Memoirous

 I spent 5 days exploring San Francisco. It is a big, international, hectic city. I'm surprised--after living in Chicago for nearly 40 years--how overwhelmed I felt. Of course, my friend had to work and helped me out with a ride to and from the hospital, but touring the city was not going to be something we could do together.  Tuesday, I sourced a bike box and after she clocked out of her remote social media job, we went to the Castro and explored the Mission District. I bought a book as I had finished the one I brought in the park waiting to camp, which never happened. I was happy enough just to eat and build up energy. Wednesday, I set out on my own to explore the city. I took a bus to Fisherman's Wharf, then walked up a hill to the Norwegian Fisherman's Church (excellent views!) and nice chat with ladies there, who offered me coffee and a waffle. Then on to the crookedest and steepest street in SF (there might be others, but this one is touted). I stumbled into a tour of...

 My first full day off the bike in San Francisco was spent with our friend Mark Zuckerberg. Hahaha. The hospital he had endowed. Historically terrible people such as slave owners, robber barons, union busters, etc have supported/started institutions. I just find it so ironic  But, who cares! I needed to get an idea of what was going on with my finger.  I was dropped off a little before 10 a.m. and was released around 4:30. In between staff brought me crackers, like a pre-schooler snack. I walked in and the process of check in went great. My insurance was accepted. I saw a nurse who sent me for X-rays. Then the real wait was for the person who was going to snatch the finger and straighten it out. He told me his name was Joseph, he had gone to University of Chicago, we had a lot of patter which took my mind off the fact he used a needle to numb and was going to have to realign the dislocated finger by yanking it. Listen, it all went well  More time, though, spent getti...

 I'm sitting here with a picture window view of the city on a somewhat overcast chilly morning. There are palm trees and in the back I am level with the tree tops. From the street (steep) the house looks tiny, but it extends back and down the hill on many levels. My friends are in the midst of landscaping the back yard that has a plum tree.  But first, how I got here.  I attempted this tour with a few downsides. Age 67, solo woman, with cataracts. Each day my decision was called into question. Mostly, though, everything worked out. Until . . . I crashed into the barricade at the end of one of the paths leaving Santa Rosa. I got into a hurry and was frustrated with myself for taking the wrong path. So nothing ever changes: directionless.  I was okay except for my left hand ring finger. It swelled up immediately. But I continued riding to Petaluma, where I finally got lunch and regrouped to tackle a few hills before stealth camping. The hills were hard with my compromi...

 Sooo, last night, between calls, etc and flakey signal, it was decided I would abandon the coast, eclipse a few days, and hopefully set myself up for SF tomorrow. A few details. 1) It was a monster getting over Leggatt and the second hill. I got out and got on it, so that 1 was to the coast by 11 a.m. So that's not the problem. What I realized was how much daily climbing I was going to have to do, and I knew my timetable was way off  2) Joy in the journey. It's been beautiful and difficult. There's seldom been other riders in the hike and bike. But in Standish Hickey the 2 guys there were totally wasted. The one guy just lay on the ground. He slept there all night long.  Anyway, it's been hard to find joy in the journey. Each day is full of climbs, inland almost 100 degrees heat, and by the coast WIND.  I've had to navigate with poor eyesight. I know, I came anyway despite the cataracts, and mostly it's worked out.  Today, more difficult. I arose at 4:30 and be...

 Today was the day I'd been dreading, going over Leggatt Hill--actually 2 big hills before the coast. I'd tried unsuccessfully to get a ride--good thing, I had no idea I'd be leaving the 101 for the 1. Someone might have said yes, and I'd ended up in the wrong place. Or maybe it'd been okay. More to come  I set my alarm for 5. Yet, had terrible sleep. All night it sounded like car doors closing. Come to find out this a.m. that critters had gone throughout campground tearing the lids off the trash cans and making a mess. Anyway, I'd tried to eat up most of my food in order to reduce weight. I had only tactical rations in my handlebar bag. Enough, I thought for climbing and then riding 28 miles to Westport where there was a market with sandwiches, etc.  After leaving the campground at 7:50 I started out going downhill--boo--then at a turn for the 1, the climbing began. The climb took me less than an hour for about 1000 feet over approx 4 miles. The downhill took a...

 Coldest night/hottest day! Last night my camp neighbors did a campfire. I discovered there were 2 hiker biker sites, one closer to bathroom, so I moved  Even though I didn't have a lot of miles to do, I was up early and packed to go. One reason being that if I was moving I'd warm up. I'd gone to bed in my usual wool long underwear and wool shirt plus a fleece and leggings on over long underwear. During the night I added a jacket and rain pants. This decision to leave early was the wise as you'll see. By 11 I was in Garberville eating some lunch. And, already it was HOT. Like 90. I could feel the heat coming up off the pavement. Definitely was not ready for that.  I had about 22 miles to go and it was going to be a lot of climbing. It was so hard. I mean I did it and stayed in the saddle and stayed hydrated, but it was ugly. Thankfully the last 10 miles before I had to get back on 101 were a state route 271 with virtually no traffic. But HOT and not a lot of shade. Oddl...

 I've had a couple easy/easier days. Not a lot of miles, most climbs manageable. There's a give and take with the 101--climbs are announced with time to downshift. Of course, the negative is the loud traffic. Today's 101 was short-lived and there was a wide bike lane. The problem with back roads is that the UPS can be surprisingly sharp. Even in my lowest gear I had to get off and push  Last night I ate dinner in Ferndale--at an old hotel, possibly from the Gold Rush time period. There must be an architectural mandate that preserves much of the town. The bar at the hotel was wide and wooden and like a set piece from a Western. I got a pricey hamburger with a mountain of tater tots.  I rode home just as the sun was settling in the West. All slanty and golden. I really loved camping at the fairgrounds. I had the bathroom/shower completely to myself. I've been having issues, not sure if the chain lube has much to do with it. Definitely nerves.  Today is my 7th day of tr...

