I cross back into Oregon for a little while.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge about 8 miles outside of Happy Camp over Indian Creek</td></tr>
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I tanked up on sorbet, iced tea, and other surgery liquid things in O'brien which this picture shows in entirety. It was hot now - the hottest weather of the trip at probably around 90 degrees. I turned off on the road designated by my google instructions. My Garmin was still useless just showing a location on its map but not the road I was on. My instructions said to make a left, right and another left onto the road to Happy Camp. The last left did not materialize where it was supposed to so I flagged down an approaching car who looked a little suspicious of me. I told them my dilemma and they just smiled and laughed a little and said I was on the road and "just keep going", "keep going a long ways up and then down". Sounded a little ominous but at least I was on the right road.<br />
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Then I climbed and climbed on one of the weirdest roads ever. It never went down and you could never see valleys and it seemed like a never-ending ridge line with the summit around the next corner seemingly forever. I made the summit around 4 pm and started down. There was never I sign I crossed back into California or was going to Happy Camp. <br />
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Resting by Indian Creek around 5:30 pm I realized I was dehydrated and in a good bonk. I downed some Goo and Cliff bars but my body was done for. I could not imagine pedaling another 8 miles, setting up a campsite, bathing in the Klamath since there are no showers at the Curly Jack Campground in Happy Camp and then pedaling 4 miles back into town to eat. So, I GOT A MOTEL ROOM across the street from the market. I ended up buying bacon, eggs, peppers, onions and made a giant scramble in the efficiency kitchen. Then I started in on my dessert which was a sherbert swirl and tonic water. After 3 glasses of this I found a soup bowl that would hold the rest of the half gallon of sherbert and the bottle of tonic water and ate it all.<br />
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Even though the air conditioning did not work real well it was comfortable enough to sleep alright. After all the climbing up the river into a headwind and the heat and climb out of O'brien I was spent and collapsed into a too soft bed.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-32938800778139497682011-07-05T15:18:00.000-07:002011-08-19T15:51:20.985-07:00Harris Beach to Jeddidiah Smith State Park<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ABg2oBxp5K8/Th0_dJSaEKI/AAAAAAAAE3I/L1KxXR2BhtI/s1600/Picture+232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ABg2oBxp5K8/Th0_dJSaEKI/AAAAAAAAE3I/L1KxXR2BhtI/s400/Picture+232.jpg" width="400" /></a>This was going to be a very short day at only 28 miles. I would be crossing back into California and was somewhat sad to leave Oregon. The Oregon Coast had been everything I thought it would be and more. The other cycle tourists had been fun to talk with at the campsites and I knew it would be unlikely to meet more at this time. So, I spent some time at the beach by the campground this morning doing Tai Chi and taking pictures.<br />
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The fog was just lifting and was creating some really fun light, shadow, and surreal effects. <br />
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This was going over the bridge at Brookings, Or<br />
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There was a group of touring cyclists in the site across from mine - yea! They had driven down from Reno and started in Fortuna and were going to head north into the headwind until they were tired of it and come back. Nice group that shared their mosquito repellent with me - good thing as the skeeters were fierce there.<br />
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This had to be the most beautiful campsite of the trip with 250 - 300' tall redwoods to pitch my tent under and the river a minute away.<br />
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The clean, clear water of the Smith River right below my campsite.<br />
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I hung out with other cyclists that night drinking beer, eating cheese and salami, talking bikes and thinking about how early to get up.<br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-91752935184437512442011-07-04T14:14:00.000-07:002011-08-19T17:12:08.021-07:00Bullards Beach to Harris Beach - 89 milesThis was July 4th so it seemed prudent to get on the road early which is what I did. The plan was to ride the 25 miles to Port Orford and have breakfast there. Leaving Bullard Beach I took the scenic bikeway road and ended up on a dead-end out by this inlet. Very pretty but not the way I wanted to start the day.<br />
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I got back on route and enjoyed seeing the city of Bandon which seems to be suffering from overbuilding. There was lots of for sale signs everywhere. Very pretty views of the coast from several of the properties. Something, though, felt a little hollow about this place. I would need to spend more time here to know if that was a valid observation or not.<br />
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This silly looking sculpture was along the road going out of town.<br />
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Pedaling into Port Orford I see a restaurant and a guy walking towards the front door. I ask him if it is any good and says yes and it needs to be since it is the only place for breakfast. I noticed he has some strange Chinese herbal liniment formula in his hands that I happen to have called <a href="http://eastearthtrade.com/fivephotosbrandfirstaidantiseptic.aspx">Five Photos</a>. Since this is a rather obscure piece of knowledge we start talking and I find out he is a retired guy from California who had been a harmonica player in a band to a hunting guide doing mule trains and worked in the forestry service. Breakfast was a little slow and it was probably two hours before I got my food and ate. When I came out they had the main street closed down for the parade.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4D0A7BB9tveA7rxa_7lK6fixc10DX6GcJroc7i8bfJYkP-Y1IPAyYCIzmSPl2gOWIcHj15mErIPkyCFBuCvvGR8kZgDqSawZjkcdGBe7TVF65kgUDqV4IxuG18yVBDD0jk_ic6w89LKU/s1600/Picture+212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4D0A7BB9tveA7rxa_7lK6fixc10DX6GcJroc7i8bfJYkP-Y1IPAyYCIzmSPl2gOWIcHj15mErIPkyCFBuCvvGR8kZgDqSawZjkcdGBe7TVF65kgUDqV4IxuG18yVBDD0jk_ic6w89LKU/s400/Picture+212.jpg" width="400" /></a>Once out of town the coastal views were so spectacular I was stopping every 5 minutes to look.<br />
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I was already at Humbug Mountain which was only another 5 miles or so out of town. The choice was to stop early and camp there or push to the next hiker/biker site at Harris Beach about 45 miles away. With a terrific tailwind it was an easy decision to push on.<br />
