tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84059946837971024492024-02-07T01:10:10.181-08:00No Living RoomLiving without living rooms.
Three friends bicycle from Anacortes, WA to somewhere else.Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-76628700175708212812009-12-13T09:26:00.000-08:002009-12-13T10:45:07.218-08:00Changing Tides.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLPXtqP8uSJA_vsFzVjX_rkAXnu57S4D2n4n_NjCaGajOB7GRYwbR92WpPqiSOKwyPeeublmPxFAyQQsTbWY7P91ixpbDuGj0yfeVXCVjb5lxgk2k9UCbGriBOqMSmusXol4CnTW7hOA/s1600-h/IMG_0004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLPXtqP8uSJA_vsFzVjX_rkAXnu57S4D2n4n_NjCaGajOB7GRYwbR92WpPqiSOKwyPeeublmPxFAyQQsTbWY7P91ixpbDuGj0yfeVXCVjb5lxgk2k9UCbGriBOqMSmusXol4CnTW7hOA/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779698277142322" border="0" /></a>
<br />Our Santa Cruz crew. These people are some of the most generous and friendly people we have ever met. Keep doing it my peeps!
<br /></div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLVVIP2YpiQqbEVle6gtRmqtXqgxlXwa4wsV28ZtsqAki9XBohBW2gReT8IHACn7RJira4qExddmICE4STEraHbjfgVx30IkUF4VdM8BIBDxm5MWXVxgQ4UEcko4H2flGi4h7ZEEZ7aQ/s1600-h/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLVVIP2YpiQqbEVle6gtRmqtXqgxlXwa4wsV28ZtsqAki9XBohBW2gReT8IHACn7RJira4qExddmICE4STEraHbjfgVx30IkUF4VdM8BIBDxm5MWXVxgQ4UEcko4H2flGi4h7ZEEZ7aQ/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780279959852226" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Beautiful and awe inspiring sunset in Santa Cruz.
<br /></div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLgnYKU-HHihtyflyWuW0Elv-fgF5AeKscMRZmE7jeUPIhmxk1Ke5z953nsyoEErMy5HVzloPKhpt7zlISLDV0J-WzPckyscnzFtK1f1VL6D-Zh_x_-piByzLZQz9SM4sirARK1nlUjM/s1600-h/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLgnYKU-HHihtyflyWuW0Elv-fgF5AeKscMRZmE7jeUPIhmxk1Ke5z953nsyoEErMy5HVzloPKhpt7zlISLDV0J-WzPckyscnzFtK1f1VL6D-Zh_x_-piByzLZQz9SM4sirARK1nlUjM/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780269434643810" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Boardwalk at Santa Cruz.
<br /></div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi24TaGza3uIU0dixCy4WLvDhEDzCYysTBizPdOjIslP9qKtbe9HoXM4TQel0xmNXEihZ4MGLpDTKTI3bVu_jQfUnJsr7zMoU8vUN_eTpxqm_KXY2F7XbKIB8g17M3uw5U8Vv0d75jVXw/s1600-h/DSCN0127.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi24TaGza3uIU0dixCy4WLvDhEDzCYysTBizPdOjIslP9qKtbe9HoXM4TQel0xmNXEihZ4MGLpDTKTI3bVu_jQfUnJsr7zMoU8vUN_eTpxqm_KXY2F7XbKIB8g17M3uw5U8Vv0d75jVXw/s320/DSCN0127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780615788817250" border="0" /></a>
<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">We met this guy at the top of of a pretty good hill climb in the middle of the Big Sur Coast. He proceeded to give us everything he had to eat in his car and tell us stories from the time he road his bike from Vancouver Island to Key West. This guy seriously made our day. Notice there is another new guy in this picture, that is Dale, he is a badass.
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ34fzhXoQIWBcOP51II4KbUeK22GVlgArKQ2_7Pu8yPkndFE09AfTkBPaoZmDnbm0JB5HUydmxkoWFqNm1Ny6ogtQRZDyC7Thg9f0T72ztMlBK2kZS2EWh_EDNT7JFp529P7y4CbSn8/s1600-h/DSCN0134.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ34fzhXoQIWBcOP51II4KbUeK22GVlgArKQ2_7Pu8yPkndFE09AfTkBPaoZmDnbm0JB5HUydmxkoWFqNm1Ny6ogtQRZDyC7Thg9f0T72ztMlBK2kZS2EWh_EDNT7JFp529P7y4CbSn8/s320/DSCN0134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780613353344786" border="0" /></a>
<br />Tyler, Dale and I pose on just one of the many majestic cliff-sides in Big Sur. The other rider with us is Malcolm. Malcolm is from Mt. Vernon, WA, and has been on the road for three months. He said he's never going home. None of us could blame him.
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC1TQaXZJGJCBC02YfVh14PQalkKjHqrw5d4Ebi2BQ-5rV1zGOyKIH3znigZRLrTpFKw9AVaMtVv31HrpoXJ3gDyTlANopf_26NARZU8Byos62_5phaeBXHqmb1Qm0UP8QfZEDYaL4Cw/s1600-h/DSCN0108.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC1TQaXZJGJCBC02YfVh14PQalkKjHqrw5d4Ebi2BQ-5rV1zGOyKIH3znigZRLrTpFKw9AVaMtVv31HrpoXJ3gDyTlANopf_26NARZU8Byos62_5phaeBXHqmb1Qm0UP8QfZEDYaL4Cw/s320/DSCN0108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780626052701090" border="0" /></a>
<br />Strawberry fields began showing up in the Salinas valley and have been present along the way ever since. Dale took this picture just before Monterrey, the day he met us.
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDjtIiZot-EDNxV6fm_08FBT06cdKRrG8HK5q9aZS9ppQrKgZ1cEVTAzBBZ9ereop6mVqMAADsBYvMc3jXCp1uQ9Aq0MHDkmVx55m_CW2FSaXHSYjRDZQ9c8ylmbBJSBQd5pOoiYb6bo/s1600-h/IMG_0078.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDjtIiZot-EDNxV6fm_08FBT06cdKRrG8HK5q9aZS9ppQrKgZ1cEVTAzBBZ9ereop6mVqMAADsBYvMc3jXCp1uQ9Aq0MHDkmVx55m_CW2FSaXHSYjRDZQ9c8ylmbBJSBQd5pOoiYb6bo/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414778820792539826" border="0" /></a>
<br />The smell was so powerful that our hungry stomachs could no longer resist. We picked more berries than we should have, eating both ripe and sour. Our bodies did not thank us the next day.
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLPZ4umFbG3hBBQO-UdKqvyrqvd0E9grcqsYIRK7nsXmGr5f2u-4hsnAwt2KPjeNinXNoPN_SXp1UtPBuYjfFM-h87uTbyBRGid0zotZcMRkttoWAaerZw8evOJ3M4emvtQGIjuSY6Ks/s1600-h/IMG_0006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLPZ4umFbG3hBBQO-UdKqvyrqvd0E9grcqsYIRK7nsXmGr5f2u-4hsnAwt2KPjeNinXNoPN_SXp1UtPBuYjfFM-h87uTbyBRGid0zotZcMRkttoWAaerZw8evOJ3M4emvtQGIjuSY6Ks/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779696005108434" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Tyler rests and gazes into the agricultural abyss.
<br />
<br />
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v4DnUg43CxYOcPtgK1hc_sYTrONyx02EVvKBMrNaTUtU1j58mUwdG9MQJ8L5510vghZezNUKObRYO92s9nf1uFrqrvFoX54tB-lMvh1BMnKgOiDQqS73Kt07amWrvO_hyphenhyphen1yCM_xPiH4/s1600-h/IMG_0010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v4DnUg43CxYOcPtgK1hc_sYTrONyx02EVvKBMrNaTUtU1j58mUwdG9MQJ8L5510vghZezNUKObRYO92s9nf1uFrqrvFoX54tB-lMvh1BMnKgOiDQqS73Kt07amWrvO_hyphenhyphen1yCM_xPiH4/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779684071615490" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Beautiful Big Sur Coast inspired and empowered us just about every time we looked up. There is a God after all.
<br />
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcMDQBPy_LiyrQpa5xwRW7c6JelP0U0ikXwTgmUe_L5qyXS1QDqzRGYObhQnP2SoeL1jCczrTUUxNsmZWi7x27eOAdgvPPmvKlJJlVTQiCkJuFXacEndmwKKQmF212UK_d0xO2n8TiNY/s1600-h/IMG_0014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcMDQBPy_LiyrQpa5xwRW7c6JelP0U0ikXwTgmUe_L5qyXS1QDqzRGYObhQnP2SoeL1jCczrTUUxNsmZWi7x27eOAdgvPPmvKlJJlVTQiCkJuFXacEndmwKKQmF212UK_d0xO2n8TiNY/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779682300024466" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqi-olBHDrlAYhpRrEEh15mx8lcLaYsCK4XVxfDtmEYMYhXnTVdGgMlXe0bZbH1mDLEflCbpDi0WBBndGYQE0dhsXRgoKqaRe7ws0djnVXB7yJWOy3phqTNSpudFdxdEvmp6L6Y4K0CU/s1600-h/IMG_0015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqi-olBHDrlAYhpRrEEh15mx8lcLaYsCK4XVxfDtmEYMYhXnTVdGgMlXe0bZbH1mDLEflCbpDi0WBBndGYQE0dhsXRgoKqaRe7ws0djnVXB7yJWOy3phqTNSpudFdxdEvmp6L6Y4K0CU/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779673946105714" border="0" /></a>
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVCkP1CE6ARUTb4iyQrIqsCKluLu-35aaWEUfGQ9ePVvezX9ilxSj54FjHRF_CDxYmMNXCSe9fgklm8MbrRDd6cnr9BVD8tPqg95G3yIxln-O1zkTIJjTmRZbD3KNM1bpAEGSusZ6eRI/s1600-h/IMG_0025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVCkP1CE6ARUTb4iyQrIqsCKluLu-35aaWEUfGQ9ePVvezX9ilxSj54FjHRF_CDxYmMNXCSe9fgklm8MbrRDd6cnr9BVD8tPqg95G3yIxln-O1zkTIJjTmRZbD3KNM1bpAEGSusZ6eRI/s320/IMG_0025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779226720348802" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Bicycle cemetery. I know it's bad for the environment, but there needed to be a memorial for that tire and tube. They treated me well.
<br />
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nplB30SwCGw4FQUH0T9KYvzzlGq5OORX9nmcPFC2KkdKkA0LnvJ85jKosJKzRo6MUgOF1zNByhKXas1AbUjUUu6mjZz_YTHplNynSjGfiehrj58dQseN8t1akzHqPLgyB920DlEqAQE/s1600-h/IMG_0029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nplB30SwCGw4FQUH0T9KYvzzlGq5OORX9nmcPFC2KkdKkA0LnvJ85jKosJKzRo6MUgOF1zNByhKXas1AbUjUUu6mjZz_YTHplNynSjGfiehrj58dQseN8t1akzHqPLgyB920DlEqAQE/s320/IMG_0029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779221615338834" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Big Sur. Yeah.
<br />
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpR8HncobSMaAxxIxzKyOJ-ldVoz_Z0mVQcL0G-_GsVBPegScwgDHp4KNgtPTg1XkORJwGnUGfXJXn1x18BOVOfRxhpU-IUCcRS08X4WjkFD_cMYf4s82_4xHUT_jI4yxMKGG3dNrrcI/s1600-h/IMG_0043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpR8HncobSMaAxxIxzKyOJ-ldVoz_Z0mVQcL0G-_GsVBPegScwgDHp4KNgtPTg1XkORJwGnUGfXJXn1x18BOVOfRxhpU-IUCcRS08X4WjkFD_cMYf4s82_4xHUT_jI4yxMKGG3dNrrcI/s320/IMG_0043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779215552276642" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">It was impossible not to stop every three or four miles to gather ourselves. Tyler humbles himself in the sight of the world.
