Some pictures at last

Hello everyone. Well I am in a library in Bandon, Oregon and the computer will allow me to put some pictures up so it could be a little picture heavy. Above is a stretch of road I cycled this morning, it was beautiful and empty.

Yesterday I had my first rest day and really enjoyed a day off the bike, I spent it how any good Brit abroad would and sat on the beach and got sunburnt! I was staying just outside of a town called Chalrseton and it was a lovely campsite near a beach. The beach was called sunset so aptly enough I managed to view my first one of the trip here. (see picture)

There was a Botanical garden there also and it made me feel like I was back home to some extent.It felt surreal that just behind me was the crashing Pacific Ocean yet here it was so peaceful.

The day spent riding to get here had been great, as have all of the days of late. My legs are starting to feel really strong now and also there has been a very helpful tail wind the whole way. The expanse of sand dunes was incredible,

Hopefully this panoramic shot does it some justice.

I have been feeling really good about the whole trip of late and enjoying my own company. I am sure that the sunshine has helped a lot. As have stretches of road like the above here.

In a couple of days I will be leaving Oregon and arriving in Northern California where there are some bigger hills and to start off with the Redwood forests which I a excited about seeing.

Hopefully this one's a bit more interesting with some pictures.

Speak soon
Sam x

A computer which I thought worked, sunshine and a theiving Racoon

Hello.

I am currently in a town called Reedsport which is fairly central in Oregon. The miles have been flying passed helped by a good tail wind and also some incredible scenery.

Since I last wrote I have camped evey night which has been good fun and kept the cost of the trip down. The Staurday night however I got a bit of a fright when I awoke to my food bags getting ripped to shreds outside, It was hard to get back to sleep after this but somehow managed. 2 hours later I woke up to a big warm lump sat on top of my tent...! I shouted and pushed it off and lay awake for about 2 hours after that..I can just invisage the Racoon using my tent as a hammock whilst eating my food!

As I can now put some pictures up I will add a few that should have been in the last update.......

Well I would but just found out that I still can not upload pictures....Foiled at the final hurdle!

So it looks like it's just back to my drone again...

Riding from Tillamook there were some steepish climbs up over 3 capes but all of them were worth it as the views were spectaular.

It was yesterday however that the I had my best day of the trip. I stopped off at a really cool bike charity project (Green Bike Co.) where I tweaked the bike I rode to a town called Yachats and as I was there the sun proeprly burst through the grey that had been overhead for 3 days. This coincided with such an amazing stretch of coastal road. Route 101 hugged the coast and climbed up and down. The views were awe inspiring and it bought me to tears again as it was the first time that I could see so much of the coastline and all in brilliant sunshine. This 25 mile stretch I will remember for the rest of my life. It maybe took me about 2 and a half hours to cover the distance as I just had to keep stopping to take pictures (again imagine them here if the bloody computer would allow me to put them up...!) At the end of this stretch I arrived at the Oregon Dunes. They spread for what looks like an enternity and inland they have a number of beautiful lakes surrounded by trees. The dunes are enormous too, I tried walking up one but I was too tired after a ride and gave up not even half way up one.

It's been cool meeting fellow tourers as well. A really cool retired couple form Kansas who I have bumped into twice in campsites, a German couple who I shared a bottle of wine with last night and a girl from Oakland who I rode with for 10 miles or so. They have all been realy cool people and super friendly as have all the locals. I am pleased to say though that I have not yet been overtaken by anyone else with touring gear and hope to keep it that way the whole trip.

Well, I will leave it at that for now, I really wish that I could sort out the pictures and as soon as I do you will all get bombarded..

Missing home a bit but every corner I turn offers me something new and exciting so I am holding up well. Maybe I will treat myself to a day off the saddle tomorrow though.

Thanks for reading,
Sam x

Goodbye wet Washington, hello sunshine of Oregon

Well, I am in another library, this time just north of a town called Tilamook, famed for its cheese apparently. The computer is not reading my SD card so can't get any pictures up so I will keep it shortish as it will just be my words.

After leaving Westport I had another day in the rain cycling further south although there were occasional breaks in the rain. The riding was easy with 40 miles without hardly a hill in sight as I paralleled the coast along mud flats and crossed over sloughs which were so green. I arrive in a very small town called Bay Center and chercked in to a campsite. As it was another mainly wet day I treated myself to a log cabin (picture bike outside cabin..!)

 I strolled down to the beach and saw my first sunset over the ocean which really lifted the spirits It then started hammering it down again so they were soon back to being dampened. I was very greatful for the log cabin when the sound of the rain was keeping me up all night.

I awoke to SUNSHINE! so set off with a spring in my step towards Ilwaco, again very easy flat riding and 40 miles vanished. I headed up to a cape and saw the first lighthouse of the trip and then headed onwards to a town just before the state border called Chinook. Super firendly hosts who insisted on feeding me beer and had a good long chat.

