1 Month, 1000 Miles

This blog is a record, made via cheapo cell phone camera and keypad, of our September/October 2008 bicycle tour from Seattle, Washington to San Francisco, California made on an antique Schwinn Paramount tandem bicycle while pulling our 55 pound dog Bruno behind us in a trailer. Bruno has asked me to add that he got out and helped to pull us up ALL the hills.

Unwinding

What an amazing feeling. We rode with michael 30 miles from samuel p taylor through marin to the bridge via sausalito. Perfect weather, cyclists everywhere, and great roads. Couldn't have been a better final day. It was an emotional ride across the bridge. And, um, who called the blue angels?

Time for a shower

1 couple, 1 bike, 1 dog, 1 trailer, 1 month, 1000 miles.

Feels really weird to be in a car.

1 mile to go

It's cold let's go!

The last night

We're camped with haley and michael at samuel p taylor st park! Today was slow for a long time, because of our big and exhausting day yesterday, but by late afternoon we were feeling ourselves once again. The ride into marin county was beautiful and it was a bizarre feeling slowly recognizing more and more familiar landmarks and places. Tomorrow we plan to enjoy the final 30 miles from here to crossing the golden gate bridge. Hard to believe it's almost over. But there are still a couple big hills ahead!

At manchester state beach

We were headed for the state park until we heard that the KOA next to it had a hot tub. They also had trash removal service, as you can see.

Sonoma coast

California coastline at its best. But brutal when you have several of these hills to climb at the end of a 63 mile day. We walked up the last few. Made it to wright's beach st park just after sunset, pooped and pleased. Two days to go.

End of a crazy day

Camped in cleone at a st park. There's a kid's camp going on, so i must wait in line for a toilet with small people.
This morning saw 2 massive climbs and 2 great great descents. Lunch in westport was yummy, followed by some meaningful conversation with marie, who runs the store there. Actually, it began the same with gary this morning, who runs the peg house back in leggett. "never don't stop," they say there.
1 mile after chatting with marie, which ended on a note about fate and control, we had a good scare. In a really sharp banked turn, the trailer rolled over, throwing Bruno and all our stuff into the road and about sending us out of control. Gladly everything and everyone is fine, though Bruno was a bit shaken up and he did get a couple small scratches. Okay okay, we were shaken up too. We're glad to be in camp safe and sound. The rest of the ride was quite hilly and now we're pooped. More hills tomorrow!

New bridge

We climbed the 101 where it has clearly fallen into the river below countless times. Not for much longer- they're building a massive bridge to replace this section just south of piercy. The middle section has not yet met either side. It's just balanced on that little cement pillar.

Back at the pacific at last

It's all the coast on rt 1 from here. Lunch in westport and a little rest for the day's last push. Hoping to cross the golden gate this weekend.

The big one's behind us

At the crest of the pass south of leggett. 1800 ft. Bruno helped to pull the entire way! It was an awesome 15 mile descent after. We stopped to let the brakes and the wheels cool down, to avoid meltdown at high speed. This was followed by an even steeper 3 mile torturefest. But well worth it, as we coasted coastward.

Sharon's pretty amped about that bridge

Where to camp?

Rolling in late to benbow for camping. it was a good long day with gradual improvements in both mood and weather. Rode 30 mile avenue of the giants today - beautiful! Would only be better going the other way. Downhill.

Rainy day in arcata

Just 30 seconds after posting our last photo, we broke a spoke on the rear wheel. No problems riding on into town, but between that and the rain storm it was finally time for a day off. The wheel is being repaired, we're warm and dry in a hotel room and taking turns catching up on our trip journal. All is well, the weather should improve tomorrow, and the pizza joint down the street is calling our names. I think Bruno appreciates the break too.

Wow moment number 739

Cleaning out the cleats

This is a road?

Stuck in the mud

Road repair south of trinidad.

Here goes nothin.

Last night in klamath

No opener

We've all been here before. I tore off my thumbnail doing this once.

Bruno is Pooped

He ran up the entire hill today.

Babe the blue ox and Bruno

We stayed last night in a crescent city rv park for lack of a better campground nearby. It's more or less like camping in a stranger's back yard. It was improved immensely by the company of matt and gretchen, a couple we've befriended along the way. Real good people, and we shared stories into the night by a campfire.
The climb today leaving crescent city about took all we had to give, but we made it over and enjoyed the ride down the other side. That's when we paid a visit to good ol paul bunyan.
We're Camped in klamath, ate our faces off on subway footlongs, ready for some solid sleep. Just gotta wait for that darn sun to go away. In the meantime We're watching a seal swim around in the river and thinking about taking hot showers.
Tomorrow another good climb and then pretty flat till legget. Feels like We're getting close.