<br />
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXucV_FD2rXM4sbsjYsw9xEa0l6PX7FlTcOY2hkASPWFAYD-2aCbU2Og07OjxqcwfAOoj62F3JiIxB7fu5tRpcc6wlbZg5rTnu9cNkJHqNhCEeg6dDlty6kDMdSgRZr3GwHE08LTlcHg/s1600-h/IMG_0056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXucV_FD2rXM4sbsjYsw9xEa0l6PX7FlTcOY2hkASPWFAYD-2aCbU2Og07OjxqcwfAOoj62F3JiIxB7fu5tRpcc6wlbZg5rTnu9cNkJHqNhCEeg6dDlty6kDMdSgRZr3GwHE08LTlcHg/s320/IMG_0056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779208345845954" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">A Condor hangs out next to the highway. This bird is absolutely humongous. Notice the tag on its wing. It reads "68". We don't know what that number means, but we do know that these birds are highly endangered. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see this bird up close. The pictures don't really show how big the bird really was, or how incredibly ugly it was, either.
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFeDL9SexzKam-lTIV_BVXpSSBpDzdZYm2ZAYlQDndvLYW-xpil0WUzFH46y2ILWa6DxUw8q5tDzFmtSy4-YtU1QiZ4dzWM6YeMa1sqnWt8JtwckPOzATH2NSne1mfgKJExmbo85HtI8/s1600-h/DSCN0142.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFeDL9SexzKam-lTIV_BVXpSSBpDzdZYm2ZAYlQDndvLYW-xpil0WUzFH46y2ILWa6DxUw8q5tDzFmtSy4-YtU1QiZ4dzWM6YeMa1sqnWt8JtwckPOzATH2NSne1mfgKJExmbo85HtI8/s320/DSCN0142.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780298367909394" border="0" /></a>Not the type of fellow you would want to bring home to mom.
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2C5j3gvGaIjcRGuVY0RJoYpc4AeVNKXVOK2BMbmsKhluiSHIJISSNhqNHELIXSn_7JPX-La1eTROKE9xbG89g67TX3ErPBa51bS658HKQCAmhZUayJzDuDO2q_wjbI5PIVd8gA8R9w0/s1600-h/IMG_0072.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2C5j3gvGaIjcRGuVY0RJoYpc4AeVNKXVOK2BMbmsKhluiSHIJISSNhqNHELIXSn_7JPX-La1eTROKE9xbG89g67TX3ErPBa51bS658HKQCAmhZUayJzDuDO2q_wjbI5PIVd8gA8R9w0/s320/IMG_0072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414779203046758562" border="0" /></a>After a long day of riding, there's nothing like lounging on a tractor.
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-67Km4a87GKoMiqofbIfAwU_vNXoo_R_mMeY9Y9rAbyjkt6ZKmdsMPz3FbbqZN_cthQ2DsLqjONq6qdeXWUqDglz9QR_7ZZF-PdeXlNCgu2VWA9wvHXQIMA0JLWyV6P7baxeB1EDZ-o/s1600-h/IMG_0085.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-67Km4a87GKoMiqofbIfAwU_vNXoo_R_mMeY9Y9rAbyjkt6ZKmdsMPz3FbbqZN_cthQ2DsLqjONq6qdeXWUqDglz9QR_7ZZF-PdeXlNCgu2VWA9wvHXQIMA0JLWyV6P7baxeB1EDZ-o/s320/IMG_0085.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414778818288192626" border="0" /></a>
<br />Cold weather in Lompoc made for an interesting and quite delectable breakfast. Macaroni, Top Ramen, and Mushrooms.
<br /></div>
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaD9DlWEIC55Q1vgi1K0po6jByE3zNWViWNvegJK64NN5gR9lbX7CgAWUlOlS55ztGHu0rQ9iSBDqBxqZ5WiI-uTOvCRSNVKVe3mJcOSHs5jQmwZg9z9gxbiExB208_qHqQwsQ_0_9-yA/s1600-h/DSCN0156.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaD9DlWEIC55Q1vgi1K0po6jByE3zNWViWNvegJK64NN5gR9lbX7CgAWUlOlS55ztGHu0rQ9iSBDqBxqZ5WiI-uTOvCRSNVKVe3mJcOSHs5jQmwZg9z9gxbiExB208_qHqQwsQ_0_9-yA/s320/DSCN0156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780292752786642" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">We miss Stephen.
<br />
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0f_3SWD9XiXFRxY8_iRVT3lfrYTk_eSh0ukT8djXclXqZvR-Ji4__VFATbJ79ecLVop4IaPEe-K6-utTzPeKYmeY-JkjXS1mg-6-beLV7dk299IHiUmfEpMaZJL4JwCjrSicQody4gjs/s1600-h/IMG_0086.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0f_3SWD9XiXFRxY8_iRVT3lfrYTk_eSh0ukT8djXclXqZvR-Ji4__VFATbJ79ecLVop4IaPEe-K6-utTzPeKYmeY-JkjXS1mg-6-beLV7dk299IHiUmfEpMaZJL4JwCjrSicQody4gjs/s320/IMG_0086.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414778808101575746" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Damn that's good!
<br /></div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwEcLKU_S5DtU8jrcYkOV6ZQLtS_okxLjCGkxZBYFp1nTR27Ow72ZPfA0hBQg6pcdi8Jk_sGR_yBBj0f-n08J5H8mKBSEFXZC1uLkoao1XsUASGLePH6HHFmm2IUeWakbn5hg3726J6M/s1600-h/DSCN0157.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwEcLKU_S5DtU8jrcYkOV6ZQLtS_okxLjCGkxZBYFp1nTR27Ow72ZPfA0hBQg6pcdi8Jk_sGR_yBBj0f-n08J5H8mKBSEFXZC1uLkoao1XsUASGLePH6HHFmm2IUeWakbn5hg3726J6M/s320/DSCN0157.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414780288045075474" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">This is our one candid photo of Tony O. You'll read about him in the story below. He wasn't very friendly to the camera.
<br />
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbI-G-frLhNIe8HZ6IP9pOeJBMFMldu4M_c7qaskWP3_W3nG8i0BcIno3OAO-elGeoCAbaqGS0JJpH7SO5YOmLZhuBY2WvSv1IjP-vLNtyMQw4tVaEuw61V_Ye_DZDE4krDobQkr5S4Zs/s1600-h/IMG_0087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbI-G-frLhNIe8HZ6IP9pOeJBMFMldu4M_c7qaskWP3_W3nG8i0BcIno3OAO-elGeoCAbaqGS0JJpH7SO5YOmLZhuBY2WvSv1IjP-vLNtyMQw4tVaEuw61V_Ye_DZDE4krDobQkr5S4Zs/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414778805262863122" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">As Dale and I entered a busy Los Angeles, A beautiful rainbow shown overhead. It was about the only beautiful thing we saw there. We stayed with Dale's cousin Monty. He was a mega cool dude in the midst of probably the worst place I have ever been.
<br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJbd-f22ZV9-iIAgp209-fTAA_NGk0JGc0Wtf0Cjz8MnbrPMzlEk45kWxle2sLVbgeRThvVcFpGgH0f0_UBynYYrMqjhcjrOnLIcqSGeMBWFKarZROqRdYHwhbMXl2NkTTFCqS7yagkI/s1600-h/IMG_0089.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJbd-f22ZV9-iIAgp209-fTAA_NGk0JGc0Wtf0Cjz8MnbrPMzlEk45kWxle2sLVbgeRThvVcFpGgH0f0_UBynYYrMqjhcjrOnLIcqSGeMBWFKarZROqRdYHwhbMXl2NkTTFCqS7yagkI/s320/IMG_0089.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414778797391228738" border="0" /></a>
<br />Here I show a bus driver the beautiful sky above his bus. He was cool. I'm going to take this time to plug the Watson family. The Watsons took us in several different times, once during Thanksgiving, and then a second time when we rode back through Santa Barbara. They opened up their home and even took us sailing! Sean and Mary, you people are good people. Your incredible hospitality and kindred spirits truly inspired and encouraged us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
<br />
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">TONY-O.
