Pick of the day: Christmas with Lynn
Our good fiend Lynn was up for Christmas, bringing a small ice storm with her. We were mostly housebound, happily staying warm and catching up with each others’ lives, but we did manage to get out for a short walk along the waterfront.
Read MorePick of the day: along the Columbia
So I’m starting off a new category, for random photos or video clips I want to remember. They may or may not have anything to do with the bike, though this first one does. We rode out to the Columbia River today – a cold, windy 40 miler to Kelly Point and then east along … Continue reading "Pick of the day: along the Columbia"
Read MoreOn rediscovering the lost art of reading
Now that I’m retired, one of the ways I’ve been filling my extra hours is by posting rides Rachael and I have taken in the past that I’ve never published before. In revisiting some of these old stories, I’ve been reminded of what an important role literature played in our lives. Compiling a library of paperback novels … Continue reading "On rediscovering the lost art of reading"
Read MoreAround a pretty big island
We like islands. We’ve circled or taken a large bite from a few fair sized ones by now: Honshu, a very big island with an area of roughly 77,000 square miles; Tasmania, 26,000; Taiwan, 14,000; Vancouver Island, 11,000; Sicily, 10,000; Sardinia, 9,000; Corsica, 3,300; Crete, 3,000. Next up, Hawaii, The Big Island. At 4,000 square miles it’s certainly big enough; but The … Continue reading "Around a pretty big island"
Read MoreBest Day of the Tour
A concept, and a illustration I, as I imagine many bikers or other travelers do, tend to mentally catalog my current experience in comparison against others on the tour – best, one of the best so far: best meal, best climb, best vista, best descent, best day, whatever. Part of me is a natural classifier, … Continue reading "Best Day of the Tour"
Read MoreHow I became a better travel writer
Why travel writing? Yes, I know. You don’t need to tell me I’m not any kind of travel writer; but if you’ve been following along the last few years, you might agree that I’m at least less bad. If not, just humor me for awhile, because I think I’m starting to get better. Something’s happening. … Continue reading "How I became a better travel writer"
Read MoreBilbao to Sete
This was our second tour along the Pyrenees in recent years. In 2014 we biked from Girona to Bilbao, primarily along the French side of the range. This time we reversed ourselves, starting in Bilbao and following the Spanish side. We finished off the tour by crossing into France, where I was flattened by food … Continue reading "Bilbao to Sete"
Read MoreBiking to the MAX: North Plains
This morning it feels for the first time like we’re transitioning into Autumn. It has turned significantly cooler than it has been most of the last month – it is around sixty when I leave home a bit after sunrise – and a refreshing breeze from the northwest leaves the air feeling fresh and freed … Continue reading "Biking to the MAX: North Plains"
Read MoreCannon Beach to Portland
For years I’ve wondered how it would be to bike along the Nestucca River from the coast to Carlton in the Willamette Valley – I’m sure it must be the quietest crossing on the northwest coast. I could never quite figure out how to fit it into a reasonable loop, but it’s a natural for … Continue reading "Cannon Beach to Portland"
Read MoreAstoria to Portland
This ride was an initial experiment with using the bus over to the coast. Before this we’ve always just driven over and taken a loop or day ride. Besides being greener, taking the bus opens up new ride possibilities – we’ve never ridden home from the coast before. The experiment was a success, in that it looks … Continue reading "Astoria to Portland"
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