UBER ALLES CA-LI-FORNIA

Urp. NOW We're ready to ride.

Glad we were carrying a spare tire

Found a nice little gash in our front sidewall, starting to bulge, we figured 'better safe than roadkill'

Bruno snoozing in the trailer

Poor guy has to stay outside the diner.

Natural bridges in sam boardman st park

At mt humbug state park

A beach picnic dinner was a great end to a solid day. Couscous, steamed spinach and cashews, cheese and hummus - a camping meal of champs. Cooking on the beach was probably just plain dumb, but somehow we kept the sand out of the food. Bruno got to run till he was whipped and slept like a rock last night. We stayed through sunset then crashed, star gazing, after nice hot showers. We will miss oregon state parks dearly. Up early this morning- gonna push for a long day so we can pass all the RV parks and make the next good campground.

Sunkissed and content

More of Bandon

Even more of Bandon

The Bandon coast

We stopped in Bandon, one of the cutest little coast towns we've been through. Met some great folks from Berkeley this morning who have a farm up here now. Last night we met a whole mess of cyclists at Ballard state park: one from colorado writing a book, one moving to portland with ALL of his belongings, a couple from sanfran, and one guy walking from mexico to canada for a charity fundraiser - he started with a big group and He's the only one still walking! Well, he and the tiny kitten that rides on his shoulders.
The weather is once again awesome and the coast is magnificent. I think we've seen the last of the ripe roadside blackberries, though. On to Mt Humbug!

Clearcutting south of Coos bay

The bridge into north bend

Sharon, pushing the trailer on the 'sidewalk'. Bikes have to wall this bridge. Arguably safer, but i'm not entirely sure of that.

Sunrise over eel lake

The sun wasn't up yet, but it was illuminating the fog above the trees, reflecting in the lake. Glad it's dry this morning - we rode the final hour yesterday in the rain, and eventually started getting cold. We made it to Wm Tugman st park and were glad to find they had a yurt available. So now the inside of the charming yurt looks like a laundromat, and we're dry warm and rested. Suzie is departing this morning to head home, and we'll miss her company. Hoping for better weather...

A wilderness rendezvous

And we were joined in washburne state park for a couple days of riding by suzie rose! Here she is mounting her touring rack and paniers.

Oregon Dunes

Camped last night in a forest service campground in oregon dunes nat rec area. Near end of season, totally empty... Creepy. In the morning, the food was still safely hanging from the tree, the dirty pots were untouched, and the empty dog bowl was nowhere to be found. What do these critters want from us?! We scrambled up a sandy path in the middle of a wooded hill and found ourselves atop a forested dune! I've never seen anything like it. Forest, sand and the sea, but all out of order.

Group shot at the dunes

Bruno liked the dunes too

Best campsite yet

A spectacular campsite at washburne state park. Walk-in tent sites, isolated, set back into a beautiful green forest... Perhaps the best we've seen yet. We let the sun dry our things out before starting this morning, after waking to more rain. Raccoons got into our food and stole some stuff, including a coffee cake! 35 mile ride over rolling hills alongside the sea. Hard to beat and impossible to photograph.

STOP STOP STOP

Newport, OR

Headed out into the rain yesterday, which was surprisingly un-miserable. Probably because the expectations of misery where fairly high. Rain let up before long and we even got some stretches of sun to dry us out. The light on the sea was marvelous, little circles of shimmer sailing about as we sat in depoe bay watching whales breach. Glad we ventured out. Not too many miles but excellent terrain, and a great campground just south of newport - a sweet little seaside city. We continue to meet lots of interesting cyclists, and we think we may see a more familiar face later today...

Some things are just meant 2 be together

Oregon coast

Rain!

Made it to lincoln city last night. A good day- made a 50 mile ride after hitting the road at 1pm, and got in before dark, with time for breaks and stops to fill our bellies and a water bottle with huge sweet blackberries. That made for a nice breakfast as we lay in the tent chatting, reading and listening to the rain. We may give it a go, as it appears to be lightening up.

And yes, they do have a big table.

Big Table Farm Monster Sighted!

10 legs & 3 heads caught sleeping! (Bruno really enjoyed his visit here, and we think clare did too)

Big Table Farm

No posts the last 3 days means a couple things: we've been out of cell range, and we've been on vacation from our vacation. We've been staying with Clare and Brian at their farm (Clare is Michael Carver's sister). It's absolutely beautiful (check out their blog). We helped take out an old fence to open up some new pasture for the horses, picked about a gallon of blackberries, explored the woods on the property, ate like kings and generally had a marvelous, restful time. We are both quite sad to say goodbye. Many thanks go to Clare and Brian for their hospitality and great company. Our legs are especially grateful for some recovery time and we're anxious to see how today goes as we get back in the saddles.

In Portland!