<br /></div>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cdale%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cdale%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cdale%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">He lives along the beaches of the North Santa Barbara coast, no house to speak of, no job to complain of. If you ever find yourself meandering these parts, look for him. His name is Tony O and he would love to chat with you. He is a small man, no more than five feet and seven inches tall, and frail as a branch that blows wildly in the wind. He has stringy, long, white hair that is so pigment-less that it is impossible to tell whether it is pure blonde or white from fade. His skin is worn, the battles in his life evident at first glance. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We first came across Tony O at a rest area just north of the City of Santa Barbara. He and his dog were sitting in his car listening to top 40 radio and staring at the ocean. I was the first to roll into the vantage point and for some odd reason, without even thinking about it, I set my bike down next his car. It was finally warm outside, the hot Southern-California sun poured through the thickening clouds as we rode out of the hills and into coastal territory. It’s always sunny in Santa Barbara. We sat and relaxed and felt the warm sun pierce our clothes and heat our tired bodies. Sun bath. We sat silently, reflecting on all our travels the days before ultimately leading to this point. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We re-road the whole trail in our minds as we gazed into the most beautiful blue eyes this planet has ever known; the mighty Pacific Ocean. My mind went straight back to Monterrey. The night Stephen left, we were all afraid. I laid in my tent, sleepless and scared, hoping that my friend would be OK. I went back to the conversation Tyler and I had the next day when we decided that we had to keep going. I saw the moment we met Dale, our new riding companion and fast friend. I looked over, he was still there, glowing for the same reason I was. I fixed my eyes back on the ocean. In the rays of sun bursting off the water, I swear I saw the Big Sur Coast, the power and beauty of it all. I saw our night ride by moonlight, fast down the hills of a deserted coastal highway, the wind, the air, the life, and finally, the view. Miles and miles of wild coastal ocean, glowing brilliantly from a combination of phosphorescents in the water and the impossibly bright full moon above. We yipped and yelled as we felt pure life. Pure life.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">A whistle. I stopped. Another whistle. I looked. Behind me in a green Ford Taurus was a man and his dog. It was Tony O and he had a smile on his face. He knew why we were there, he had been there for the same reason since before he could remember. These waters were magical. These waters saved lives the same way they took them, in an instant and without any hesitation or remorse.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“You guys speak English?” he asked in a tiny voice.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah,” I replied, and from there we started to talk.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">He started telling us the best of the best places to camp and hike and fish and drink beer and start campfires and see shells and sea creatures and ride bikes and sleep peacefully and get away from people and meet good people and meet bad people and get free shit and see burnt mountain sides and everything else he or we could possibly think of. We liked Tony O. He was a good soul and wanted the best for everything he cared about. He was real. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">He went on to tell us about his tattered and interesting past. He was absolutely fascinating. He had lived in Santa Barbara since he was three years old, and when he was 16 he dropped out of high school to start living. He started shaping shells and making jewelry to sell at the local markets. When he was 18, he joined the military where he was in the Special Forces, and manned a tank with the biggest gun. He never saw combat but he said he was trained to endure pretty much anything. He equated his training to Rambo, saying he could do all sorts of crazy shit. He went on to tell us about how he was a firefighter for a while and retired from that to start living. His attitude reminded me of a guy we rode with for a couple of days in the Big Sur Coast named Malcolm. Malcolm was an absolute gem of a person, who reminded us constantly to slow down and see the beauty of the world. He was from Mt. Vernon, WA, just 13 miles from where we reside in Anacortes. He had been riding since early September, and he had maps to go all the way to Florida. He said he was never going home. He was looking for a new one. Right now, his home was Big Sur, and we were his brothers. It was Malcolm who said to us, “I just keep reminding myself of what I’m doing; I’m LIVING for a living.” I don’t know if I’ll ever see Malcolm again, or if he’ll ever read this blog, but the kid truly changed me and the way I go about every single mile that I pedal. I think we can all agree that we think about him often. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tony O went on to tell us about his battle with cancer and his close encounter with death. The doctors gave him six months to live. That was two years ago and he’s getting stronger every single day. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">He told us how to best get to where we were going, to Sean and Mary’s house on the hill in Santa Barbara where we were going to stay for yet another night and he sent us on our way. It wasn’t but an hour and a half later when we saw him again and he invited us to hang out around his Volkswagen bus that was parked just a mile down the road on a side street. Almost all of his worldly belongings were in there, although he said that a lot of his stuff was scattered around the area at friends’ houses. He showed us pictures of the Santa Barbara fires, and offered us just about everything he had, and enlightened us with his odd ball wisdom. We hung out and talked with him for about three hours. He gave us all sorts of nuggets of advice. I wish I could remember all of them, but there was so much gold there and I could only take as much as I could carry in one load.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">He said that relationships are circles. The circle only stays round if everyone involved gives what they can. The second one person keeps things for themselves selfishly, the circle is destroyed, and once you are a destroyer, there is no looking back. He said the problem with a lot of street people these days is that they are destroyers and they don’t even realize it. Tony O wanted to give everything he possessed, but the wisdom that he offered was by far the most valuable thing he gave us. As we parted ways, he raised his hands to the sky and yelled, “Fish tacos, every day!” None of us will ever forget that guy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the past week, almost everything has changed; the lineup of our crew, the scenery of our ride, and the goals of this trip. We no longer plan to make it to Peru. It would be impossible with the amount of money we have in our pockets and the time we would have to spend to get there. But we have realized that it is not about the distance that we end up going in miles on a road, but instead what we learn along the way. I can say that in this past month alone, I have learned more valuable and meaningful lessons than in the previous 5 years combined. This place is real, these people are true, these stories are lessons, and this ride has sparked hope. I will never, ever forget any of the words that have been spoken by the world to me on this trip, and I see that as an epic success!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Costa Rican people have a saying that they use whenever they see somebody is down or they are generally excited about life. I sort of compare it to our sayings like “Chill out” or “Rad” except I think of it as one, all inclusive statement that sums up a general way to see life. “Pura Vida,” they say. It means “Pure Life.” I find myself saying this under my breath at least a few times a day. It helps me to forget about all the bad things that may happen, and focus on the good. I am now a believer that there is unfathomable amounts of good in this world, we just need to pedal out and find it. So next time you feel stressed out about whatever hardships are going on in your life or you just want to get away, I would suggest focusing on one beautiful thing, anything at all, taking a deep breath, and saying “Pura Vida.” Pure life.</p>
<br />
<br />mikey jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02753020746631667277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-18560074243183986112009-12-11T22:15:00.000-08:002009-12-11T22:41:26.813-08:00Stand By, Old Sport!!Everyone! It's been eight days since my "farewell" post, and I, possibly like you, have gotten a little tired of periodically checking this blog and reading the first sentence of my last post over and over. Plus, I'd like to pop in one more time to say this:<br /><br />If you've been faithfully checking the blog each day, a.) thank you for your support, you are awesome!, and b.) sorry it's been awhile! Without giving too much away, I just want everybody to know that Mike and Tyler have still been having a great time on their journey. It's just the not-having-the(my)-computer-anymore thing that has prevented them from relaying their specific experiences to you thus far.<br /><br />So of course, I feel quite responsible for the lack of exciting news that could be gushing forth right now... but isn't. I'm sorry, really!<br /><br />So please, consider the following:<br /><ul><li>Mike and Tyler = warm/safe/still livin' the dream<br /></li><li>I have detected unconfirmed rumors of pending news for all you faithfuls out there, straight from the horses' mouths</li></ul>And since this blog isn't exactly mine to post on anymore, I will thank you for reading this much. I just thought you might want a bit of an update, or reassurance, or whatever it is you may be looking for in this humble little publication.<br /><br />Peace be with you, friends, and happy beginning-of-the holidays!Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-29272222296382003232009-12-03T11:33:00.000-08:002009-12-03T11:55:48.392-08:00New NewsHi everyone. This is Stephen. Don't be sad when you read this, but I've come home, back to the Northwest.