It was sad to be leaving Washington the following day but Astoria and Oregon awaited. The Astoria bvridge is 4.1 miles long and thanks to raodworks I had most of it all to myself which was amazing, one hariy part when a logging truck wnet past inches away but otherwise fine. In Astoria I headed up to the column at the top (imagine amazing view pictures) great views for 30+ miles in all directions. It was the steepest bit of road I have ever been on though and was cursing the weight in the panniers.

Had a great coffee and breakfast at a hipsters veggie cafe and got given a different route to the town of Seaside. The Lewis Clark Rd is the best road I have ever cycled on, no traffic,winding road, deer, kingfisher and eagles for 30 miles. (Imagine great picture here...)

Well my time's up on the computer, I hope to get the pictures up soon,

Cheers,
Sam

A lot of miles and rain

Well it's been a while coming but here's the first update. I'm sat here in Westport, Washington State in the library (it's amazing how internet cafe's now no longer exist) I've just done 80 miles or so in the rain, this is now the third consecutive day of rain. My spirits are surprisngly high considering how wet I have been but the sun shone for the last 10 miles of my ride today and I spontaneously burst into tears...!

Right well I'll start at the start of the journey. Getting the bike over was painless and I was pleased to see it arrive in one peice when I got to Vancouver. After a short ride I arrived the the Endeavor Snowboards office where it was great to see the new set up. Above is a shot of the wall outside the office. Max, Bruce, Rob, Jason all were very welcoming and had a beer waiting for me. At this point the sun was shining and all was well. Bruce was putting me up and made me feel really welcome, it was great to talk about the forthcoming adventure with him as he had done some open ocean sailing and could see the nervousness in me.

The following day I cycled around Stanley park which was a good way to warm the legs up. This is a shot of some of the totem poles there. The evening was spent at Vancouver beach drinking beer whilst Max's kids played on the park. It was good to feel so welcome there before I set off on my own.

The next morning Bruce dropped me off at the ferry to Vancouver Island, said my good byes and the adventure well and truely began. Well it would have had I not been refused on to the ferry as it was full, that meant I missed the follwing conecting one from Sidney so I was already a day behind schedule. I killed the time I had on Vancouver Island by riding to Victoria and back.

Here's a shot of Victoria

And also one of my first campsite of the trip which was great to be in the woodland

Following Day I got the ferry to Anacortes where after a bit of grief from homeland security I was allowed on to the ferry to Anacortes (USA). It then started raining and that's all it's done since I have been in the States. I can see how Washington is called the Evergreen state as it rains A LOT!!!! A tough 35 mile ride and I was in setting camp again. I awoke in the morning to the sound of Bald Eagles circling my tent....was this a sign?

Following day I did another 65 miles in constant rain and arrived in a town called Hoodsport. I checked into a really seedy Motel  (which felt like a palace as it was dry) and tried to dry everything out. I was feeling good despite all the rain as some of the riding had been fun and the scenery is beautiful as there are a lot of wildlife to look at. The sun briefly shone in Hoodsport and I got this shot of looking down the Hood Canal where I had just come from. I also will remember Hoodsport for the best Burrito I have ever had although I am sure there will be some other good ones on the way.

Hood Canal

So I am now in Westport and have just hit the Pacific Coast. Sorry if this is a little long and boring but It's tricky to know what to put in after a week away and have seen a lot of things and experienced some extreme highs and lows. Spirits are good though and looking forward to getting to another seedy Motel and celebrating a good day with a beer and a shower, maybe that's the last of the rain for a while as well but I doubt it....
Speak soon\Sam x

Preperations (or lack of....)

So the bags are packed, the bike weighs a tonne but it all fits in. I haven't really got a clue whether I have packed too much or too little or too much of the wrong stuff but I guess I will just have to work it out as I go along. Here's a picture of all the stuff I am taking.

My Dad has spent many an hour and swear word sorting out the bike, racks, and mudguards so I owe him a massive thanks as I have not had the time to do it. I am excited about riding the bike as it is very different to the one I have been riding at present, in the fact that it is 10 times heavier but I reckon once it gets up to speed I should be fine. Here's a shot of my Dad admiring his handy work and the Surly Disc trucker ready for the off....

I'm hoping my legs will be fit enough for it as with the weather being so bad I haven't been ablew to get as much riding in as I would like. I am sure the riding out in Austria last week would have helped though as we managed to get a proper Alpine climb in out there. Greg Hackett made a great edit of the climb as you can see here http://vimeo.com/42137233.

Right that's it from this side of the Atlantic, I hope to write a bit in a couple of days.
Cheers,
Sam

So the day has dawned that I head off. The bike is fully loaded and weighing far more than I am used to. Everything has fitted in and now it begins. I am to get some pictures up shortly but this is just a test to see if my blogging skills are up to it as I have only just become a pretentious hipster....more to come soon
Sam x