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So, I still make it in to the campground early at around 3 p.m. There is no one at the hiker/biker site so I set up camp, take a shower and then head into Brookings to pick up some food. Chicken from the deli and a couple beers make supper that night. When I get back Michel and his son are setting up camp. They had fun watching the parade in Port Orford. We talked about the great riding that day, the terrific scenery and I hear more stories about the ride Michel is doing.<br />
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This is a link to Michel's page during his time in Oregon. It has pictures of him and his son. Check it out.... <a href="http://beaudoinavelo.wordpress.com/page/5/">http://beaudoinavelo.wordpress.com/page/5/</a>Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-80065752308970324772011-07-03T21:54:00.000-07:002011-07-23T22:17:39.090-07:00Florence (Honeymans St Park) to Bandon (Bullards Beach St Park)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JqSiAou7uoQ/Th0-asjXe1I/AAAAAAAAE0A/ugPIRK-Gk04/s1600/Picture+185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JqSiAou7uoQ/Th0-asjXe1I/AAAAAAAAE0A/ugPIRK-Gk04/s320/Picture+185.jpg" width="240" /></a>This was about a 75 mile day. I got out of Jessie Honeyman's State Park before any of the other cycle tourists got up. It must have been the lack of coffee but I suddenly realized that Oregon's rumble strip is the best one for cyclists.<br />
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It seems they can paint and somehow pattern the blacktop all in one process. Plus, it is narrow, does not extend into the shoulder where cyclists ride, and also is not so deep like some that almost knock you off your bike. Anyhow, kudos to Oregon Transportation Dept for this design and hopefully other states will copy it.<br />
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This critter had been hit by a car but was still alive. I thought it was a beaver at first but then realized the tail indicates something else. This thing was pretty big at around 7 - 8 pounds. Anyone know what it is?<br />
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Gardiner has to be one of the saddest looking towns along the Oregon coast. The only people I saw were digging out in the mud - I am guessing for clams.<br />
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I finally made it to Reedsport and stopped at the<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/harbor-light-family-restaurant-reedsport"> first restaurant in town</a> heading south which was the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl">Harbor Light Family Restaurant</a>. I asked a guy who lived in the house across the street how it was and he said the food was good though a little expensive. So, since I had already pedaled 20+ miles on an empty stomach I went in. The special this morning was razor clams and scrambled eggs. As much as I wanted to try this since I knew this breakfast option might never present itself again this lifetime, the thought of clams and eggs just did not sit well so I got the smoked salmon and eggs scramble which was darn good.<br />
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I only seemed to see these signs when leaving those areas.<br />
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Oyster Farm <br />
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Welcome to the land of dune buggies, motocross bikes, 3-wheel ATV's, 4-wheel ATV's, trucks pulling trailers with ATV's in the bed, RV's pulling trailers with ATV's in the back and then these motorhead cities of trailers, RV's, and pickups all parked on top of one another with motorcycles, dune buggies and ATV's just buzzing in every direction.<br />
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One of the dune encampments. Truly a motorhead's dream come true!!!<br />
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This man was the most amazing person I met on the trip. He and his 39 year old son came in the camp the night before right when I was turning in. Then they showed up at Bullard's Beach this afternoon. I started to talk with Michel and found out he had started in Prudhoe Bay and was going to the tip of Argentina. He was a native French speaker from Quebec and was also fluent in Spanish and heavily accented English. Why was he amazing besides having such an incredible goal? Well, he was 65 years old and was doing the trip mostly by himself. And, 24 months ago he had his first hip replacement with the second one 18 months before he started this trip!!<br />
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His son surprised him in Vancouver by meeting him there and then was riding with his Dad as far as San Francisco. The son was an undercover detective for the Montreal police and had just completed a big case and was taking some needed R&R to recuperate. I also had the pleasure to meet up with them again the next night completely by accident again. Great people, great stories, and a strength of character that made me feel good just to stand next to them.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-7510489969990699402011-07-02T11:35:00.000-07:002011-07-23T22:17:04.624-07:00Newport to Florence - 50 milesThere is a hospitality center at South Beach where the best tool for cycling the Oregon Coast is available free. The volunteers in there give me<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BIKEPED/docs/oregon_coast_bike_route_map.pdf?ga=t"> this map<span id="goog_1944336805"></span><span id="goog_1944336806"></span></a> of the coast that has everything the cycling tourist will want: names of campgrounds with hiker/biker sites; elevation profiles, distances, and alternate bike routes. Whoever put this together did an outstanding job as this is easily the most useful map I have ever had.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fhq9tXZhgJk/Th096jRe2BI/AAAAAAAAEyU/LYlPseXdTC0/s1600/Picture+158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fhq9tXZhgJk/Th096jRe2BI/AAAAAAAAEyU/LYlPseXdTC0/s320/Picture+158.jpg" width="320" /></a>The nice ladies also told me of a breakfast spot in Waldport called <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/dan-os-cafe-waldport">Dan O's</a> that some people on Yelp have given terrible reviews. It is true the waitress smokes outside and everything they said, but, the breakfasts here are huge and coffee cup is bottomless. There are two signs outside - one says Dan O's and one says Carols. Apparently it is in some kind of transition right now. I liked the food and also got into a discussion with a trucker at the next table. We talked about cyclists and how he is deathly afraid of hitting someone and tries his best. He does not understand cyclists who ride two and three abreast and thinks they have some kind of death wish - me either, by the way.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft6bqnPhc8s/Th09-r7CpwI/AAAAAAAAEyc/DYlE5tlxkn0/s1600/Picture+160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft6bqnPhc8s/Th09-r7CpwI/AAAAAAAAEyc/DYlE5tlxkn0/s320/Picture+160.jpg" width="320" /></a>Today I really got to see the Oregon Coast and it is spectacular. With the tailwind I could have easily knocked out some bigger mileage but decided to try and be mellow and just enjoy the scenery. That sounds easy but when your bike is loaded, the weather is nice, and there is a tailwind at your back it is hard to fight the impulse to crank out big miles. <span id="goog_1944336817"></span><span id="goog_1944336818"></span><br />