<br /><br />It's okay though! I know we talked about all making it to Peru together, but I have things to worry about at home that I decided needed my attention, plus I was dangerously close to running out of money.<br /><br />Please don't misunderstand me - it would make me very sad for anyone to see this trip as anything less than a triumph. The last month has been the best of my life! And Tyler and Mike have proven themselves to be without a doubt the best, most adventurous and supportive friends I could ever ask for.<br /><br />Good luck guys, I love you both. I'm sorry you don't have a computer anymore.<br /><br />I'll leave you with a good old-fashioned list of bottom lines, then a short video.<br /><ul><li>I am fine! Don't worry about me.</li><li>After one month, I am already addicted to blogging. I'll likely start my own soon, and you will be invited to read it<br /></li><li>To everyone who has given us anything on this trip, be it couches, floor space, meals, an audience, hugs, money, directions, coffee, bike parts, advice, friendship, time, or anything else - you've all changed my life.</li><li>This is not my last adventure.</li><li>This video is not serious:<br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzieAMLW9nKi-OWs9cGRO1WuZDDaI7IHU8n8hBxVQl2R9zK4kSTCDKpnskIpOnyzikihPCqwGroDtG-KUw5kA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-30268753121870422882009-11-26T10:20:00.000-08:002009-11-29T18:56:46.904-08:00Mike: "I am impossibly tired, and also impossibly restless."<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEUKljq8QBpD6pNKlALBJ0CapYtcXQSCXYvOkoXHwrqcvHy5VlbkM1OUzL-11KqgsP5aBHvHsCbnEeaA1JVFZk6yIDweH48QTE0fP_EjrMA4hTpIPPjyFvC7fMgSF1xteGhnbNroVRAil/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEUKljq8QBpD6pNKlALBJ0CapYtcXQSCXYvOkoXHwrqcvHy5VlbkM1OUzL-11KqgsP5aBHvHsCbnEeaA1JVFZk6yIDweH48QTE0fP_EjrMA4hTpIPPjyFvC7fMgSF1xteGhnbNroVRAil/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409231314186656674" border="0" /></a>Meet the Johansens. We stayed at their house while we were in the bay area and had the BEST time. Allen, Rosa Lee, and Big Mike kept us well-fed and entertained for three days while we took the time to skate, surf, and explore the city.<br /><br />I took a day in Oakland to visit Sara, Felicia, and my newest nephew Armoni! To all the family and friends who haven't met this little guy yet, BE JEALOUS. Armoni is one cool little kid. He loves roughhousing, music, triangles, and of course, his Mommy and Mama. I had a great time catching up with the Steenhouse family. Thanks for everything, Sara and Felicia!<br /><br />The next day, we caught the Caltrain down to San Jose, where we Couchsurfed with Greg and his dog Buddy - thanks Greg, you rule!<br /><br />And then, from San Jose, we caught a bus to Santa Cruz. The best part? A bike rack that fits THREE bikes! Finally, no need to convince the driver to let us bring a bicycle onto a crowded metro bus. Yessss. Plus we made a friend, Hannah, who gave us her phone number in case we needed anything while we were still in town. When we were dropped off at the station in downtown Santa Cruz, we said goodbye to Hannah and went to Trader Joes to buy food, then ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the boardwalk, in the abandoned amusement park.<br /><br />Mike and I played in the waves, then spent some time messing around on the beach, soaking up that California heat we've been craving.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TMvt7lD3WqCM5fQJyGDs3CazvD19mTMLMvF3sHjgTnoARtgOFjtXVNpji0bSpcS0uiSVPi1-np54yo2cWg_cEurtkW_Vj1SInCQTU-sQ2FktK0UjurOS3fsFD-cM_owAiZRlxXVAyF1b/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TMvt7lD3WqCM5fQJyGDs3CazvD19mTMLMvF3sHjgTnoARtgOFjtXVNpji0bSpcS0uiSVPi1-np54yo2cWg_cEurtkW_Vj1SInCQTU-sQ2FktK0UjurOS3fsFD-cM_owAiZRlxXVAyF1b/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409231322055907746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfazg6mKFIKVPOzcW8Q3hwg6UcD0SkKTrQ04d1wGspAfuDrbGlWnOQNLnQ5V8-OwFjqk7WCtCe-RVQgnHfwrq68_fzF8mQFwQ5icDQDsmAKe7L29oXp-uiGHbQFdP4mr4A7E0ruO-Av2K/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfazg6mKFIKVPOzcW8Q3hwg6UcD0SkKTrQ04d1wGspAfuDrbGlWnOQNLnQ5V8-OwFjqk7WCtCe-RVQgnHfwrq68_fzF8mQFwQ5icDQDsmAKe7L29oXp-uiGHbQFdP4mr4A7E0ruO-Av2K/s320/IMG_0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409231325450406770" border="0" /></a>Later in the afternoon, we met up with Hannah and she walked us to Younglove Avenue, where some of her friends lived together in a house. There, we met Maria, Caity, Paige, Jen, Devan, Kevin, and Sean, who graciously agreed to let us stay in there home. Some of us went downtown for $3 dollar burritos and a few margarita pitchers, then went back to the house and spent some wholesome time hanging out and playing Parcheesi and stuff.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-oFIlCVGgBtzhv7Pz3uD64ZcnP1r99hcP9Fe4rou5iuv6rOqJyX9CnhyaOKi7CHokRtxd1zvpWHIpzR1zY4dHVVlXjQFONLAlVogd55SkI01-elAJ-a4SITsGAYtVuhu53m9c_r8Hvay/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-oFIlCVGgBtzhv7Pz3uD64ZcnP1r99hcP9Fe4rou5iuv6rOqJyX9CnhyaOKi7CHokRtxd1zvpWHIpzR1zY4dHVVlXjQFONLAlVogd55SkI01-elAJ-a4SITsGAYtVuhu53m9c_r8Hvay/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409231307616114466" border="0" /><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x71pTS2mqiyhNVZa3Ue44MKoINDM4datOWzaHHxZi_DZINknCsd2QAPYg8kcZrVVNcSotGihIus4aGkdS3VTvlz3ZH2_7dryCnQDPFpXqFvqqELn8_Deb-VQ22e0PAplQ5WE8G-aeUz3/s1600/IMG_0022.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x71pTS2mqiyhNVZa3Ue44MKoINDM4datOWzaHHxZi_DZINknCsd2QAPYg8kcZrVVNcSotGihIus4aGkdS3VTvlz3ZH2_7dryCnQDPFpXqFvqqELn8_Deb-VQ22e0PAplQ5WE8G-aeUz3/s320/IMG_0022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409231336636990434" border="0" /></a><br />Next thing we knew, we were hitch-hiking down to Santa Barbara to spend Thanksgiving with Caity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-VHJJHgn1K1iUPYu-cKamXsydcHaCC42581XxhuoeW4f0F2tw0NWNEyNY0jYHH-qc4uW4O_hLV6ce_i43zm29jbzoBJ3DlD_oJuyxRDVvIKlGw3doD0pA6N6-nnGRKPtEFM0EZI1Efn7/s1600/IMG_0025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-VHJJHgn1K1iUPYu-cKamXsydcHaCC42581XxhuoeW4f0F2tw0NWNEyNY0jYHH-qc4uW4O_hLV6ce_i43zm29jbzoBJ3DlD_oJuyxRDVvIKlGw3doD0pA6N6-nnGRKPtEFM0EZI1Efn7/s320/IMG_0025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408479660801450914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx4YOai19GzuZlzpVlkS0_7DK6suj17j5kgu250TIayrv_Rzy6hZ-zzJnhb0WpMtpYf6laSCjtYILmxx-LwGt3adUlWHhgWY6pj66oUIufjKnk0EpOudATyageNmHLXEnxJJgJjlB2Uwk/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx4YOai19GzuZlzpVlkS0_7DK6suj17j5kgu250TIayrv_Rzy6hZ-zzJnhb0WpMtpYf6laSCjtYILmxx-LwGt3adUlWHhgWY6pj66oUIufjKnk0EpOudATyageNmHLXEnxJJgJjlB2Uwk/s320/IMG_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408479652973973026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzWNnajohdlYRY5_y1qusMnGeUOkuXeZjTL1-KXLeESgLpDEE5bjONrSFWqR75oZu7CYJNEE40k12yVF6H-hzXzhG2mL1biF5lPRG5AbsSuRB371nPK1h0q5C1GC_f-pucOjfLTDNj20b/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzWNnajohdlYRY5_y1qusMnGeUOkuXeZjTL1-KXLeESgLpDEE5bjONrSFWqR75oZu7CYJNEE40k12yVF6H-hzXzhG2mL1biF5lPRG5AbsSuRB371nPK1h0q5C1GC_f-pucOjfLTDNj20b/s320/IMG_0029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408479645698298194" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPZNOIcw_Iq25e_jYvIhVtBzkjb7N9EZs5XiK8gPR3-WCuQs_VphRHm9_0cldf2pfAeUXXrUreVqs_2F_14COvxpEmxAcUVrSs1I6NND1YMrHr8f_WZF5ZMSIredpXMzJhlN6lklM7UB5/s1600/IMG_0032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPZNOIcw_Iq25e_jYvIhVtBzkjb7N9EZs5XiK8gPR3-WCuQs_VphRHm9_0cldf2pfAeUXXrUreVqs_2F_14COvxpEmxAcUVrSs1I6NND1YMrHr8f_WZF5ZMSIredpXMzJhlN6lklM7UB5/s320/IMG_0032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408479641052127298" border="0" /></a>First we were picked up by Will Smith and Chantal, who were able to get us to Salinas. Then there was Micah, who picked us up in Salinas and drove us all the way to Santa Barbara, stopping to buy us a round of In-N-Out on the way, animal style. This guy is freaking awesome.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVN37Ga0QoouFHkqQv2RHYQQDHwcAjx65GufPo15N_iG3BlRNQNWY7HeTIeVy5Imu4iwVVH850GYTeuVfCWMI5ucgMc9_nJR2idm3VU0po-NG8SthH8VcOUJVZWAqkOP3CeV7efMEViR8K/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVN37Ga0QoouFHkqQv2RHYQQDHwcAjx65GufPo15N_iG3BlRNQNWY7HeTIeVy5Imu4iwVVH850GYTeuVfCWMI5ucgMc9_nJR2idm3VU0po-NG8SthH8VcOUJVZWAqkOP3CeV7efMEViR8K/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408479635778398626" border="0" /></a><br />He dropped us off at the Santa Barbara courthouse, and we loitered about town for a bit, until Caity picked us up and took her to her parents' house, where we would be spending the next three nights. The next morning, it was coffee...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtS4kwxej_Lfm_oDrtHKgYNzKQBhAPdp2Q3dIane6xPu9w2rjiex1hGwbFV8VhlVLvIQbV5-HkqguZ1AwBNHiEeUnOjrMMEBqxDq9faELcgLmx3o0USVVi7sDIezeX8DapdFlw2rSguOO/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtS4kwxej_Lfm_oDrtHKgYNzKQBhAPdp2Q3dIane6xPu9w2rjiex1hGwbFV8VhlVLvIQbV5-HkqguZ1AwBNHiEeUnOjrMMEBqxDq9faELcgLmx3o0USVVi7sDIezeX8DapdFlw2rSguOO/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233228655513954" border="0" /></a><br />...groceries,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcwK7z0DgT6vGVP16scPKoBhfM3dyrUJTfcniGVhEAFAWnA1hZta9Hl2JIDZAZVcknkOavkg_9QRPJWZbCm6udiHl0Pw_4P55DflQhLfQHo2FTkW5jQEfR80CDEs_ieEolaeDmCx6FnMt/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcwK7z0DgT6vGVP16scPKoBhfM3dyrUJTfcniGVhEAFAWnA1hZta9Hl2JIDZAZVcknkOavkg_9QRPJWZbCm6udiHl0Pw_4P55DflQhLfQHo2FTkW5jQEfR80CDEs_ieEolaeDmCx6FnMt/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409668383105894530" border="0" /></a><br />...and a little bit of food prep.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh547w2RwqUG6dExqCpHSlqT5KkXUZDBMFrO_GY88ja73gNwYnD5YTkEOOiuBjOKKbq4jw0DIyf-pMsG7wDiH86TPQjptU4KCYpyNLrP40QuOkKlrfSjA8fGNgORsKuHGa3XJEIqmb-Sx3i/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh547w2RwqUG6dExqCpHSlqT5KkXUZDBMFrO_GY88ja73gNwYnD5YTkEOOiuBjOKKbq4jw0DIyf-pMsG7wDiH86TPQjptU4KCYpyNLrP40QuOkKlrfSjA8fGNgORsKuHGa3XJEIqmb-Sx3i/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409232669933264594" border="0" /></a><br />We spent most of the day lounging in the sun (as usual, at this point), and we met Caity's eight-year-old cousin Matthew. We talked of Nerf guns, hiking, soccer, and video games.