Bruno chased some squirrels in couch park. Off to the bike shop and then on to clare and brian's...

A hard day ends well

We made it to oregon today. Crossed the columbia river on a harrowing, long steep bridge coming out of longview, wa. Lots of people bike it, which i find hard to believe. Just past, on a busier road, we blew the rear tire. Huge hole in the sidewall. So we made a temp patch of duct tape and walked back down the hill to a gas station, now on the safer side of the guardrail (photo). That set us back a while, and required some time to regather our spirits. A cab ride back to town later, we had a new, even better, tire and we got under way again. The roads today were common bike routes, but hair raising no less. Gravel on the shoulder and high speed traffic. Little ground covered and our most trying day, by far, yet. Glad to say we're safely camped out in a beautiful city park in st helens, or. Got some good route advice from a fellow named sean tonight, while playing with his great dogs. Everyone we've encountered has been so friendly and kind! On to portland in the morning... -jacob

Oregon, the civil state.

In california, we use 'No Parking' signs, but hey.

Making new friends

Jacob took one for the team the other day. 2 mi out of porter he got stung in the lip by a bee! We quickly got him a benedryl and the nice folks in the farm next to us have us a bag of ice. He was a bit loopy for the rest of the morning. Later we stopped by a fruit stand and had some amazing peaches. It was here that jacob made his new friend.

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Bruno gets a fillerup.

Nap time

We did our first 50 mile day yesterday. Felt good last night but totally whipped today. Loong lunch.

Our cozy little camp in Porter.

We spent the night here next to the local restaurant/convenience store where folks were friendly, the burgers tasted great, and the coyotes howled through the night. Woke up to lots of dew in the morning!

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A dog on a bike trip?

Unanticipated dew this morning means everything is wet, despite clear skies. But the sun's up and it's early, We'll be dry and on the way in no time. In the meantime a cup of coffee+cocoa from the local general store does the trick. Breakfast is all the perfect blackberries you can eat from the bushes We're camped next to. A morning to be thankful for.

Best mailboxtractor yet.

A blackberry morning!

This message was sent using blackberries! After visiting a very nice vet this morning who gave Bruno a cortizone shot for his swollen paws, we stopped by a beautiful blackberry bush on the way out of town to celebrate.

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Sharon, hungry and planning.

Day 3

We shared some stories with a couple from florida this morning. They'd done some tandem touring, but this trip they're on motorcycles. Thx to them for taking a photo of us. We fixed our first flat last night, and it held up fine today.
Made it close to 30 miles today and stopped a bit short for lack of camping ahead. Glad for it because We're Pooped. In a motel in shelton, wa. Had a nice meal with george, who has just finished cycling across canada and is now heading south. Great stories. It's wonderful the people you meet on a trip like this. Even the same folks you pass everyday at the grocery store stop you to ask a few questions and wish you well. Inspiring. -jacob

Day 2 - a little longer!

Twanoh state park, a beautiful campground with hot showers! We watched the sunrise over the lake in the morning, and picked up a few clams which we were tempted to take back and cook for breakfast.

Day 1 success

Safe and sound, camped in illahee state park.
New experiences:
picking up dog crap next to cars going 60 mph.
Riding a seattle ferry through all the little islands and watching the sun set on mt rainier.
Having strangers walk up to you "just to say awesome and wish you luck". That's really cool. People are so kind
and enthusiastic too.

We didn't go far today, but it was all city riding and a bit hair raising to be sure, with Bruno in the trailer behind. Ready for a good night's sleep in this nice quiet campground. Looking forward to some open road cruising tomorrow. -jacob

Day 1

Safe and sound, camped in illahee state park.
New experiences:
picking up dog crap next to cars going 60 mph

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On the ferry to bremerton

Somehow we made it from jesse's to the ferry. Only bent one chain and lost Bruno's shoes, which we backtracked and found. And found out just how heavy our load is by trying to climb a stupidly steep hill. Bruno did NOT do his part. We're on the water now and enjoying views of the city and mt rainier.

Studying the seattle bike map

Brunch in seattle

After coffee and pastries at the columbia city bakery, annick snapped our photo at the bike works, looking for a couple last minute items. Awesome local bike shop, really nice folks and good suggestions for navigating the city to get to the bremerton ferry. Wheels start spinning in an hour or two! -jacob

At pike place market in seattle

-Jacob

Jacob sewing the rain cover

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Getting close!

Prepping the rain cover for the trailer

Our first bike tour!

So we're gonna ride our new old Schwinn Paramount tandem bicycle from Seattle to San Francisco in September. The trip is just about 1000 miles. That will require the wheels on our bike rotating 733,000 times. Bruno does not yet know that he will be riding in a trailer behind our bike and unpacked in order to pull us up steep hills. We think he'll be really excited about this.