Sunday, July 27, 2008

NEWPORT OREGON: the final frontier for the summer of 2008

Well team, we made it to the finish line. I apologize for the lack of posts through oregon, the internet wasn't that great in the towns we went through and we realized that after dropping the trailers we'd be getting in about a week earlier than expected so i took this opportunity to get an early flight home and surprise the boy, which worked out nicely. Getting into oregon felt like coming home, the air was amazing and cooler. Our first night we slept in vale oregon then pedaled through gradual hills desert and old lava fields into burns oregon. Oregon has forests that surpass those in fairytales and my imagination. The trees are so big and healthy and there's just so much green, it was heavenly. One of the best/worst rides we did that i definitely want to go back to do again was a 98 mile stretch from the town of bend oregon to the town of sweet home, or. For the first few miles its realitively flat on a nice road and you pass llama farms and forest and then you get to pedal your way over two passes at about 5,000 feet, passing the pct intbetween them. Passing the sign for the pacific crest trail was sort of a surreal moment for me. I developed an idea for the ultimate biathlon race/endeavor, you start on the appalachian trail and hike north, then you hop on a bike and ride the northern tier biking route from maine to the pct where you begin to hike southbound till you hit southern california where you hop on a bike again and cruise back over the AT, just a thought. anyways, the last 25 miles of the 95 mile stretch are completely down hill, and you hit a river bed that you continue to follow for another 15 mile or so, you end in sweet home where there is both a dairy queen and a DQ, not much else you could ask for.
Our last day into newport ironically ended up being our worst day, mechanically speaking of riding. My seat had somehow become unleveled or something and was causing immense pain just to sit on, none of our maps matched up with the mileage we were seeing on signs and garland took a spill and nearly tore one of the spokes clear out of his rim, but the night is always darkest just before the dawn. We cruised down the mountains of the coastal range for what felt like forever, at every turn i was hoping to see the ocean.
At 6:40 pm i stopped to get some sugar in my system and as we had given up on the maps i checked my trusty gps and it told us that we were 5.4 miles to newport, this gave us newfound hope that we knew we had to take with a grain of salt, as has been the golden rule for this whole trip, we got back on the bike and finally saw the ocean. I got chills at the first sight of it. We started screaming as we rolled into newport and closer to the shore line, amazed that we had finally made it. We passed the entry to coastal route 101 where route 20 ends/begins and flew past it to get to the beach. We christened our bikes in the water and sat in awe for a little bit/
I think part of what draws me to trips like this is that, apart from the physical challenge, they simplify life completely and allow you see what is really important, but for me at least, they also allow me to experience the simple joys that life has to offer on such a human level. Having a bed and shower become amazing. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables becomes orgasmic. The worst day on the bike is still better than a good day at the office. This was an incredible way to see the country and we met people who literally brought tears to my eyes with their selflessness and trust in us.
here are some facts and stats of the trip:
number of gatorade/electrolyte enhanced drinks it takes for two people to bike cross country:
240 bottles which comes to 7,680 ounces of gatorade.

number of dairy queen blizzards:
12 - this still wasn't enough

number of porsche cayennes that nearly took me out:
4

number of calories burned based on a 150 pound man which inbetween both of our weights:
378,000

calories burned per day:
6,000-8,000

number of flats:
3

we saw more obama stickers than any other candidate
more for hillary in nebraska than any other state
ron paul was very popular in central new york and some desolate farm lands out west
one mitt romney stickker found on a jeep wrangler with a colorado plate

cheapest gas
3.75 in oregon


longest day:
130 miles burns-bend oregon
shortest day:
48 miles somewhere in new york.

tubes of chamois butter:
2.5

2 comments:

Geoffrey said...

Hi Claire -
Congratulations on finishing your cross-country bike ride! That was an amazing accomplishment - I'm very proud of you! I'm glad the last part of your ride went relatively smoothly, and I'm glad you got home safely. Thanks for keeping us posted on your trip - I loved the journal entries and photos! Enjoy the rest of your summer, and good luck with the Peace Corps!
Geoffrey

Anonymous said...

congrats dude. it sounds like you had an awesome time.