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5lCf9E0XJWGP2Y-Cz4gcDtBSi9HaBGlUgZUt6rvQdACuEVjRCa2XpHxh93uSPrAFvorL3Oqp8m153wVSvPkdCYBK3YsuB5XFjG_zAWU48ZCyyGLZk92Uo0TcgYIKRiGK5ek4AFQjxwte/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5lCf9E0XJWGP2Y-Cz4gcDtBSi9HaBGlUgZUt6rvQdACuEVjRCa2XpHxh93uSPrAFvorL3Oqp8m153wVSvPkdCYBK3YsuB5XFjG_zAWU48ZCyyGLZk92Uo0TcgYIKRiGK5ek4AFQjxwte/s320/IMG_0016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409232684490407682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIApOnF5SBOk4fmm5Zh2sYHDjieeSaybOUYEzT8DY0uFQ1JWoDDvt78Ug_nbN2c3zha7-DgB6tp3cd_7Agvo0S0fOHarBB8VrK5pzH7PpY3MKCkRXWJqzH4ZRUfnR6FqyvRLlctMg7FBpP/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIApOnF5SBOk4fmm5Zh2sYHDjieeSaybOUYEzT8DY0uFQ1JWoDDvt78Ug_nbN2c3zha7-DgB6tp3cd_7Agvo0S0fOHarBB8VrK5pzH7PpY3MKCkRXWJqzH4ZRUfnR6FqyvRLlctMg7FBpP/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233237142932098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the group we ate Thanksgiving dinner with, potluck style. We didn't know any of them. Well, at first we didn't. It didn't take long, though.<br /><br />Incidentally, people are awesome.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqLeLbn9UUxZ49B3gJxwP3btGJxVhKOFvVLRM092_TpkKjtOGGXhWpraX7VOwvUUCQw1QADCpWWn6KNvDlKsxvaJGQt0oR1lNvCSwNccyon2XGPx17vzl_zqZwXXc9qKHop2ENl0AH6jZ/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqLeLbn9UUxZ49B3gJxwP3btGJxVhKOFvVLRM092_TpkKjtOGGXhWpraX7VOwvUUCQw1QADCpWWn6KNvDlKsxvaJGQt0oR1lNvCSwNccyon2XGPx17vzl_zqZwXXc9qKHop2ENl0AH6jZ/s320/IMG_0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409232686330901442" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIApOnF5SBOk4fmm5Zh2sYHDjieeSaybOUYEzT8DY0uFQ1JWoDDvt78Ug_nbN2c3zha7-DgB6tp3cd_7Agvo0S0fOHarBB8VrK5pzH7PpY3MKCkRXWJqzH4ZRUfnR6FqyvRLlctMg7FBpP/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWRNdChl6E3acbQKaTvHnuCoixOyvgPadQLTLXIJJsrACFvDNTC7WLR78qzSMIiKJnL9p2N6zQ-mlb1uVpISK9nEpueN7y1D_8RfgcMkg9a2c6z3I_j-CRHjvkQimSgl8SkORtxDXQGYX/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWRNdChl6E3acbQKaTvHnuCoixOyvgPadQLTLXIJJsrACFvDNTC7WLR78qzSMIiKJnL9p2N6zQ-mlb1uVpISK9nEpueN7y1D_8RfgcMkg9a2c6z3I_j-CRHjvkQimSgl8SkORtxDXQGYX/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409232698673300882" border="0" /></a><br />Next morning, we called Micah to see if he wanted to do something while we were all still hanging out in Santa Barbara. He and his boyfriend Kevin picked us up at noon on State Street in their Land Cruiser, and took us on a hike to Inspiration Point.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oDbTK5qJBc0Wy0Smdcnurwlosk-b0AObxrmAob2K4TfdtACtXyNxX5KwLWFisMeBEwfdNPoCTe04Bp7X4-0d5xQwI6F2dNCiT9DN_E5iYXGwz0LHUUz9yg810upbc1Cda6mrAvAqccDg/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oDbTK5qJBc0Wy0Smdcnurwlosk-b0AObxrmAob2K4TfdtACtXyNxX5KwLWFisMeBEwfdNPoCTe04Bp7X4-0d5xQwI6F2dNCiT9DN_E5iYXGwz0LHUUz9yg810upbc1Cda6mrAvAqccDg/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409235555300891826" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWseSpCwIojkJw9o832jwFPlcrtYIPRezOiLSFcj8d1IheG_KG4MR3iQbO8NYpYAFdiltplbFU_RlCUxKXm7S1slkgvKGw9Wb1svhfwtgqpo12vo1HUGTXbjOq_-zqGZkmnrrXfdhOUmW2/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWseSpCwIojkJw9o832jwFPlcrtYIPRezOiLSFcj8d1IheG_KG4MR3iQbO8NYpYAFdiltplbFU_RlCUxKXm7S1slkgvKGw9Wb1svhfwtgqpo12vo1HUGTXbjOq_-zqGZkmnrrXfdhOUmW2/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409235567704913266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05WZt_3_JcQrF20qLWM8Shj9gyucSM5-i0TW4MSnpRRSCdQEh8epPIHVvdbwUVE4j6is6xStyeOF7UsXXsH-r_R-PHeItMvom68slDocyu1w7r5CRykK1vCmU0J7mrpAUy07Eimak4M6F/s1600/IMG_0008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05WZt_3_JcQrF20qLWM8Shj9gyucSM5-i0TW4MSnpRRSCdQEh8epPIHVvdbwUVE4j6is6xStyeOF7UsXXsH-r_R-PHeItMvom68slDocyu1w7r5CRykK1vCmU0J7mrpAUy07Eimak4M6F/s320/IMG_0008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409235543405845794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDc7pOC8Spbw8oswHzxY5_n54iPNVD0ckGk5gsBeNaWdls5-_-xMcIo1GUIb7BOcxIB-ryXbXvr-a2lpHCLI95ONXX6VejczUfF9dlAh0SNCmpRLXeVw7F3CetTU2kQBXnBKtAy0ZrIZb/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDc7pOC8Spbw8oswHzxY5_n54iPNVD0ckGk5gsBeNaWdls5-_-xMcIo1GUIb7BOcxIB-ryXbXvr-a2lpHCLI95ONXX6VejczUfF9dlAh0SNCmpRLXeVw7F3CetTU2kQBXnBKtAy0ZrIZb/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233870970277506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0hmsk7bkmHBaj3ox-ugLTg_esN9snjtUR00eSp1YToiF7gDqWHpguBqyg0SUJYJvqnqH4zbsd1kDPvzPCiUW38-fnTNWn554vQ4qewfMvon_RsnPtfHhKRnR12U7-AXs7SYahAuzt8WE/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0hmsk7bkmHBaj3ox-ugLTg_esN9snjtUR00eSp1YToiF7gDqWHpguBqyg0SUJYJvqnqH4zbsd1kDPvzPCiUW38-fnTNWn554vQ4qewfMvon_RsnPtfHhKRnR12U7-AXs7SYahAuzt8WE/s320/IMG_0021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233864382252018" border="0" /></a><br />Then we took a quick dip in the ocean and gobbled up a mountain of Thanksgiving leftovers before taking another trip into the hills. First, we stopped and checked out some 350-year-old cave paintings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSI7u-xrX_RNdWSB9NMNSWtjAaXA_bvJWUIzu43F5z1vVQrhP9kXsWAxHbIRZ9Sft1i_vvkOo0hS1H_yITlLlP7pmdPhQeDSfKCtM4d9e8uekVSSKjt1Nb2gcODZY_C_NSlAqx3V7oc6R/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSI7u-xrX_RNdWSB9NMNSWtjAaXA_bvJWUIzu43F5z1vVQrhP9kXsWAxHbIRZ9Sft1i_vvkOo0hS1H_yITlLlP7pmdPhQeDSfKCtM4d9e8uekVSSKjt1Nb2gcODZY_C_NSlAqx3V7oc6R/s320/IMG_0027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233853550422482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGqtX9kqNSdnlZ_rrVij5ZN3orFHtI2K3uAa7isJjQP6u3zLATfTzmz42uvvV5ga5uUsi3BqC6Z4cEuPv7pouGdtbKLGWCFxz8AlEQbMpRmbdIViQFM0rE6fgogND_YycVTiQcZsucI23/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGqtX9kqNSdnlZ_rrVij5ZN3orFHtI2K3uAa7isJjQP6u3zLATfTzmz42uvvV5ga5uUsi3BqC6Z4cEuPv7pouGdtbKLGWCFxz8AlEQbMpRmbdIViQFM0rE6fgogND_YycVTiQcZsucI23/s320/IMG_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233876495246210" border="0" /></a><br />Then, the Big Caliente Hot Springs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHnNL_cy6lcJuLXL9f2TAFoc9NeX8z50A6VFbniBg1WY0GvKqJOK4ElPfuNASMQw70Vm4cS4BOa3JCIoYa6hIGSniu6V31n_czRf5TjT6RO4Pk-Kt56lEviGWDph2-dKHkBBqe2w1Bih-/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHnNL_cy6lcJuLXL9f2TAFoc9NeX8z50A6VFbniBg1WY0GvKqJOK4ElPfuNASMQw70Vm4cS4BOa3JCIoYa6hIGSniu6V31n_czRf5TjT6RO4Pk-Kt56lEviGWDph2-dKHkBBqe2w1Bih-/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233222241380402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDAGJA3XuH_Ca-Xof61gO9q6cKoZut4T52YDPwsxze5qUmpYE9UOdC19tho-MJl9tZUt7OFa-SVVOvujVVri93eEUiMg_e7yfSSf-Is04RgWhjRF2epLTUYg1yM_iVx0LUsV4Iajr_fbi/s1600/IMG_0032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDAGJA3XuH_Ca-Xof61gO9q6cKoZut4T52YDPwsxze5qUmpYE9UOdC19tho-MJl9tZUt7OFa-SVVOvujVVri93eEUiMg_e7yfSSf-Is04RgWhjRF2epLTUYg1yM_iVx0LUsV4Iajr_fbi/s320/IMG_0032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409233218581319250" border="0" /></a><br />Micah, Kevin: you guys are awesome. Seriously.<br /><br />On Saturday, we drove "home" to Santa Cruz with Caity, and played some more Parcheesi with friends new and (relatively) old.<br /><br />I think that more-or-less catches everyone up, right? Oh, and we saw a movie today. Fantastic Mister Fox. Wes Anderson did it again, everybody. Go see it!<br /><br />Our Santa Cruz friends taught us to play a game we call "Rose/Thorn/Bud," in which you take turns telling your friends one thing your thankful/happy/stoked for, one thing that may be bothering you or holding you back, and one thing you're looking forward to.<br /><br />Let's play. I'll go first, but feel free to leave a comment with your own Roses/Thorns/Buds.<br /><br />My Rose: the warm, clear, mighty, California Pacific, and all the recreational oppurtunities it has offered us so far.<br /><br />My thorn: a semi-mysterious raised bruise on my lower back, most likely caused by one of three wrestling sessions with my new friend and rival, Kayla. Touché, Kayla. Touché.<em></em><br /><br />My bud: Campin'.Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-34313746645057434642009-11-20T10:17:00.000-08:002009-11-23T19:17:33.162-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpT_xxLN7vH5wdcMkq4QmN9uytArCgm2LKU7j6RbDU7sZB-pxPxIhoLdzEF4cZj31x-TwvVKNjviP2GkSTNN4SNWaTJYjGmdCrwZ0AhnQCaFnefPmDk_CRvI74f2DFjktS56HLeItE2Z-/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpT_xxLN7vH5wdcMkq4QmN9uytArCgm2LKU7j6RbDU7sZB-pxPxIhoLdzEF4cZj31x-TwvVKNjviP2GkSTNN4SNWaTJYjGmdCrwZ0AhnQCaFnefPmDk_CRvI74f2DFjktS56HLeItE2Z-/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407394711668100914" border="0" /></a>Us + Joe<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDpguEc1s_F_26jMgUp_rnd58CT-vnOK-3CrIiKp-wfROmYQ4Sb0zHPtigNnge73O16N0uWN-zJ7vjOcdhpvXTQ9t89FgSd45wCl7cpNQQinGxRADyZJv_B4hFAgmaTSCj2vTIwgXl4IU/s1600/IMG_0008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDpguEc1s_F_26jMgUp_rnd58CT-vnOK-3CrIiKp-wfROmYQ4Sb0zHPtigNnge73O16N0uWN-zJ7vjOcdhpvXTQ9t89FgSd45wCl7cpNQQinGxRADyZJv_B4hFAgmaTSCj2vTIwgXl4IU/s320/IMG_0008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407394703568551970" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMUODHT24uBysA8bypMRag_j_YojFY7_IGmBBZt7edK_M7aUTvVwSPt5fBjLJIaD-J5F8E8kUGYBEJ8zaAEwQaDckWzlMtsU61avMsQXvvw_QCkHHMBm9E15qYw4iyT-dyOj5tFfEDmpC/s1600/IMG_0013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMUODHT24uBysA8bypMRag_j_YojFY7_IGmBBZt7edK_M7aUTvVwSPt5fBjLJIaD-J5F8E8kUGYBEJ8zaAEwQaDckWzlMtsU61avMsQXvvw_QCkHHMBm9E15qYw4iyT-dyOj5tFfEDmpC/s320/IMG_0013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407394695368475650" border="0" /></a>On the Caltrain<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNa2tHuPhypaXMkn-koBPtq8JXk-45wZEQds9mTkNWfp8iXpBW_2URMZwuTH5Qo6PlrvihWjerr-KkeBDPuJpbr3kvtD3ytpGv1KEEg6oSSI8uvUwPTncnbeuW9d5XQiNMXjzHfcdnJCV/s1600/IMG_0014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNa2tHuPhypaXMkn-koBPtq8JXk-45wZEQds9mTkNWfp8iXpBW_2URMZwuTH5Qo6PlrvihWjerr-KkeBDPuJpbr3kvtD3ytpGv1KEEg6oSSI8uvUwPTncnbeuW9d5XQiNMXjzHfcdnJCV/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407394692679526146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4zSn_W91Ieqg9tJ4uVdK3NbDnJKm4SXswTi5MIV4jl0gYeMXFv7l8vSmRhENpaHBJdMX1uYTHpCiQmSlHt-V0ybqel0pL2K4PI2EO9MP9xqNq943-wp4ktS6cVggxU_hbkHZv2Oj8muO/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4zSn_W91Ieqg9tJ4uVdK3NbDnJKm4SXswTi5MIV4jl0gYeMXFv7l8vSmRhENpaHBJdMX1uYTHpCiQmSlHt-V0ybqel0pL2K4PI2EO9MP9xqNq943-wp4ktS6cVggxU_hbkHZv2Oj8muO/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407394682332990098" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmxRYv2qGqizbAfRCXkDNCJb4if3GXmqKZWQk62g6Pkr4FomRa2oEBC_3NEemZ3mb4EYgu4LJtX7GemdyqW6iDYcXpYHPoJFF026ahK3Vn8sBLzY6zYp1Up-Aq1dSMKOwzpuei_bqm8aN/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmxRYv2qGqizbAfRCXkDNCJb4if3GXmqKZWQk62g6Pkr4FomRa2oEBC_3NEemZ3mb4EYgu4LJtX7GemdyqW6iDYcXpYHPoJFF026ahK3Vn8sBLzY6zYp1Up-Aq1dSMKOwzpuei_bqm8aN/s320/IMG_0017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407395748026903378" border="0" /></a>Pier 