Welcome to California

July 23rd - 28th

Bandon to Gold Beach, Oregon to Cresent City to Arcata to Eureka, California...193 miles.

While Blake and I were still in Bandon we rode around the neighborhoods on the moped together. We wanted to explore some of the towns we were in, and jumping on Pearl together was the quickest way to do that.
Yesterday I recalled those little trips together because we had to get something done and jumped on Pearl for the first time since our trip ended. It was rainy and moist out and we were both wearing our rain jackets that were always out while we were coming down the coast. All the memories of riding on the back of the moped with Blake came flooding in and despite riding 40mph in the rain on a cold morning, it was sentimental.

 *These logging trucks were a nightmare. They were huge, loud, fast, and frequent the entire time down the coast. I'm glad I got a picture of them because they were very much a part of the trip. 

 *Stopped for construction, this guy on his bike offering ME water... so sweet. 

In Gold Beach we stayed at a little cottage-type motel. We walked into town and grabbed dinner. In the morning I went for a run on the beach and Blake made breakfast. This day was the day we'd ride into California! The state border was about half-way down the coast.

*SUCH a stud.

I feel more emotional about the moment we got to California because after living here for now eight months (not including the month on the road) I know that I love California. I know that crossing that state line on that day in July we had no idea what was ahead of us. We didn't know if we'd even settle down in this state. We didn't know that we'd make it nearly all the way through it. NorCal could be it's own state. It's so drastically different then the south. The people, weather, buildings, roads, atmosphere, and beaches are all so different. It took us less then one month to get through Washington and Oregon and we weren't looking back!

We stayed in Crescent City for three days! The first time we stayed anywhere for that long. Blake needed to rest his body and I needed to rest my anxious brain. We set up camp at a large campground next to the water and chilled out! The fog was heavy and quiet. We saw two movies at the theater, ate sushi, grocery shopped, explored, and rested in the tent. There was nothing special in Crescent City other then the campground being decently priced and quiet and it being a home base for a quick day trip into the Redwoods. Blake rode his bike and I took the moped in, wanting to avoid getting pulled over. At one point we just locked up the bike and rode throught the giant green trees together on Pearl. With a  lunch packed and hiking trails to explore, we were happy to not be on the road travelling. This was the first time either of us had seen the Redwood trees. Talk about putting your ego into check. They were monsters. I imagined George Lucas seeing them and envisioning "Return of the Jedi." Riding on my moped felt like I was riding through the trees zipping by like they did in Star Wars. Jurassic Park was also filmed in these woods located in Northern Humbolt County, California. Being in it felt dense and dark. You feel so small in the world when you have to crank your neck all the way back just to see the tops of the trees. It was incredible.

Aracata, California...The first hippies and palm trees I saw on this trip. Before I left Santa Fe, a friend told me we would love Arcata and he was right. It's like Santa Fe, NM, Manitou, CO, and California combined. There was a farmer's market going on when we arrived. We grabbed some bakery foods and produce and explored the little town. There we saw a group of biking tourist hippies putting on a music show in the park. I got a few crafty items and sent them home. We ended up having to ride to Eureka to find a place to stay for the night.

Thanks for reading about this trip we took last summer! It's hard to believe we are one month shy of 1 year leaving everything behind in Colorado.

Dream Big Ride Far!

Oregon Coast

July 19th - 22nd

Pavement, tall trees, foggy mornings, laundromats, wet tent, cold bathrooms, road signs, dirt, pastries, fresh air, quiet days, vibrant green hillsides, not enough clothes, too many clothes, packing, unpacking, phone calls home, maps, strangers, motel rooms, sleeping bags, quarters, gas stations, pictures, small conversations, laughs, waves, wind, rain, fruit, beaches, coffee, water, music, tourists, bicycles, RV's, white line on the road, bridges, construction, smells, raccoons, breakfasts, phone chargers.

Strange: adj.

1. unusual, extraordinary, or curious; odd

2. situating, belonging, or from outside of one's ownlocality

3. outside of one's previous experience

4. unaccustomed to or inexperienced in; unaquainted

Let's recap: I'm a typical mid-twenties midwestern girl, traveling 10 miles per hour on a moped with my life strapped down by bungee cords following a dreadlock bicyclist lover down the west coast of the United States for an unknown destination at an unknown point in time.

I was living the strange.


Pacific City to Florence to Bandon, Oregon...171 miles

Heading into Newport, Oregon we were looking for a bike shop to get Blake some fenders. We found Bike Newport. It was the best shop we went into on the whole coast. They supplied a shower for Blake and then fixed up his bike. I remember this shop because they were down-to-earth and friendly. Also because they were the first to say they've seen thousands of tourists travel Highway 101 and we were the first to do it the way we were; 1 bicyclist, 1 moped rider...strange. That's ok, it was the strange that worked for us.

We rode through Newport to a large campsite in South Beach (my journal says "Long Beach" but I chalk that up to camping & riding errors.) It was a neighborhood of campers. I was cracking up at the lots all around us, just like housing developments...but take off the shell of the house and replace it with a tent, talk about "airing your laundry" if you get what I'm saying. We stayed two days at this campsite resting. We went running down a trail to the beach one of the nights. It was so magical: dark trees growing overhead, rolling hills of sand, loud crashing waves, and a far off lighting storm over the ocean. We got pulled over by the Po. When I say "we" I mean both of us on one of our jaunts into town on the Black Pearl living in our own world...They don't seem to like that very much. We also ended up finding Rogue Brewery here in South Beach. We were the only ones sitting on the back deck when the owner and some empolyees and old timer regulars joined us. I remember blending in with them as they conversed about business, last night's bar fight, and so on. It reminded me of hanging out at Blake's parent's restaurant drinking a beer.

Pearl had a birthday during these few days in Oregon. 1001 miles under her belt! She's a bada**!

I was so in love with listening to my music or audiobook, chillin' on the moped behind Blake, watching everything go by slowly. The weather changed, the colors changed, the hills changed, the people changed, the roads changed.

In Bandon we were hanging out at another laundromat and made a friend with this guy and his sweet little dog. He used to tour back in the '70's with his son. I could see the memories flood into his eyes as he tried his best to explain his trips. I recognize it now because I'm sure I get that look when I try to explain my adventures to people. Everyone has thier own story...I learned this coming down the coast, that's for sure! Anyone we talked to would have their memories flood back to them and they'd light up recalling thier past adventures.

Everyone has had thier fare share of strange. I think it's exciting! Strange can break down your thinking, change what you've been programmed to think, alter your reality. Strange things and events and people are good. "Unusual, extraordinary, curious" are amazing words to add to your story.

I love this picture above! These seagulls were chilling on this roof over our hotel room (that was actually a time portal to the '60's with it's grass carpet, wood panal walls and cigerette air freshner.) All night we heard thier little feet patter above. THEN this pelican came to join the party, he had a heavier step. I think this was when I fell in love with pelicans...to me they are the great, old, wise yogis of the sea.

Thanks for reading!! Hope you enjoy my strange & that you are enjoying your strange. 

I believe this way of thinking will take you down a path to Dream Big, Ride Far!!