 This a.m. Carol, my Warmshowers host, said to me: It's mostly downhill today. My response was reserved, I'd like to believe that. But, first, about yesterday. I've never felt so miserable. And scared, I might not finish. Believe me, I love the hiker biker sites where you can pull into a state park campground without a reservation and, despite it being full, always have a spot.  But not all h/b are equal. Such as at Elk Creek. I was especially worn out when I arrived. All that adrenaline from the climb up from Crescent City and the traffic right next to me, no bike lane, then the wrong turn. I could not stop shivering after arriving. Yet, once again, there were no restrooms close by. The sun had slipped below the trees, no direct sunlight to warm up or dry clothes. The Blue Jays and ravens are pests and will steal your food, as well as the bears. I truly felt done. Then yesterday the rain. All day. Of course I had a good jacket and pants, but nothing is totally waterproof, ...

 Today was meant to be a short day. Thank goodness because it has turned into a rain day. It started soon after dawn. I could hear a slow patter on the rain fly. My hiker biker neighbor, Emma, had a Warmshowers host lined up in Eureka. As I started out, I thought I should just check.  Of course there's not always a signal. But in Orick, I pulled up the Warmshowers site and saw there was a host in Trinidad just south of Su Meg SP, where I'd planned to stay. Trying to do things on the fly with my phone and funky eyes is not easy. My phone had my password saved and I got into the site, but to look for a host takes a monthly subscription. No problem. I put in my details, then . . . password hell from Google. I could not complete the $2.99 subscription. I was already so wet and chilled.  I kept going. Uphill with RVs and trucks spraying me. At least while cycling I was staying warm. I didn't know how long I'd be able to get a signal and let it stay up as I rode (instead of a...

 What a day!!! Pretty much all good.  Last night at the hiker biker Scott and I chatted. He, too, had a daughter named Grace and lives off the grid in a trailer. I'm not off the grid, but live in a tiny house. He kept saying over and over that I was riding my ass off. He meant it nice. He was just shocked at how many miles I was doing and the various tours I've done. Today, I felt like I was riding my ass off--not right away. The first 30 miles were easy. Hardly any uphills. A few steep inclines as I was off the 101. The Adventure Cycling maps had me on quiet back lanes.  After leaving at 7:30 ish, I crossed the state line within an hour. Fun! I arrived at Fort Dick, a gas station, around 10:30. I stopped because there were picnic tables, where I could eat the last of my Subway (from Gold Beach ). I'm thinking I'll see if there's a Subway in Crescent City when it hits me: there's picnic tables here because there's prepared food inside. Sure enough there was ...

When I lived in Eugene five years ago for 9 months, I dreamed of riding the West Coast. I'm so amazed to be here, doing it. Here I am sitting in something that looks like a bus stop shelter, trying to stay out of the wind. Each hiker/biker site is different. This one has food lockers and charging station. I'm finishing up my tea sans chain oil and eating a snack before I make tonight's ramen. I'm glad the tea is still hot because the brisk wind is cold.  I'm also grateful for the miles and hills I achieved. San Sebastian was a 2-mile climb. But first. I was the only one at the hiker biker site last night. I just pretended to stealth camp. Except for the amenities of water and a trash can. After eating and freshening up, I went to bed early, knowing that today, though shorter, would have some big climbs.  I got off at 8:10 and because it is Saturday, traffic on the 101 was light. It built as the day went on, but mostly I had a wide berm about 5 feet wide in great sha...

Today was a hard, beautiful, majestic day. Really I'm in awe of where I am and what I'm doing. Before I left I tried to talk some unsuspecting co-workers into coming. I thought just because they were young they could likely do it. I think today's climbs would totally shift our relationship and they'd end up hating me. Seven Devils Rd. lived up to it's name. All day, though, there were climbs. Seven Devils was intense. The climbing began immediately and steeply. I barely had time to get into my low front sprocket--which performed like a charm all day. Over an hour I did 8 miles of climbing. Intense. At the "top" there was a break in the foliage and I got a pic of how high I was. Definitely not the coast, sea level. I made it to Bandon around 11 and went to Subway for another foot long. The two halves last me all day. Or in this case--I finished my half from yesterday at the "top." They stay well overnight and in my bag while traveling. Afterwards,...

Oh boy, what a day! All so good, but also terrifying. Sam saw me off this a.m. I left around 7 a.m. for the Lane Link, where for $5 I can ride to the coast. As I was loading the bike on the front rack a woman appeared out of the bus to lend a hand. Chloe had also just arrived in Eugene and while her sister finished up work in Blue River, Chloe planned a day at the coast hiking. Very smart. Well, as we chatted I learned we had a dozen or so connections. She's from Michigan, grew up in the same small area as my son-in-law (very random), and now lives in Chicago. She is a sustainability geek. We chatted the whole way to Florence so I forgot to worry about things blowing off my bike. Which, btw my trip computer was not clicked in all the way and fell off as I was unloading. Chloe helped find it in the bushes. She watched my stuff while I ran to the bathroom. Always an issue. Anyway, I finished putting all the bags on and she snapped a few pics by a crab sculpture. This is just one exam...