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At the Jessie Honeyman State Park hiker/biker site I met Kevin with his vintage Schwinn Paramount. Kevin has fallen on hard times losing his job as an Iron Worker in Chicago 4 years ago and then losing his house there to foreclosure. He now lives with his Dad around Florence and pedals down to the hiker/biker campsite now and then to get out of the house. He had some cooking contraption he was using to make "pies" out of cherry filling and pieces of bread cooking it in the campfire. He picked <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_928748304">this piece of hardware</a><a href="http://180kitchen.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/campfire-cooking-grilled-cheese-in-hobo-pie-maker/"> called a hobo pie maker</a> up at a garage sale for 50 cents. The results looked weird but he liked it.<br />
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Also, at the campground were a couple guys from Vancouver, one from MN and then late that evening about the time I am going to bed an older French Canadian guy and his son showed up. More about them later.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-24672518303465007302011-07-01T19:44:00.000-07:002011-07-23T22:18:09.091-07:00McMinnville to Newport (Sunset Beach) - 65 milesLeft McMinnville and headed to the coast. On the way I detoured slightly off 18 to go through Sheridan and Willamina. There was a nice bakery in Willamina that had decent coffee so I got my caffeine fix there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheridan was a depressed looking area though the mill was going.</td></tr>
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My first planned destination was Devils Lake which is supposed to have a hiker/biker camping site but though I looked at two different places it was not apparent to me. It was too early in the day to stop anyways but thought it would be worth checking out in case it was so awesome I would be compelled to stop. So, on down the coast I rolled. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devils Lake</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First picture of the Oregon Coast</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many alternate bike routes off the main 101</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes you saw these signs for alternate routes and sometimes not</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cw-xZhpxpsU/Th09ySmg30I/AAAAAAAAEx8/jYtBi7Mn1Rs/s1600/Picture+153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cw-xZhpxpsU/Th09ySmg30I/AAAAAAAAEx8/jYtBi7Mn1Rs/s320/Picture+153.jpg" width="320" /></a>There is a <a href="http://www.bikenewport.net/">bike shop</a> listed on warmshowers.org that will let cycle tourists shower there and is supposed to have lots of stuff for the cycle tourist. They were very friendly and gave me great advice about a state park campground down the road and also told me about the <a href="http://www.rogue.com/locations/locations.php">Rogue River Brewery Restaurant. </a><br />
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So I pedaled down to South Beach 2 miles south of Newport. There I met Irving and his <a href="http://www.bikefriday.com/">Bike Friday</a> who were over from Germany. I cleverly deleted the picture of him and his bike but he had a great setup where his folding bike fit in a suitcase that is considered standard luggage. Then the bike suitcase converts to trailer. A pretty neat setup.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregon is trying to preserve historical bridges. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Irving and I went over to the Rogue River Brewery and had dinner. After a few brews and some good food I was ready to sleep. When we got back to camp there were 5 more cycle tourists. A couple from New Zealand and another couple from Germany and a guy out from Eugene. Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-27326296676747381562011-06-30T17:37:00.000-07:002011-07-23T22:18:30.479-07:00Portland to McMinnvilleToday is the start of the <a href="http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1144152">550 mile tour</a> out to the Oregon Coast and back to Mount Shasta. McMinnville is about 45 miles away which is perfect but there is no camping around there that was listed on-line. Chris suggests checking our airbnb.com where people list rooms like a B&B. I find one that looks nice for $60 and book it.<br />
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There were surely better ways to get to McMinnville but with my GPS not having a complete map set and me not being prepared with more detailed maps I decided to stick with the main road which is 99W. It is pretty busy and with the July 4th weekend coming up it was a non-stop parade of pickups with trailers, RV's, cars, and tractor-trailers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting close to McMinnville now</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown McMinnville</td></tr>
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I meet up with Marty and Paula my <a href="http://www.airbnb.com/search">airbnb hosts</a>. The "room" turned out to be the whole upstairs including a den/sitting
room, a "Sun" room, bath and bedroom. Everything was very clean and
tastefully decorated.
There is no TV in your room if that is something important to you. The
bathroom has a shower with no bath. I loved my stay here and felt very
welcomed and quite at home. Paula and Marty also accommodated my touring
bicycle.
On top of this, the location makes it a ten minute walk to downtown
McMinnville which has to be one of the top small city downtowns in the
US. My only regret is not getting to sample local wines which appear to
be in abundant supply with many wineries close by.
Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-26188398967216509992011-06-29T17:10:00.000-07:002011-07-21T11:55:46.830-07:00Train from Bellingham to PortlandThe plan all along was to take the train and it was completely sold out, so lucky I already had tickets pre-paid for me and my bike. This train has a special baggage car with bike racks. You have to take your panniers off but do not have to box the bike and it is only $5 for the bike. So, with my AAA discount my bike and I travel to Portland for $46.<br />
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I get into Portland around 3:15 pm within 10 minutes of the schedule and decide to find the <a href="http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/locations/downtown">Stumptown Coffee House</a> downtown which is famous in coffee snob circles. Downtown Portland is pretty edgy with lots of homeless looking people and many folks with that rasta/hippy/tatto-pierced up rough urban hipster look. It makes me feel a little on edge but man does that Stumptown macchiato hit the spot. <br />