39<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdblWGlIPyRwPzwrnGEY7utUZ9guYrEs0r6kROE9Oyli-bi5Yj9AnoeyuYpGzx5k8F53aAZj9R8zduhvm0Dep0uv6EAglKT22Gfe52Dd-HWGhhKGqOrychHJ_aQUO4vv3LsCZ7JTZ3V3Vs/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdblWGlIPyRwPzwrnGEY7utUZ9guYrEs0r6kROE9Oyli-bi5Yj9AnoeyuYpGzx5k8F53aAZj9R8zduhvm0Dep0uv6EAglKT22Gfe52Dd-HWGhhKGqOrychHJ_aQUO4vv3LsCZ7JTZ3V3Vs/s320/IMG_0018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407395739789846146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfYGbZsKPNmMXDwBKNnNU0OTJIg-G_4PgtEaHVxtJ5P_xb0oPzfbxJLGQZPshC8WjBaQsxUagAt5P5KTU1ynLVrJAvx-4m7zv8AeY0N-7avVDdGv-hR4Q-ZLEhp8i6oxswxe2D-yHetaP/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfYGbZsKPNmMXDwBKNnNU0OTJIg-G_4PgtEaHVxtJ5P_xb0oPzfbxJLGQZPshC8WjBaQsxUagAt5P5KTU1ynLVrJAvx-4m7zv8AeY0N-7avVDdGv-hR4Q-ZLEhp8i6oxswxe2D-yHetaP/s320/IMG_0021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407395733980227010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVbM5CeHZAH7ea0_tz70ktmvGV6tk16Sx8W8d3-Ct7Ta_bHWHx1yW3Kxv0dykltwaPzdsSXKf7-izNCMMpzQwBlzjRJFgbAhIWDD_FjE40E4oXq_4j15fYdLQMDth3gme0YEiGLM3pytw/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVbM5CeHZAH7ea0_tz70ktmvGV6tk16Sx8W8d3-Ct7Ta_bHWHx1yW3Kxv0dykltwaPzdsSXKf7-izNCMMpzQwBlzjRJFgbAhIWDD_FjE40E4oXq_4j15fYdLQMDth3gme0YEiGLM3pytw/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407395724423426354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSMaMmzO59ureF3UeHhhRc-Sk0hzTsBH8gplRSIbtaZcOmK2kg0uSGKpmdgbw_2jJUQyYkhsCpqh-lVs12DymB3dInIsOy_m54RvEu693tepfaoWr7BJ0QFq-Arsj7dBah0Iq8rFvOmI5/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSMaMmzO59ureF3UeHhhRc-Sk0hzTsBH8gplRSIbtaZcOmK2kg0uSGKpmdgbw_2jJUQyYkhsCpqh-lVs12DymB3dInIsOy_m54RvEu693tepfaoWr7BJ0QFq-Arsj7dBah0Iq8rFvOmI5/s320/IMG_0029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407395716109049474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERLwLrAc6oBRLD5tpHSaW_Ke9cC4LfTvDaHdu-DxZsxFtuumClI8hpqjvWDnzldZbf7U1PMakK69tAxjZOh21YSf9yQdnjAEPPqkzZuooTQi_KvhniKdbjRtUE0PGp6iQ7OhDiYhXKJu9/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERLwLrAc6oBRLD5tpHSaW_Ke9cC4LfTvDaHdu-DxZsxFtuumClI8hpqjvWDnzldZbf7U1PMakK69tAxjZOh21YSf9yQdnjAEPPqkzZuooTQi_KvhniKdbjRtUE0PGp6iQ7OhDiYhXKJu9/s320/IMG_0049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451033104388738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPvCMt_U3OBw-9jOMFOEEjkvWY6t9GBLR54YW1SEWnj54L063LvXQqfVQrvF9s9mI-wI1g15AS6n1UzjW4jfqNtbPhX0Jz6LnKbNBAHRXEXxAarutjX3cuBNSVbxqCasuIP_NayW0c4YX/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPvCMt_U3OBw-9jOMFOEEjkvWY6t9GBLR54YW1SEWnj54L063LvXQqfVQrvF9s9mI-wI1g15AS6n1UzjW4jfqNtbPhX0Jz6LnKbNBAHRXEXxAarutjX3cuBNSVbxqCasuIP_NayW0c4YX/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451025119827522" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD00tMYMN-zCnFvrJAwtWVsycuVjC9fOWmkvwp8ysAhgXHaQCOxaVn75jIkmFJyQoVwwdHxU_Pnw_2_oCVcoIxrpO2qGBaIdnl8i-6svvd1Cyev7Jn1gNAD_blU4dqzZ8LJ6bpiIAEOOK/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD00tMYMN-zCnFvrJAwtWVsycuVjC9fOWmkvwp8ysAhgXHaQCOxaVn75jIkmFJyQoVwwdHxU_Pnw_2_oCVcoIxrpO2qGBaIdnl8i-6svvd1Cyev7Jn1gNAD_blU4dqzZ8LJ6bpiIAEOOK/s320/IMG_0052.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451009404780354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2prsjvUWv7f39A12C5sIUJ5QyX3AhtBG0wxHCPor1I9I3zoEU1wiCuJFKa1P7Xo18DjWU1IW5rUJOP9nqq_1Hh2NHWRtEHNYWemBPtMIHXAgy4hPLoM9a9ghK_pdqpAFnT0at9kpgMosu/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2prsjvUWv7f39A12C5sIUJ5QyX3AhtBG0wxHCPor1I9I3zoEU1wiCuJFKa1P7Xo18DjWU1IW5rUJOP9nqq_1Hh2NHWRtEHNYWemBPtMIHXAgy4hPLoM9a9ghK_pdqpAFnT0at9kpgMosu/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451004542775602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarFamnBGqSGTHGdyrao14V1uvge5ezCLOBh0fzv7wZ4jUaKGNv2nsXmOYNvA5RobbDLXxrLqxKRIJ3IbeFK7wuZ0eOq1TSP_BvzPNk25t1UzVpKx4TEsM3HxJpAGvrSXDOPeOmtoG6K7B/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarFamnBGqSGTHGdyrao14V1uvge5ezCLOBh0fzv7wZ4jUaKGNv2nsXmOYNvA5RobbDLXxrLqxKRIJ3IbeFK7wuZ0eOq1TSP_BvzPNk25t1UzVpKx4TEsM3HxJpAGvrSXDOPeOmtoG6K7B/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407450996728240898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUnYkPElgThVD6VFgOcKbALJICx7_3_dQoAkMmhJU0Cmyp7lJpslZNRY0SpWDw8q-4QTYfJb7qJ2OSPgnOtPOFmvNQhH8IOiFPHurx9-sjCKiHaEnnwnRKJD3pmCHXgDzXxCRcaC7UpPg/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUnYkPElgThVD6VFgOcKbALJICx7_3_dQoAkMmhJU0Cmyp7lJpslZNRY0SpWDw8q-4QTYfJb7qJ2OSPgnOtPOFmvNQhH8IOiFPHurx9-sjCKiHaEnnwnRKJD3pmCHXgDzXxCRcaC7UpPg/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451585086977778" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f5iawxC7VFOnSD04MAJIuHqm9V-HC8F1za8fNStGSAIQvwvrGgCbQOpdgUPxI_GbmuI91C9h1HFGkAIl26UF_hvqwxI_lrsyxCDCtSUEy3dr8r4eS4UNPBl_NS6y__Y7FxDra24OkmUR/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f5iawxC7VFOnSD04MAJIuHqm9V-HC8F1za8fNStGSAIQvwvrGgCbQOpdgUPxI_GbmuI91C9h1HFGkAIl26UF_hvqwxI_lrsyxCDCtSUEy3dr8r4eS4UNPBl_NS6y__Y7FxDra24OkmUR/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451580255597490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFbapTOjQLb51ylWgTAuD2APxjd7Y-BZdNAmdT6yV9DSvE_Rujh8xpvZODZFEbZj_50b4_AujA3QRMOHOJZVMersX5tsmZoDAdVtEuRMBpM94TbFW7XMjpp2a4-ci2z6vOIzaKgitWvdo/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFbapTOjQLb51ylWgTAuD2APxjd7Y-BZdNAmdT6yV9DSvE_Rujh8xpvZODZFEbZj_50b4_AujA3QRMOHOJZVMersX5tsmZoDAdVtEuRMBpM94TbFW7XMjpp2a4-ci2z6vOIzaKgitWvdo/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451572919107394" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt1o_XFe5qnEYFGN273S18EdJy2JWrIAFFwYSBSxHyGzFLpVGSk6oSyeFKM9nGx58_m2ZuGhJthP6Pr5PvLky3TTaptvl02v4ImHfafjfoAV14ZzwtvVGyZmL7CJXfVQi2b9PDvczDcT3/s1600/IMG_0009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt1o_XFe5qnEYFGN273S18EdJy2JWrIAFFwYSBSxHyGzFLpVGSk6oSyeFKM9nGx58_m2ZuGhJthP6Pr5PvLky3TTaptvl02v4ImHfafjfoAV14ZzwtvVGyZmL7CJXfVQi2b9PDvczDcT3/s320/IMG_0009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407451566408882722" border="0" /></a><br />The power of the machines as we left the city was incredible. For the first time, being on a bicycle made me feel powerless, small, almost incompetent. City traffic rushed by us without the slightest regard for our livelihood. California.<br /><br />We came into the city early the previous morning, not used to the metropolitan vibe or the thunderous roar of commercialism. It felt like we no longer had any imprint. Suddenly everything we were doing seemed unreasonably unimportant.<br /><br />We rode through the city blocks, not looking for anything in particular, hoping that something great would fall into our hands like it did so easily in the weeks before. Nobody seemed approachable, everybody had more important things to do. We were lost, terribly lost. So we reverted to the one thing we do know about; the internet. We found refuge in the free wi-fi outside of the Sacramento Public Library, where we sat and tried to make sense of our suddenly meaningless lives. We Googled the nearest McDonald's to our location, and decided to look for comfort in a sausage McMuffin with egg and cheese; soulfood. The nearest one to our location was about a mile away, we didn't mind. So we saddled up, and headed out on our way. But it wasn't long before our weary hearts were turned upside down by two kindred spirits called Jazzy and Juan.<br /><br />The first thing I noticed was the eyepatch. It was exactly the type of thing you would expect to see in a bad community theater production of The Count of Monte Cristo. A big, black, pirateous eye patch. I didn't know <span style="font-style: italic;">what </span>to think.<br /><br />"Hey where you all going?" he inquired.<br /><br />"Down the Baja Coast," I recall somebody (probably Steve-o) answering.<br /><br />"Holy Shit!" he exclaimed, "and where'd you come from?" he asked in disbelief.<br /><br />"Washington" the anonymous "us" replied.<br /><br />Cut action. This is where we realized that Juan and Jazzy wanted to talk to us for a while. So we all stopped riding to answer any sort of questions that they might have had.<br /><br />"Yeah but we kinda cheated," Stephen said with a slight tone of dismay. "We took a train from Salem, OR to here, we just got in this morning,"<br /><br />That was the first time Jazzy spoke up. "Oh I just rode the train in from Spokane a few weeks ago!" She seemed excited to have a connection.<br /><br />"Cool," we said, and from there the conversation flourished. We ended up hanging out with them for the better part of a half an hour, listening to them and telling them everything strangers would ever want to know about each other. We found out that Jazzy was a girl who had been traveling for the past ten years, and hadn't really been in one place for too long. Her older brother was a traveler too, and had custody of her since she was a young kid, and he had been taking her around from city to city. Her home was the road, and it was amazingly self-evident when she spoke that she was a kind and warm vessel. Underneath her tattered eyes and worn out clothes, you could see a beautiful woman; independent and intolerant to the indecencies of humankind. Truly inspirational because of her blatant disregard for social norms.<br /><br />And then there was Juan.<br /><br />Juan embodied the essence of strange, but in a completely normal sort of way. Talking to Juan was like talking to your good acquaintance's dad for the first time on a car ride home from a basketball game. He asked all the right questions and offered all the right nuggets of advice and made us feel comfortable through several really uncomfortable moments. But for God's sake, he was wearing that ridiculous eye-patch, and disappearing for extended lengths of time at a time, and walking around the streets with Jazzy and their adopted street puppy, and living in a warehouse in downtown Sacramento. He was truly a character in some sort of quirky short story. But he left his mark on us and we will never forget what he said to us as we parted. He looked each of us individually in the eye and with his raspy and worn down voice said this:<br /><br />"Remember, there's a lot of beautiful people in this world...but there's also some ugly ones. Just watch out for the ugly ones."<br /><br />We all froze for a second. Processed it. Took it in.<br /><br />"Yeah," I thought. Coming from him it sounded real, like he had really experienced the beautiful people, and the ugly ones. It sounded as if he truly lived by those words. Now we would live differently, too.