Montana

Just a week ago I arrived in a quaint resort town in the Rockies called Whitefish. Beginning my journey there by slowly and methodically putting my dismantled bicycle back together from it's shipping box. After consulting with one of the local bike shops my route was much different than I had first planned.
The Seeley Swan Valley is one of the longest roads in the Western side of the state with the least amount of people. Grizzly bears and fast drivers were my worst enemies on this leg of the journey. 110 miles and I survived. I made it through some of Montana's best scenery. High mountain fresh air, ponderosa pines, blooming wildflowers and the occasional tourist attraction were some of the joys that I experienced. Smiling most of the way too!
Arriving in Seely Lake my good friend Nathan Johnson and his son had planned to go camping with me in the surrounding mountains and photo one of the larger waterfalls in the area. I found a laundry mat with a shower at which point I thought I was in heaven. I started a batch up of "less than fresh" laundry when the downpour started. With my arm half in the water of the wash basin there was a great flash of light and a shock that jolted me. I jerked my arm out of the washer as the thunder was still shaking the building. I've never been shocked by lightning before and I was really pretty happy once I checked myself over for any damage or burns. Wow, good times in Montana. There was some hail and more rain and a really amazing lightning show. I talked Nate and Tristan into heading back to Missoula...

Things in Canada are ALL RIGHT

Made it back to Seattle tonight after three nights and four days in Lovely British Columbia. I happened to stay all three nights on the Salt Spring Island and just kind of hung out. Yesterday I volunteered some hours on a cob construction worksite. A nice young family are making their home from straw, mud and clay. It is a timber frame infill with all of the lumber being milled onsite. Pretty cool.

Today I rode back to the main island and met up with Andra in Victoria. We went to a popular little hole in the wall that we decided our friend Robbie would love. The Pink Bicycle is a burger joint that offers gourmet burgers of all kinds. Mine was lamb and Andra enjoyed the Bison. MMMmmm. Beautiful city. (thanks for the hospitality Andra!)

Tomorrow I'll spend some time in Seattle checking out the local scene. I'll also try to meet up with a couple of old friends if they can make it downtown. From there I take the train to Montana for the second to last biking portion of the trip. 138 miles to Missoula from Whitefish. Wishing I had more time, good weather and an unlimited budget.

Portland/Seattle/Victoria, B.C.

Here is last nights dinner and the view from the small restaurant. Salmon and veggies, MMMmmmn!

Travel time has sped up and now I'm on my second day in Canada. Salt Spring Island off the coast of Beautiful British Columbia.

From Ted's Portland I took Amtrak to Seattle where I stayed at a downtown hostel called the Green Tortoise. A quick bike ride from the hostel first thing in the morn I rode to the Victoria Clipper ferry terminal for a ride to Victoria. Great lunch of Cod and Salmon fish and chips with Andra and then I rode to the tip of the Saanich peninsula. One more ferry to SSI and now just hanging out on the coast and enjoying biking and tourist town pleasures.

Medford to Portland

Medford is a hard town to describe. Clean and potentially growing but with a lot of vacancies on Main street. 230 miles worth of Craig's list ride landed me in Salem and I'm that much closer to Portland. Nice ride by a nice young lady who was visiting family for the Fourth and the Oregon Country Fair.

Much of my trip so far has revolved around generous amounts of food and some very good beer. After dinner I rode out to a farm house where I offered the owner a couple bucks to camp in their yard. Some nice conversation and then riding in the morning to Aurora along a country road.

Aurora offered nice folks and a few nice shops that some entrepreneurs have made the best of. An antique shop that I viewed for at least a couple of hours had the most amazing collection of building materials known on the planet. If I would have only had a truck I would have gone broke buying things for my house that I need to build.

Stopping in a pub in Oregon city I was well fed with some Scottish delicacies. A deep fried egg that was surrounded by sausage and then deep fried to perfection was a late lunch and fuel to get to Ted's house in Portland. Here I'm looking at train tickets North and checking out the local culture. He is refurbishing a late 1800's 3100 square foot home that will soon be a fine specimen of remodeled urban dwelling. I might just stay for the Fourth of July festivities here or travel North to get more bike touring in before the wedding. Another 50 miles total and only getting moderately lost in the city.

.: Fast forward and here is a short story of Independence Day in Portland :.

Beginning with a brilliant tour of the city by my host Ted, we cross town and hit the University, Downtown, Food-Cart-Pod, Blues Festival, Waterfront, across the "bridge" to another Food-Cart-Pod for a great dinner.  Shrimp Po-Boy for any of you who know the delicacy that this sandwich is.

Quick bike ride to a park where about 100 people have gathered to play dodge ball and throw fireworks at each other.  Then some leader announces the beginning of the ride.  We all ride to the corner store and all 100 people individually buy themselves a Pabst Blue Ribbon (taking roughly half an hour and buying the store out of the malty beverage).  Then they light some more fireworks and head for the waterfront to witness the city fireworks display.  After a good hour of festive explosions and patriotic singing most of the crowd biked down a river path to listen to 80's music and set off more fireworks.  (good times and thanks Ted)

Bike Train Pacific NW

Bike

Travel time Excursions often take random turns. More than just your average excursion, I'm taking the month to travel. This journey's planning is based around friends and aquaintances. Each major portion of the trip will stop to explore the culture, scenery and most importantly reconnect with old friends. Besides the first leg of the trip being by mutated school bus, the rest of the journey should mostly be by BIKE AND TRAIN. At the moment I'm visiting a pleasant forest retreat called the Green Springs Inn. Maybe it's the 44 mile bike ride from Klamath Falls, OR that seemed to be mostly uphill? Maybe it's that I'm out of shape a bit? Showing up at my first host's home seemed maybe too perfect. Justin Gordon has rehabilitated a small cabin in the woods. A musician/traveler/scholar/and sometimes worker of the building trades has offered to show me around this neck of the woods. Great forest scenery that I feel right at home at. I can name off a handful of native plants and wildlife at a glance. The smell of the forest in the air. It seems to be a very healthy forest in the tail end of the spring wildflower bloom. I'll base here for the next few days, checking out the local scene in Ashland and relaxing in the woods here at Justin's. Tomorrow is a rain day so I'll spend that in a coffee shop reading and maybe knitting my first beany. (Thanks Justin) Here I am riding around on Green Springs road and heading for Portland, the West Coast, Seattle, Bellingham, Victoria British Columbia, Vancouver, Whitefish Montana and my final destination being my hometown for my brother Lee's wedding.