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A month or so before a couple from Portland started and ended their bike tour at my house, so they had invited my to stay at their place. Joanie gave me a great route out to their house.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good bike lanes on most bridges in Portland</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willamette River in downtown Portland</td></tr>
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I hear someone calling my name and see Chris. We hang out at their neighborhood coffee shop which sells Stumptown coffee. The local discussion is whether locals are going to continue supporting Stumptown because it has been bought by a bigger company. People love the coffee but are not sure about giving the company their money now. <br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-18201759459482167362011-06-28T16:55:00.000-07:002011-07-20T16:56:26.529-07:00Orcas Island to BellinghamOn the 28th I bid farewell to my Tai Chi family and head off to Bellingham. Rode about 45 miles today and was craving fried oysters the whole way. There was an oyster farm along the way but they did not shuck or prepare oysters there so that did not work out.<br />
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I had tried to find a warmshoers.org host but it did not work out so I pricelined the 3 star Best Western for $60. Very nice hotel and room and it is next door to a Fred Meyers superstore where I can get food and beer.<br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-17988586224992139102011-06-28T16:49:00.000-07:002011-07-20T16:50:20.478-07:00Orcas IslandThe next five days are off the bike and it is nice to have this time to focus on something else besides riding. The Tai Chi camp at <a href="http://www.thesanjuans.com/orcas-island-places/orcas-parks-forest/orcas-islands-moran-state.shtml">Moran State Park</a> is very good and there is plenty of information and ideas for me to explore in my set for a long time.<br />
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One day a group of us drove up to <a href="http://www.thesanjuans.com/orcas-island-places/orcas-parks-forest/orcas-islands-mt-constitu.shtml">Mount Constitution</a> and then walked up the tower. Incredible views! <br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-29293488555777544992011-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:002011-07-20T16:36:39.665-07:00San Juan Island to Orcas IslandWednesday night the wind starts howling and it is loud. Luckily, there is no rain but the buffeting of the windows and screens wake me up several times. Even though it is only 5 am I decide to get going and make the early ferry to Orcas Island where I will spend from Thursday June 23rd until Tuesday June 28th at the Bob Fong Tai Chi camp lead by Bob with guest appearances by Master TY Pang who taught Bob and the two teachers in Mount Shasta that I have studied with the last 10 years.<br />
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The early morning light made this old dilapidated house look like something from a Lord of Rings movie. I get a very good cappuccino downtown at Cafe Demeter. Then I got on the ferry.<br />
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On the ferry I meet up with one of the locals, Kelly, I met up on Cady Mountain. We talk about how magical it is up on that mountain and he tells me that though the wind last night was pretty big, it is another whole experience in a storm.<br />
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The views off the ferry are spectacular.<br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-13292324110798168822011-06-22T16:17:00.000-07:002011-07-23T22:19:07.726-07:00San Juan IslandI wake up in the <a href="http://www.sunnyknollguestsuite.com/">Cliff House</a> and am just blown away by the views from here. It is a spartan little place with the shower in an outbuilding about 100' away and the bathroom in the main house, but, this is like being on the top of the world.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Difficult to show how it looks up here.</td></tr>
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So, after eating some apple and yogurt I brought yesterday it is time to explore the island a bit. There is a nice 20 - 25 mile loop around the island. Over at the state park I meet Eugene who is the campground manager. We talk for awhile and he tells me there is a hiker/biker site there that has never filled up. We talk of travel and then discover we are both of Polish ancestry and that Poland is his favorite travel destination due to good food, beer, people, and reasonable costs - that got added to the bucket list and maybe someday will happen.</div>
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Touring through downtown to get some food stores this wonderful view of the bay presented itself. The flowers were in bloom and it was lots of fun to just ride along and enjoy the views.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpacas recently shored.</td></tr>
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These alpaca were at the <a href="http://www.krystalacres.com/">Krystal Acres farm</a>. After completing the tour round the island this time I made it up the hill to the <a href="http://www.sunnyknollguestsuite.com/">Cliff House</a> without walking since the bike was not weighted down with all my gear - yea!!</div>
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<span id="goog_820175932"></span><span id="goog_820175933"></span>Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-38204555798210910182011-06-21T17:12:00.000-07:002011-07-12T15:23:16.587-07:00Sidney, BC back to the US San Juan IslandThe ferry to San Juan Island does not leave until mid-afternoon so I decide to check out <a href="http://www.butchartgardens.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1">Butchart Gardens</a>. It was only about an 8 mile ride from John and Kumiko's so I decided to pack everything up and be ready to go and then ride over.<br />
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Butchart Gardens is an estate originally owned by Jennie and Robert Pim Butchart and is 55 acres in size. The gardens and estate are very beautiful and seemingly well cared for since everywhere I went there were usually 3 workmen doing something like trimming bushes, fixing a structure, painting, etc. Though I enjoyed touring the grounds the $30 price seemed a bit steep.On the other hand, how do you put a price on enjoying such beauty?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Friday Harbor</td></tr>
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I caught the ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. I had no idea what to expect but immediately liked the downtown area that is right next to the docks.<br />
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The local grocery store has a great wine selection and I stock up on various food items and a couple bottles of wine. I have been told the road to where I am staying tonight is very steep.<br />