<br /><br />Juan's words were not only important for our trip because of the content of the statement, but also because it started a new project for us. It was his advice that made us realize that just about everyone we have come in contact with so far on this trip has given us some sort of "nugget," we just weren't listening enough. So we decided to write all the bits of advice that we receive from people for the rest of the trip down so that we are being consciously and directly influenced by each and every person who is interested in us. Juan implied that there is a lot to learn from the people in this world. We will see more people on this trip than we could ever imagine, each individual person living their life in a different way, regarding different truths, learning from different sources, finding meaning in different places, and each and every one of these people can help us in our mission to find ourselves. But there is one golden rule: there must be no judging people by their lifestyles. We must respect everyone equally and never scoff at anyone's advice. Whether it's the words of a crazed homeless man walking up the street, or a successful business woman living in the most expensive home on the California coast, we will respect and take in the words from all.<br /><br />Since Juan, we have received good advice from many people. But this project doesn't end here. We plan to milk this for all it's worth, getting advice from as many people as we possibly can.<br />We have all seen inspirational quotes from reputable and influential people posted on the walls of our classrooms and written in books. But the idea behind this project is that <span style="font-style: italic;">all </span>people have something to contribute to how we live our lives. On an earlier blog post, I wrote that on this trip I have learned to listen to nature, taking the advices of the Earth to heart, but now I challenge myself and everyone who reads this blog, to listen to the people in this world as well. Everyone is crying out in some way or another, we should listen to their cries and try our best to learn from them.<br /><br />Later that day and on into the night, we collected advice from everyone we could. Here are some of the words of wisdom that were given to us. Some people we asked for advice, some people we just listened and they spoke. All of these words will certainly help us in our quest. We hope they will help you, too:<br /><br />"Life is mandatory, misery is optional."<br /> -Street Chuck<br /><br />Chuck came up to us as we were headed toward downtown Sacramento at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening. He asked us for some spare change so that he could buy a blanket. He told us that he had recently lost his job and his family and he was not on drugs or drinking and he was going to be homeless for about a month. He seemed so real. Tyler gave him five bucks. He thanked us, and upon departure, gave us his bit of advice. We left the situation feeling very good, especially since we didn't even have to ask him for his advice, he just gave it to us.<br /><br />When we got into downtown Sacramento, we decided to go into a dive-bar and get a drink. So we walked into the crappiest bar we could find and had a two dollar bottle of Pabst each. Inside the bar were about six people, all of which seemed to me at first glance to be the "town drunk" types. Bob, the most vivacious of the bunch, overheard us talking about our ride the next day. "Sixty miles you're gonna ride on a bicycle tomorrow! Holy shit!"<br /><br />Suddenly everyone in the bar was interested in us. We talked for a good bit and had a few drinks with them and told them about our trip and listened to them talk about things, and before we knew it we had four new friends, connected by a string that was attached to each of our souls. These people were good people, living the way that they decided suited them best. It was at this point that I realized that people don't respect each other enough these days. Most would look at this bunch of guys in a dive bar in downtown Sacramento and think, "that's sad" or "look at those drunks!" But those thoughts are absolute fallacies. These people had interesting pasts, important ideas, and most of all, hearts of gold.<br /><br />Bob, a mid-fifty-year-old veteran and car mechanic, was born in Duluth, MN and moved to downtown Los Angeles before high school, where he attended an inner-city school and graduated with a more diverse high school education than I could ever imagine. David (pronounced dah-VEED) was a refugee from Eritrea that fled from the tyrannical Eritrean communist rule when he was sixteen, walking for two weeks on foot to get into Sudan. From Sudan, he acquired a fake passport and saved enough money to fly into Beirut, where he acquired yet another fake passport and fled to Italy where he admitted to the Italian government that he was a refugee from Eritrea. Four years later, the Italian government gave him several options of the places he could go. The United States was one of them. He chose to be sent to America and ended up in Las Vegas, Nevada and eventually migrated west to Sacramento. He now owns his own custodial service in Sacramento and comes to the bar twice a week to quench his social thirst. He said that he had worked with some of his coworkers for sixteen years, and has never told his story to anyone he has worked with. The injustice of it all! Listening to Bob and David talk about their past changed me significantly. I will never forget that night in the bar with my two best buds and four strangers who took us in and poured out some of the most introspective and intelligent words I have heard in a long time. They've been places. They've seen things. They're out there, I mean <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> out there trying to make sense of this unsolvable puzzle known as life. At the end of the night, we asked everyone in the bar for their advice. Here's what they said:<br /><br />"Be nice, get along, and if you respect others, they will respect you. God bless all, and absolutely love all."<br /> -David<br /><br />"Life is pretty short, so STEP ON THE FUCKING GAS!"<br /> -Bob<br /><br />"Stay out of the [San Bernadino] valley!"<br /> -Ryan<br />(I didn't say anything about Ryan but he was a really nice guy that was absolutely adamant about us staying away from the valley. He said it's the ugliest place on Earth and if we rode our bikes through there it could possibly suck our souls from our bodies. It's not the first bad thing we have heard about the valley. Our best bud and fourth member of our group of connected-at-the-hip-azoids lives in the San Bernadino Valley. He doesn't have many nice things to say about it either.)<br /><br />"Enjoy the path you are taking, and cherish it, always cherish it."<br /> -Victor<br /><br />(Victor walked into the bar while I was talking to David. Tyler and Steve-o talked to him more than I did. His voice sounded like Popeye's voice and he knew a couple fisherman from our area. That's about all I know about him, besides the fact that he gave us some pretty darn good advice.)<br /><br />Since that night in the bar we've received advice from many others. Here's a few of the things that we learned:<br /><br />"Anonymity only leads to contempt."<br /> -Allen Johansen, Big Mike's dad<br /><br />"Money is at its best use when it supports adventures like these."<br /> -Patrick, a friend in Aberdeen we met through Stephen P.<br /><br />"All you need in life are two can-openers and a hole-punch for your beer can and a pocket knife with a saw, not a Swiss Army knife, but one of those ones from China. Here, I'll show you mine!"<br /> -Crazy Sacramento Sam<br /><br />"I wish in my life to be significant, not successful."<br /> -Big Mike (along with the catch phrase he coined while freestyle rapping "Put that in your book!" Good stuff.)<br /><br />"You're not living unless you are risking your life."<br /> -Joe the Couchsurfer.<br /><br />(Joe was probably one of the most generous people we have stayed with. He offered us pretty much everything he had, and ordered us massive amounts of pizza. We played video games all night and got pretty darn good as a band on "Beatle's Rock Band" the x-box version. That game is AMAZING. I don't think we really thanked Joe as much as we should of. So this is an official shoutout to Joe, the most badass dude in Pittsburgh, CA. We love you, Joe!)<br /><br />If not anything else, this trip has taught me that every single place we go, and every single person we meet, has value in our lives and must not be ignored. We have learned from the people and we have learned from the land and we have discovered that so many things matter beyond just our own small lives. Like Juan once said, there's a lot of beauty, there's a whole lot of beauty. And it's all here for us to enjoy and learn from.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy7FgDCQ6IcwZb15VnnPrI4INE7Tx1ru2IG-4wooxRNP9Eu2Bps_OJSa9Jt2iRMnKwMEVsOvxliIJDl1Qt76w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz66PLyN6Vr7wP6R0DrwoAlh6hDp27g0XqQnaBaA21wksMyo2HWgcW-CoY16v1dGzQ44bGyFYTzpNGEP5avxw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxVQ8mYSO2j5Hfa980VNiWTN3baoYL9RX0GFDJ9QIQgwkLutgpe3oNDO9pdHzwCTSGmmIwy1p3JLzUtSGipWA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzVl-iX1wessC5asHiLhbwnEdBy1p2IvGlELtghWIVc9xvXW2BEciZRT-iUjjhaTRPkmz0C3DI50iGfkGPf' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>mikey jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02753020746631667277noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-18546825214843751532009-11-20T01:35:00.001-08:002009-11-20T03:27:07.241-08:00No Living Room 2.0: Still Young, Less Restless, and More Hippied Out Than Ever Before!And now, to make a long story short, an equation:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Salem, OR<br />+<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxU_a9uMCSALHHRu73XyXdPhpP2XCuKQ5aSgCRhtIifjmZGlt9mEFs3o73VdE7QbG1YOPcB0FK0Glf1PtkITg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">=<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MwDfdR86fdVPVHe4qtNn96OWb7IxHsyz4T0KOmgUjh0b8q1SwttzxcBZT61IQxN0TVWNyRA9sXB1GAG-OeOXordHfFM5IVNckpqgqbT_KL6RJHR2FgXTnLXoCVX8nJy-yP0GfLRJoziJ/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MwDfdR86fdVPVHe4qtNn96OWb7IxHsyz4T0KOmgUjh0b8q1SwttzxcBZT61IQxN0TVWNyRA9sXB1GAG-OeOXordHfFM5IVNckpqgqbT_KL6RJHR2FgXTnLXoCVX8nJy-yP0GfLRJoziJ/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406118254652965394" border="0" /></a><br />Yep, you got that right. A palm tree. In Sacramento, California, baby. We'd had enough of the abysmal northwest weather and decided not to waste our time or our money putting up with it. So we bought ourselves three tickets and hopped on to the next Amtrak south. They even let us ship our bikes on the train! We had to take them apart just a bit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W0tbruG2wjhJsY5QW0VDFeYqZLHZPTSsV37b3SRvNtgGxNTlYCewqcPxAUGumwY7yRg3BtpwQn7dsHhsdko5OYPVX6XRgbO666AB6ihJIe0ZGtZMUBFrLpVdLBv-Tj6JlbCJJ-BR_1T4/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W0tbruG2wjhJsY5QW0VDFeYqZLHZPTSsV37b3SRvNtgGxNTlYCewqcPxAUGumwY7yRg3BtpwQn7dsHhsdko5OYPVX6XRgbO666AB6ihJIe0ZGtZMUBFrLpVdLBv-Tj6JlbCJJ-BR_1T4/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406118263424971938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaFfv-C4ipcmP90nZvXqDncHsLbBWi1myYKQ0V3hhL93zpEXFJZ7GtReVY8wgHIHRjPtJjJcO4bJ04mYRjHtwtNfGMxRlTLdbALAcFNbmTsgM1kwwj7kHALoqIctoPpmYbRazp-OpYYBE/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaFfv-C4ipcmP90nZvXqDncHsLbBWi1myYKQ0V3hhL93zpEXFJZ7GtReVY8wgHIHRjPtJjJcO4bJ04mYRjHtwtNfGMxRlTLdbALAcFNbmTsgM1kwwj7kHALoqIctoPpmYbRazp-OpYYBE/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406118270931349378" border="0" /></a><br />Of sixteen hours traveling, 2.5 were during daylight hours. When we arrived in Sacramento at 5:45 in the morning we didn't quite know what to do with ourselves, quite literally. So we just sort of put our bikes back together and rode around.