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I am figuring, no way will my bike get pushed up the hill. But, about half-way up Cady Mountain I give up and push the rest of the way. I am rewarded with an unbelievable view and find out my lodging will be a little cabin called the Cliff House.<br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-20658811467830667602011-06-20T16:50:00.000-07:002011-07-12T11:51:46.704-07:00Victoria<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YCvyY-p3Z552XAJsGyB6A88e5Fwt3URfyyvzd5mjR1laAiKoCxiOIK6IXyAZH_54pZ8yskS0kHcEeb-FiIiY5r86CsBTzEpR6uI74ez7H4AE1Ua1Xprw7ilWjT5eU7Ay3ruP-XakwBs/s1600/victoria+bike+ride.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YCvyY-p3Z552XAJsGyB6A88e5Fwt3URfyyvzd5mjR1laAiKoCxiOIK6IXyAZH_54pZ8yskS0kHcEeb-FiIiY5r86CsBTzEpR6uI74ez7H4AE1Ua1Xprw7ilWjT5eU7Ay3ruP-XakwBs/s400/victoria+bike+ride.bmp" width="316" /></a>John tells me of his favorite ride that leaves their house and heads into hills, swings through downtown, and then loops out the east side and then back to their house. It is about 50 miles and sounds great. <br />
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The ride into the hills through Growlland Tod Provincial Park takes me through an area undiscovered last summer. The landscape is lush and there are few houses. There is little traffic in this area and on the downhills it is fun to let the bike rip a bit without the panniers.<br />
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I get to the downtown area and decide to head back to the <a href="http://www.swanshotel.com/pub.php">Swan Pub</a> for a beer and lunch. The Pub is associated with the university in some way. All I know is they make very good beer and the food is better than average.<br />
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While sitting at the bar having a beer I talk with a couple other cycle tourists who have just concluded their trip up the Sunshine Coast of BC and then took a ferry over to Hariot Bay and Campbell River and then cycled back to Victoria. They lived in Vancouver but felt their trip was really over since after a ferry ride to Horseshoe Bay they would be home. I filed that away for a possible future trip since I heard about it from a couple other folks as well.<br />
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Then I recognize a patron that was in the bar last summer when Rick and I visited. Unbelievable, but, the same guy having his mid-day beer. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcxPYu1sX0gHUPBVoxWLsris_Tzv09KFpkMQ2V-7EPdNBjcPZBJsdQLYnxQXKHSJgYByEwV9vEImW7gf42lOs_xdwsmRJNzwDuaSKxPLr3myjJp0RtM4o4fk-JkglPS-9kupUhlJWxJw/s1600/Picture+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcxPYu1sX0gHUPBVoxWLsris_Tzv09KFpkMQ2V-7EPdNBjcPZBJsdQLYnxQXKHSJgYByEwV9vEImW7gf42lOs_xdwsmRJNzwDuaSKxPLr3myjJp0RtM4o4fk-JkglPS-9kupUhlJWxJw/s320/Picture+032.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the guy though he had turned around</td></tr>
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After finishing up the ride, I had dinner again with John and Kumiko who were just spoiling me as it were. I really enjoyed talking with them about our children and bike touring and life in general. <br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-3866759612458664572011-06-19T15:37:00.000-07:002011-07-12T15:24:24.844-07:00Anacortes to Sidney<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27B7_iT7D4hs6CR-FvHhci4Ve98gIyCKUNEuE1GpW7EcUVdXLPDz_yhUTyw2DR_JjvvQaEXA1Vsfz-wiGfL7SVKfs0pVOXT5U3nZEkXL749F8Jdc5bj3QpIOweqL47-GatqngWGWJDcA/s1600/Picture+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27B7_iT7D4hs6CR-FvHhci4Ve98gIyCKUNEuE1GpW7EcUVdXLPDz_yhUTyw2DR_JjvvQaEXA1Vsfz-wiGfL7SVKfs0pVOXT5U3nZEkXL749F8Jdc5bj3QpIOweqL47-GatqngWGWJDcA/s400/Picture+015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ken, Ann, Bill and the berries</td></tr>
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Ken and I want to be at the ferry by 7:30 for the 8:25 am departure. According to Bill it takes about 20 minutes to get there, but, we think it is a good idea to allow for getting lost. So, we plan for a 7 am departure. That means getting up at about 5:45 to pack, eat, clean up and go. Ann made some great pancakes that we heaped fresh strawberries that
Wendy and Ken brought along with blueberries and raspberries I had
purchased. What a great start to the day!<br />
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We say our good-byes to our wonderful hosts, Bill and Ann, and then Ken, Wendy and I head to the ferry. We have an uneventful sailing and when we get to Sidney decide to hit the Safeway for Starbucks coffee and food. In my case that was a pannini sandwich of ham and swiss.<br />
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Ken and Wendy are going to Victoria and stay with Ken's mom for a few days and recuperate from their trip where Ken hauled a trailer with over 60 lbs of gear including climbing ropes and hardware for a little expedition they did. I am going to meet my next hosts, John and Kumiko who live about 10 miles from the ferry.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXkNbBBgj4zd_dPB17PrIqy8G-2at_x_o_EXR0K08jJyvpEiDRFlMCMa7M774UewhhiQo7d_FSi0U8Hcv9kHsfzQ3Fv5lnRDghLp9ChxmndbSuKHKHIVSp1cGKHqDmuwq7ipxRN4dj5o/s1600/Picture+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXkNbBBgj4zd_dPB17PrIqy8G-2at_x_o_EXR0K08jJyvpEiDRFlMCMa7M774UewhhiQo7d_FSi0U8Hcv9kHsfzQ3Fv5lnRDghLp9ChxmndbSuKHKHIVSp1cGKHqDmuwq7ipxRN4dj5o/s400/Picture+024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPqEeBkeRmPgDUE88yqe25tzK4PNMicgFPoOveXUvxVS1V5PqxWs2Wv6agHoe0AhBVL7QmquCApINU99PtAbprVvIaCzRT9RjvctNAD86iMWgL8iB8A0_-B2SYivBVcwP1Sc798UIIpM/s1600/Picture+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" id=":current_picnik_image" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPqEeBkeRmPgDUE88yqe25tzK4PNMicgFPoOveXUvxVS1V5PqxWs2Wv6agHoe0AhBVL7QmquCApINU99PtAbprVvIaCzRT9RjvctNAD86iMWgL8iB8A0_-B2SYivBVcwP1Sc798UIIpM/s320/Picture+023.jpg" width="320" /></a>John and Kumiko have a beautiful home in the hills with unbelievable views. John and I go for about 4 mile hike where he "takes it easy" since he is recovering from shoulder surgery. For someone 13 years older than me I could not believe how good a shape he was in and I was breathing hard to keep up. He said he and his wife cycle or run every day and it sure did show.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the park above John and Kumiko's home</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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After a wonderful dinner at their house I get a great nights sleep.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-82150951237782114152011-06-18T18:37:00.000-07:002011-07-21T18:36:02.231-07:00Bellingham to AnacortesI awoke this morning to a drizzle outside my window at the Quality Inn - oh well! I got the car over to the Bellingham airport and thanks to some good directions from the Hertz guy at the return counter had a very low traffic route into Bellingham. The Garmin is driving me nuts due to the detailed maps somehow not being in the unit. <br />
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In no time I am lost in downtown but thanks to me and Rick being here last summer there a few landmarks that jogged the memory enough that I zigzag my way to the Fairhaven section of Belly. There the Chuckinut Drive road starts which is the scenic way to Anacortes. The rain was really coming down all the way through Belly and kept dumping until I made the turn off Chuckinut out in Edison.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bakery in Edison, WA that has great eats.</td></tr>
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In Edison I stopped at the same place Rick and I ate at last summer and got one of the best chicken curries of my life! It was unbelievable with strong citrus undertones to the coconut milk based curry. A piece of rhubarb pie finished the meal and almost me too - a little too much food really. But, the weather had cleared a bit and the rain was now completely stopped. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkXIMnPKWLF9HzCxIewUSsAhdraQ_mQ-xodf6Qiso8FwD5crIQWiRIORcCguaWDfomVSSp5XIqys9ZnWTkqlbQCWO-LrTfxNL8nMG2pTB3M8K0vp2D394pASohccmLKiZUinFfcXJh1g/s1600/Picture+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAkXIMnPKWLF9HzCxIewUSsAhdraQ_mQ-xodf6Qiso8FwD5crIQWiRIORcCguaWDfomVSSp5XIqys9ZnWTkqlbQCWO-LrTfxNL8nMG2pTB3M8K0vp2D394pASohccmLKiZUinFfcXJh1g/s320/Picture+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edison, WA</td></tr>
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A guy stops me on the road into Anacortes and wants to talk about cycle touring. Graham, I come to learn he is 60 years old and wants to cycle tour but is reluctant about touring alone. We talk for a while and he tells me of a bike trail into Anacortes that avoids the horrid highway Rick and I took last year. It turns out that an old railroad trestle was converted into a bike/walkway and goes right across the bay. Graham offers me a place to stay but I didn't need it because of previous arrangements. He says he is encouraged and going to do a tour!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBvces-tMJqKTc8b_u93AwR2q-Kmh4MG5eN6Mb-Ndxk8gvIEfF1AwUVR9rF6lAmbUp5DekgwLLJsSsI3maGpWKf6LN1IHO9lcfRwvYTAxM_mZcNU-urGOo7ijf-Xn8atl7zHqHWjbdLM/s1600/Picture+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBvces-tMJqKTc8b_u93AwR2q-Kmh4MG5eN6Mb-Ndxk8gvIEfF1AwUVR9rF6lAmbUp5DekgwLLJsSsI3maGpWKf6LN1IHO9lcfRwvYTAxM_mZcNU-urGOo7ijf-Xn8atl7zHqHWjbdLM/s640/Picture+007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bikeway on old railroad trestle in the distance.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFM4iGXBvWBbqe8NBudprP4TgHA52JFLTNMoagYpnRRSkVSAS0VKJXbUNiZDhmkhF1mBs0UJz3YpZJkiNGJGcCOj2l6K1H5sfnCOfaimOmD8cT4Dq7vjsn3vSyPnV8zSnuA4Ki1oXuDvY/s1600/Picture+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFM4iGXBvWBbqe8NBudprP4TgHA52JFLTNMoagYpnRRSkVSAS0VKJXbUNiZDhmkhF1mBs0UJz3YpZJkiNGJGcCOj2l6K1H5sfnCOfaimOmD8cT4Dq7vjsn3vSyPnV8zSnuA4Ki1oXuDvY/s640/Picture+009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to trestle bikeway</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of a thousand boats in Anacortes</td></tr>
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I arrived at Bill and Ann's house, my warmshowers host in Anacortes, with some bread and berries to complement the meals they had planned. They were also hosting another WS couple, Wendy and Ken, from Whitehorse in the Yukon territories - that was a surprise that turned out to be a lot of fun and quite interesting.<br />
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All of us were gear heads to some extent or another though Bill's fascination with camp stoves was beyond any of us. He showed us his iterative designs on the basic soda can alcohol stove and shared his experiences with various purchased products. All of sudden we realized it was 10:45 pm and Wendy, Ken and I were taking the early ferry to Sidney, BC and needed to get some sleep and get up early enough for a 7:30 am departure.<br />
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<br />Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-7768739577372635642011-06-17T18:29:00.000-07:002011-07-12T15:25:59.721-07:00Washington, Victoria, and Portland to Mount Shasta TourOn June 17th, 2011 I started my 2011 summer tour. My wife drove me up to Yreka where I picked up the Hertz rental. I had requested a Corolla but was given a Mazda M3 instead. This turned out to be fortuitous because I could load the whole Rivendell into the car without removing any wheels! The rear seats fold down completely flat and create a rear cargo area bigger than my Rav4 - at least in length.<br />
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On the way up to Bellingham, WA where the tour will start I discovered that somehow many maps are missing from the Garmin GPS. Now I understand why Jerry always wants his laptop with him. It makes the decision of whether to buy an Ipad or a netbook/laptop in the future easy.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-27946566286716985572010-09-16T13:02:00.000-07:002010-09-16T13:05:08.815-07:00You read the blog, here is the book....For anyone that wants a paper version that is close to what is in the blog, you can buy it here.... <div style="text-align:left; width:450px"><object id="myWidget" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf?book_id=1585359" width="450" height="300"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf?book_id=1585359"></param><a target="_new" href="http://www.blurb.com/books/preview/1585359?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget"><img src="http://bookshow.blurb.com/bookshow/cache/P2222285/md/wcover_2.png"></img></a></object><div style="display:block;"><a href="http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1585359?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget" target="_blank" style="margin:12px 3px;">Bicycle Tour 2010 by Michael Sojka</a> | <a href="http://www.blurb.com/landing_pages/bookshow?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget" target="_blank" style="margin:12px 3px;">Make Your Own Book</a></div></div><br />
The book is somewhat of a composite of Rick's crazyguy journal and the shutuplegs blog. I used pictures from both so in a way it is a "best of" pics and words about the trip.<br />
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I don't make anything off the book - it is just there if you want it for some reason. The only reason I even did it was for my dad who does not do computers. I tried to download the blog straight into blurb but that did not work so well. So, since I was going into the cut and paste mode I decided to use the best words and pics from the two blogs along with a pic or two from Jerry and Kiara.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-20297673714364548572010-08-24T09:43:00.000-07:002010-08-24T09:43:24.018-07:00Things I learned on this TripIn no particular order and in addition to this <a href="http://shutuplegstour.blogspot.com/2010/07/first-8-days-retrospective.html">previous blog</a>:<br />
<ol><li>Nescafe instant cappuccino and mocha are great camp fare but only seem to be available in Canada. Wish I could get it here in the US too.</li>
<li>Talk with your riding companions about the route every day before you ride. What will the lead person do if he/she decides to deviate? How do you communicate stops? What to do if separated (cell phones are not completely reliable)? </li>
<li>Decide if you can ride alone or not BEFORE the trip. Understand what your companions want before the trip. You may not be a good match, for instance, if you want someone within sight all the time and your companion is much faster and does not want to wait all the time. This is the most important dynamic to talk about especially if you are not comfortable route finding alone and are potentially slower than others and in a small 2 - 5 person group where it is very easy to get separated during long days and in cities. Those with lots of experience of touring alone will not even think about this - the less experienced touring riders will want to think long and hard before the trip.</li>
<li>Do you really like the schedule of mileage, rest days, planned overnights, etc? If you have not camped very much and want a motel every third night this can cause problems during the tour. </li>
<li>Shared equipment and tools are great if everyone stays together. If the multitool is with the fastest person and they are no where to be found, you get the picture. See #2 above.</li>
<li>Don't run out of water! My companions almost insisted I bring a camelback and it was a good thing. High temps in Utah and Idaho cooked my goose one day when not using the camelback. Have a wide-mouthed camelback and put ice in it. You will drink more and stay hydrated. In dry climates it is hard to maintain proper hydration when cycling over 4 hours per day. You have to work at it. A extra Nalgene can work in place of a camelback, it is just not as convenient. The camelback is a lot of weight - there are lots of opinions on this - understand the temp extremes and distances between water sources and make your own decision.</li>
<li>Be honest about your physical condition without whining. There is a fine line here and whining gets old quickly. However, hiding a potential trip-ending problem is bad form too. </li>
<li>Do your touring companions consider themselves and you as part of a team or is it every man for himself and just sharing the road together? It is important to discuss this and understand how the others view the trip especially once the decision to share resources is made. This is related to 2, 3 and 5 and if not resolved and understood can lead to conflict.</li>
<li>Planned bailout points are good.</li>
<li>Beef jerky rocks.</li>
<li>Special diets are almost impossible to maintain. Primal, low-carb, high protein, low fat, etc - forget about it. Take advantage of good food when it presents itself and don't be picky.</li>
<li>Bike maintenance - do it before and during the trip. On a layover day take it to a local shop for chain cleaning and quick look-see by an experienced mechanic if you are not a top-notch mechanic yourself. Another set of eyes can sometimes spot things and it is worth the $15 - 25 you spend for that alone, not to mention, the info you will get on local roads, food and goings-on from the shop.</li>
<li>Jet boil camp stoves are great except the gas canisters can be problematic for leaking. </li>
<li>Vermont bag balm works to prevent and cure saddle sores - bring a little in a small container.</li>
<li>Bodily cleanliness is important. You must at least get dipped in a stream or lake every other day. On days there is no water for bathing a wipe down with witch hazel or baby wipes is mandatory. Don't let saddle sores get started!</li>
<li>I did not lose weight on this trip. Planning a trip to do that seems ludicrous to me. Get in shape before and if you are overweight already plan to stay that way. If you do lose weight that is great but don't plan on it.</li>
<li>Though I subscribe to a diet of whole foods (eggs, meat, nuts, veggies, fruit) at home this will not work while cycle touring. Embrace the really good bakeries! They will keep you going along happily and with energy.</li>
<li>The distances between towns and stores in much of Alberta and BC Canada is much greater than in the USA. If you are from the US, you will be amazed and confounded about this fact and not believe your own eyes. Plan for it everyday.</li>
<li>Trail mix is my friend.</li>
<li>I can live on trail mix, beef jerky and Nescafe mocha or cappuccino mix for days. </li>
<li>If something does not have a price on it - ask! This goes for restaurants, bakeries, stores, etc. You will be unpleasantly surprised sooner of later.</li>
<li>DQ cones are great recovery food.</li>
<li>This is a <a href="http://www.adventurecycling.org/store/index.cfm/product/523_65/topeak-road-morph-pump-with-gauge.cfm">great pump</a> and I have no regrets buying it and hauling my other one around as ballast.</li>
<li>Wild blueberries in Blue River, BC are a good enough reason to plan a trip there in August.</li>
<li>Brew Pubs are wonderful places.</li>
<li>Why do hamburgers (not the fast-food variety) taste so good when cycle touring? </li>
<li>Blueberry pie at Mike Wiegele's restaurant in Valemount was the best pie of the trip. Their <a href="http://www.wiegele.com/docs/rates%202010.pdf">prices</a> for heli-skiing in the winter or summer heli-touring are as high as the altitude they fly. Guess it will not happen for me in this lifetime.</li>
<li>My equipment was all tested before the trip on numerous occasions and all worked fine:</li>
</ol><ul><li>Tent: <a href="http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Tarp-Kit/index.htm">Ray-way tarp</a> and net tent. Some people would not like needing to find two trees or two sticks every night to string this from but it was light, tough, and kept me dry from rain and dew.</li>
<li>Ground cloth - Ace Hardware 4 mil poly</li>
<li>Panniers - <a href="http://www.thetouringstore.com/ORTLIEB/Ort%20PANNIERS/FRC/FRC%20PAGE.htm">Ortleib front</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vaude-Karakorun-Bicycle-Pannier-anthracite/dp/B003BHK56S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1282666886&sr=1-1">Vaude rear</a>. The Vaude are not waterproof but the rain cover worked fine and you can always keep things that must be dry in a waterproof oven bag or stuff sack or other waterproof bag - be creative.</li>
<li>Bike - Rivendell Bleriot with 650b wheels/tire. The odd size was a bit of a handicap but I could use 26" tubes and carried an extra tire.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.thetouringstore.com/ORTLIEB/Ort%20Ultimate%20Bags/ULT%205%20PAGE.htm">Handlebar bag was Ortleib</a>. These are easy to overstuff and cause shimmy problems. They are nice though for keeping your valuables in and pulling off the bike quickly and taking with you when eating and shopping.</li>
<li>Sleeping bag was <a href="http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Quilt-Kit/index.htm">Ray-way quilt.</a></li>
<li>Shoes - I used Ascics running shoes primarily on platform pedals with<a href="http://www.rei.com/product/609173"> powergrip straps</a>. I also had my Chako river sandals which I used about 20% of the time for pedaling and everytime I took a shower at a campground. They are heavy but I did not want to buy another pair of sandals just for this trip. </li>
<li>Riding shorts - <a href="http://www.westernbikeworks.com/product/castelli-velocissimo-half-short">Castelli Velocissimo</a> These were comfortable and stood up to lots of abuse at laundromats. </li>
<li>Rain gear: Showers Pass <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/793725">jacket</a> and <a href="http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/musa-rain-pants/22-157">Rivendell Rain Pants</a>.</li>
<li>G<a href="http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/summer-gloves/22-397">loves - Riv</a> </li>
</ul>I am not going to list other clothes, tools and gear. Write a comment if you have any questions.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-68661023196406587802010-08-20T13:19:00.001-07:002010-08-25T12:59:37.757-07:00Day 36 - The last dayWhen we started the day I had no expectations of good riding. As it turned out we had a great day starting with catching the early ferry since Rick and I had both got up early. So, we made the 7:20 out of Lopez instead of the planned 10:40 getting there only about 10 minutes before they closed the gate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNjJx3na84wZdaNPbWdln1IydTOt9r0a2C07yE_BktyJV-MLpTRbSmeaolHZER1czOnxtCY27tUlpnaXIM3YrRpweH4gcuIhZeI12kwGpCDsOJNbTILfLTyytxQKdVLEj6eOAsiZL5bc/s1600/Picture+365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNjJx3na84wZdaNPbWdln1IydTOt9r0a2C07yE_BktyJV-MLpTRbSmeaolHZER1czOnxtCY27tUlpnaXIM3YrRpweH4gcuIhZeI12kwGpCDsOJNbTILfLTyytxQKdVLEj6eOAsiZL5bc/s400/Picture+365.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We had breakfast at Calico Cupboard in Anacortes, a little city that reminded me of Benicia, CA in a way. Then we set off on another boring highway route 20. That changed soon when Rick said let's make a left at Whitney Bayview Rd. That eventually turned into Farm To Market Rd and then over to route 11 or known locally as Chuckanut Rd. What would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck a nut?<br />
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Then when we got to Bellingham, Rick consulted some local garage salers and got directions to the bike path/boardwalk into downtown Bellingham and our hotel. Way to go Rick and great way to end the trip.<br />
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<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7haRqmNIHmVczn3dxmKzmYzOcRvDM0rfWC8CQR8pjRQO1464wsGEuOBF1Alqw0T7juVtySqK-INU440AvWOee3I56OfdZHl1edY909z1u1Wb6mi0K5T7fJaCF5zIHLIRqHeej6GiJ90/s1600/0820001317-777120.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507589366462292242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7haRqmNIHmVczn3dxmKzmYzOcRvDM0rfWC8CQR8pjRQO1464wsGEuOBF1Alqw0T7juVtySqK-INU440AvWOee3I56OfdZHl1edY909z1u1Wb6mi0K5T7fJaCF5zIHLIRqHeej6GiJ90/s400/0820001317-777120.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Bellingham bike trail boardwalk.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">A really nice downtown bike trail</span></b></td></tr>
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Over 2000 miles in 35 days. A great trip. Thanks to Rick and Jerry for extensive pre-ride planning and Rick for leading this adventure. Kiara should be congratulated on the best bakery sniffing nose ever - if there is a good bakery in town he could find it with his eyes closed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVExxPTjAP5HB12HAlQsQZBpieOLEQxTn6qarmG_G9NfQ06G-o3-iNH-G9dd0VSGywxMIf2By3tKmHh7Wxw2xrkW4W6dJQ9jMI0n4ZJcEXcRGe9dWaQ3glrJBIPMVrHx_8VxQIAj_ipE/s1600/Picture+372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVExxPTjAP5HB12HAlQsQZBpieOLEQxTn6qarmG_G9NfQ06G-o3-iNH-G9dd0VSGywxMIf2By3tKmHh7Wxw2xrkW4W6dJQ9jMI0n4ZJcEXcRGe9dWaQ3glrJBIPMVrHx_8VxQIAj_ipE/s400/Picture+372.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Back at home in Mount Shasta - the cat seemed happy to see me!</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900042811467756726.post-25635726996162554812010-08-19T12:36:00.000-07:002010-08-25T12:40:57.946-07:00Day 35 Lopez IslandOriginally, we had talked about going to Orcas Island today but since we were going to come back to Lopez for our campsite anyways we decided to make it simple and just tour around Lopez. I'm glad we did since it was a very relaxing day with us only putting in around 20 miles on unloaded bikes - a treat in itself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimQH-dj_P8VEOxA_WzPvclWAL1AmfwLJIDFZQLHwPnFgMkY9iHzcFQwh03clfpeZwP_fTqwXCVpfvnce3bczKjhbXR7HAwSDevrUjjwnAd7vIYsVImrtQ3wV5oTp2BFdZEsWcnB8QJnI/s1600/0819001134-707840.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507191781750627298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimQH-dj_P8VEOxA_WzPvclWAL1AmfwLJIDFZQLHwPnFgMkY9iHzcFQwh03clfpeZwP_fTqwXCVpfvnce3bczKjhbXR7HAwSDevrUjjwnAd7vIYsVImrtQ3wV5oTp2BFdZEsWcnB8QJnI/s400/0819001134-707840.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Shark Reef straight between Lopez and San Juan Islands </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPqBBKGtfruExlxWxzl6a-uZNVKZKmVQ9c0XJA2UDcJ6Pk9OVBZDRboH99I1F4yW1MuQ2fUYzvhkahQ8kxHYMfMCjn1VZYvrWecJDYB9BqwOkGhseA82yHE4TwgC9I2AxPPtH5VCeAWo/s1600/Picture+353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPqBBKGtfruExlxWxzl6a-uZNVKZKmVQ9c0XJA2UDcJ6Pk9OVBZDRboH99I1F4yW1MuQ2fUYzvhkahQ8kxHYMfMCjn1VZYvrWecJDYB9BqwOkGhseA82yHE4TwgC9I2AxPPtH5VCeAWo/s400/Picture+353.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Out by Shark Reef Park</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHm8J2K3WcGQjR8ibs9TsRYVavbjRC_Fe-WZGc_lemrBaQEScaZ393jY8v3ct5ZtwFh7Iqyy6kvectItKvVVQ20XCVblQiVVLd9tO8jgADCSt99Mix-OkSBtxgjX4U8rxtR4uBRM2sMM/s1600/Picture+354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHm8J2K3WcGQjR8ibs9TsRYVavbjRC_Fe-WZGc_lemrBaQEScaZ393jY8v3ct5ZtwFh7Iqyy6kvectItKvVVQ20XCVblQiVVLd9tO8jgADCSt99Mix-OkSBtxgjX4U8rxtR4uBRM2sMM/s400/Picture+354.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Hangin' out by Shark Reef Park</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A surprising number of farms and ranches on Lopez Is</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Riding over to Agate Beach Park</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wBIVPxFDCyUNBTYweM6JuFpqyqzdVZoss8UEh7ShWauM-I6_q8wBoEwPNFYENK0wegvEeLWf-JVGU4075bzXCpAk-KxGc7ZCckSuLx_VsopHpBMjwp4y2IeyZ9LZ0n_3zqzFkOuMTZI/s1600/Picture+362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wBIVPxFDCyUNBTYweM6JuFpqyqzdVZoss8UEh7ShWauM-I6_q8wBoEwPNFYENK0wegvEeLWf-JVGU4075bzXCpAk-KxGc7ZCckSuLx_VsopHpBMjwp4y2IeyZ9LZ0n_3zqzFkOuMTZI/s400/Picture+362.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">A view of Agate Beach </span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Iceberg Pt Marker for defining the CA/US border out at sea</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WB8VbhmOMPuMbF9XDnJOvjovwvgQK4rIFuppUYOPvFNlzSDDC7yovXqhNiHVw3lTx0ye3H_DaDS4Y0mxcklkMrEC5NuvgfKovBjxjWOv7ea4o3YS8IaPapAKITeGmp2ZKsNLBdg8L5k/s1600/Picture+363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WB8VbhmOMPuMbF9XDnJOvjovwvgQK4rIFuppUYOPvFNlzSDDC7yovXqhNiHVw3lTx0ye3H_DaDS4Y0mxcklkMrEC5NuvgfKovBjxjWOv7ea4o3YS8IaPapAKITeGmp2ZKsNLBdg8L5k/s400/Picture+363.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Enjoying an end of day beer at Islander Restaurant</b></span></td></tr>
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If you are looking for the slow life then Lopez Island is your ticket. It is very quiet and very mellow.<br />
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That night Rick and I took advantage of the campground grill to cook our first real dinner of the trip - steak, fresh salmon, wine, onions and peppers. We went out for ice cream and chocolate after dinner.Sojka's Callhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194255866195398776noreply@blogger.com0