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoai9JugYYqkZoHacNugeZmF2VT_Ct7GXJgcAm6wahLWn54IZ4Bios68MK5UuczUwB82DoPchcDh_8Jo6H2YRr5fVxT_Uu-OXFqcoOr-eUEGJAgmuCu7mE472xkVJwV9mJexrm-sEEBLgd/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoai9JugYYqkZoHacNugeZmF2VT_Ct7GXJgcAm6wahLWn54IZ4Bios68MK5UuczUwB82DoPchcDh_8Jo6H2YRr5fVxT_Uu-OXFqcoOr-eUEGJAgmuCu7mE472xkVJwV9mJexrm-sEEBLgd/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406118279887867090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZbJfXY_isF6DS-PHCqb7EuFv0hUES-K826ssDMbY1A6xjcYrkyiRuWWdlfE_x_v_lyfHxo3hseYOd0qVm2zDT9x062qZj2OoaFWeV5Q0Zo4u4hkSsdm2AB7gm30GCla6K3qAusx2_oT0/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZbJfXY_isF6DS-PHCqb7EuFv0hUES-K826ssDMbY1A6xjcYrkyiRuWWdlfE_x_v_lyfHxo3hseYOd0qVm2zDT9x062qZj2OoaFWeV5Q0Zo4u4hkSsdm2AB7gm30GCla6K3qAusx2_oT0/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406118286370966642" border="0" /></a><br />It was still early, but we were able to steal enough internet from the closed Sacramento Public Library for long enough to email some people last-minute about possible Couchsurfing options.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEa8Cv0F1uvkjypqdC5tD21Z4BSpvresl3mcpMdm7ffnoJ3DzG1wHiF-_gC1KgkeIs29MK4mwferrO-KiGZyIzSmTabI7QkuFpJ9EFO9SwuePw8Oy79KodHzmRqr8zz6nTVTetEelyTdb/s1600/IMG_0013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEa8Cv0F1uvkjypqdC5tD21Z4BSpvresl3mcpMdm7ffnoJ3DzG1wHiF-_gC1KgkeIs29MK4mwferrO-KiGZyIzSmTabI7QkuFpJ9EFO9SwuePw8Oy79KodHzmRqr8zz6nTVTetEelyTdb/s320/IMG_0013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406132184186230386" border="0" /></a><br />Unfortunately, we found none before it was beginning to get dark, so we checked into a very cheap hotel (oh well!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1DgRaigl8Za7iP2CkYT4FwITIa4eFEpIB3nsrO5FjP0NgjQna0rC1lYOsxFOxeDPBMAB04oKg3cvJ3bRRzj-kzdL3wptbIHMBD1HbNm21-U4K6ZOa1XdCa_0Yp9hXup3i0M8qrMXDe4B/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1DgRaigl8Za7iP2CkYT4FwITIa4eFEpIB3nsrO5FjP0NgjQna0rC1lYOsxFOxeDPBMAB04oKg3cvJ3bRRzj-kzdL3wptbIHMBD1HbNm21-U4K6ZOa1XdCa_0Yp9hXup3i0M8qrMXDe4B/s320/IMG_0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406120290575668498" border="0" /></a><br />Next morning, we mixed up sommathat delicious dried potato soup Patti gave us in Seaside, and figured out just what route we should take to get to Pittsburgh by the end of that day, where the Generous Joe had told us we could crash at his place.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWz8gFeKA2hh_VxbVv1WFhNMR6c9QrOjCBEjJdecsh8cdh95gTCFD5YuL4z0Ds-R-NytPBfPDpDhRpnOvIS2X8wpFTD1Q0w-fPqi8R0TIHuSYK2fgoG-wLb5RSiXWCZDIIwgAxsHYX9de/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWz8gFeKA2hh_VxbVv1WFhNMR6c9QrOjCBEjJdecsh8cdh95gTCFD5YuL4z0Ds-R-NytPBfPDpDhRpnOvIS2X8wpFTD1Q0w-fPqi8R0TIHuSYK2fgoG-wLb5RSiXWCZDIIwgAxsHYX9de/s320/IMG_0020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406120278111998402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIk82Qb9tI6Ujeg0ZDEM7MEskPpeqWFRPp4SSOhtbP0jfLOnavZONjD-rtGMs6SFhbXSQu0DybQyqw9wor6JpCYuvlCmsOvuwkgG7hy8d8ALf_imUDYcyy7CywmiHfSyKcSLXS8U5uHGY/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIk82Qb9tI6Ujeg0ZDEM7MEskPpeqWFRPp4SSOhtbP0jfLOnavZONjD-rtGMs6SFhbXSQu0DybQyqw9wor6JpCYuvlCmsOvuwkgG7hy8d8ALf_imUDYcyy7CywmiHfSyKcSLXS8U5uHGY/s320/IMG_0017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406120294502275666" border="0" /></a><br />Another twelve o'clock check-out, and we were off.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit20f7IlngLSRj5tq6HBNo0CJ1332DlGX3wJAb91xR-LQNujGdApHeOrQb6zg_qIAh7cYEqtLA9zlVqqEAyKoImjLBv1pJe1m3XVsTu5wnL4Vf77FihbKG8hnhzeITjahLng-RcmYi0XS0/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit20f7IlngLSRj5tq6HBNo0CJ1332DlGX3wJAb91xR-LQNujGdApHeOrQb6zg_qIAh7cYEqtLA9zlVqqEAyKoImjLBv1pJe1m3XVsTu5wnL4Vf77FihbKG8hnhzeITjahLng-RcmYi0XS0/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406120273118788402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrpUal7-pvU8W0HlCp7wof10ttoxqYxJ4vhLWhBgDPUjh3BTYzBEEF3_zY4D7sXwwOlxF5mU8zjEGNNl2_7aBk-W17XpyjZ_XX9cpsGfu1laH59rYsNmwCsDQmtq8gH71-B8rNJwkgbeW/s1600/IMG_0025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrpUal7-pvU8W0HlCp7wof10ttoxqYxJ4vhLWhBgDPUjh3BTYzBEEF3_zY4D7sXwwOlxF5mU8zjEGNNl2_7aBk-W17XpyjZ_XX9cpsGfu1laH59rYsNmwCsDQmtq8gH71-B8rNJwkgbeW/s320/IMG_0025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406120264756553298" border="0" /></a><br />First through the city...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVjssxwQPb2gn5ogEgdsrSd7GX40NLNF1VI5Amvz9SRq4PYG6e7-hCn_dmIjrtYcSBdL_9VK2vIt9-Pd_dxtrnqlrZRLVwkp-aZyC8MFP6eWw3cE39BxPx6m3K1lS9ciMrTgWexMhBsh3/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVjssxwQPb2gn5ogEgdsrSd7GX40NLNF1VI5Amvz9SRq4PYG6e7-hCn_dmIjrtYcSBdL_9VK2vIt9-Pd_dxtrnqlrZRLVwkp-aZyC8MFP6eWw3cE39BxPx6m3K1lS9ciMrTgWexMhBsh3/s320/IMG_0030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406121581310501554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVm5HEe54BncwV3gt3jNIpME0aSzV_jBDvJIUbJpBEgCoIyNYMUOHs-mTcYsL4ZJNUSiqh9TI8_cVDdvrtX1SzestNemrCqhF_uaCd2uCvVXWkNbMnuq2ATP0SP0EAn_0pytq8eVzuFBJz/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVm5HEe54BncwV3gt3jNIpME0aSzV_jBDvJIUbJpBEgCoIyNYMUOHs-mTcYsL4ZJNUSiqh9TI8_cVDdvrtX1SzestNemrCqhF_uaCd2uCvVXWkNbMnuq2ATP0SP0EAn_0pytq8eVzuFBJz/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406121567961118498" border="0" /></a><br />...past Arnold's house...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dymf3mCXBnn08TX6ROhVcAFsKwwBtCKqt-UBW5evDqVaMTl3nS1tnMSDbp5NyTkZxanc_cGUCxdHIgIgoo46g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzcd498rLaZtLc5jDJiNGOm2hsJC2a1dw3e5Zcca_jQIB-tMpdXzy-V5xy0aYKa3ioG7kRFWH2bPTGZ8Tj1xQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br /></div> ...then along the surging Rio Vista. In the first 25 miles, I think we gained about 16' in elevation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1A0YGQFlvxXcBUBTa6Mz0MohkxahSFEROyOZWAimFnfLLivPiF43PA9AFsDzp0PX0G-UtrL9M8FjJB_hqQdJoumR07YAyh_ceQ3ZOw2dWYN00n0ngnlLU6OnG37BKGZ57nxi5NzE3DAv/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1A0YGQFlvxXcBUBTa6Mz0MohkxahSFEROyOZWAimFnfLLivPiF43PA9AFsDzp0PX0G-UtrL9M8FjJB_hqQdJoumR07YAyh_ceQ3ZOw2dWYN00n0ngnlLU6OnG37BKGZ57nxi5NzE3DAv/s320/IMG_0036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406121560357264210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHGmWb-Db87DaTCPOZ-UJIK6VhpGoGNsal84PvR1ShQRm8PrF9wNr06RhhRDVF8miRz-1zgHIaoK_FtAO-Aa2KKQzF2oycA2X-VndFIxbEyfLtaYYSzTIzjQMl-vh5Mck26xaVlZr__Py/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHGmWb-Db87DaTCPOZ-UJIK6VhpGoGNsal84PvR1ShQRm8PrF9wNr06RhhRDVF8miRz-1zgHIaoK_FtAO-Aa2KKQzF2oycA2X-VndFIxbEyfLtaYYSzTIzjQMl-vh5Mck26xaVlZr__Py/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406121557777600178" border="0" /></a><br />A short set-back:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZE1bkOeBd_Dive4hWBb-hO6zcKCchDcH8E0EwmmJ7OH7XWUQqzZEAXs_vPc-Z8589EZ9J01R9-QrzMJQrw3hGP8DAeomPQHC91oRp19sf3C_PCYmP710KyU4OmNBMU6kn90o-DO2g32C/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZE1bkOeBd_Dive4hWBb-hO6zcKCchDcH8E0EwmmJ7OH7XWUQqzZEAXs_vPc-Z8589EZ9J01R9-QrzMJQrw3hGP8DAeomPQHC91oRp19sf3C_PCYmP710KyU4OmNBMU6kn90o-DO2g32C/s320/IMG_0040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406121545149112418" border="0" /></a><br />repaired.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyogMcrqQjWc7lP7jEVLn9hOKdHTv8HaaI6wOB5n3s4_DZVLvob42sqSeqytYWRBJxS_LJ-wbvyG7YI67GkezOOvVnvZfhmU9a5Uij66XFEZkg1eEnECiK6FBIMcEdD1n2_HFLGsGhZE24/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyogMcrqQjWc7lP7jEVLn9hOKdHTv8HaaI6wOB5n3s4_DZVLvob42sqSeqytYWRBJxS_LJ-wbvyG7YI67GkezOOvVnvZfhmU9a5Uij66XFEZkg1eEnECiK6FBIMcEdD1n2_HFLGsGhZE24/s320/IMG_0041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406123904720374898" border="0" /></a><br />Also, we rode past a Chevy Avalanche that had evidently been through some serious physical trials. It was connected to a tow truck beside the river, and water was still dripping down the sides and from the bottom. The weird parts were the handcuffs dangling from one of the handles inside, and the diver we saw gearing up just a couple hundred feet down the road - mob hit?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71RMLVeKtuo9l2gRzADfDUFBjOGdlhXzI8z5r95arlAD_i-aHBbjdiU_qmDqcAetlyDwVY-Eddq83jEmZnuUKH5QAMgqaY66YiX_g-FrmIFjFbnbbxKNIEKJiSEPm0ggV9Np9Mm0PqA3P/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71RMLVeKtuo9l2gRzADfDUFBjOGdlhXzI8z5r95arlAD_i-aHBbjdiU_qmDqcAetlyDwVY-Eddq83jEmZnuUKH5QAMgqaY66YiX_g-FrmIFjFbnbbxKNIEKJiSEPm0ggV9Np9Mm0PqA3P/s320/IMG_0046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406123883884376674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdeG3gbuY_5NGDejbG1RdLq7hPwvN5HHypvtW618cezq2FJJpTwUzF3f-l8qqQTIpp6zx4TzXL246BQ84unfF5zkouwvE5gF12gpeDHryNquWIPkxPfW9gl-7vSzzICVuggej0YwExj_1/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdeG3gbuY_5NGDejbG1RdLq7hPwvN5HHypvtW618cezq2FJJpTwUzF3f-l8qqQTIpp6zx4TzXL246BQ84unfF5zkouwvE5gF12gpeDHryNquWIPkxPfW9gl-7vSzzICVuggej0YwExj_1/s320/IMG_0045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406123896518337538" border="0" /></a><br />That was weird.<br /><br />We just started this new thing where we will buy a container of peanut butter, a container of jam, and a loaf of bread, make eight or nine PB&J's, and put them all back into the bread bag. Makes for very good picnics, and the peanut butter and jam lasts for several loafs!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpELbumhf6dSln5FnsM2raE6MBJcqKjOHwTkWWZD9nvdBcfUolut9kjRRB0K2J4kwh8HvaFW726pd6EJ6ZI6c1Ap3kUqYXmjLi2ZhdrfHNUZUXpOPteV2JSHLlFgeQuXdbvBqAuV0Swycb/s1600/IMG_0053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpELbumhf6dSln5FnsM2raE6MBJcqKjOHwTkWWZD9nvdBcfUolut9kjRRB0K2J4kwh8HvaFW726pd6EJ6ZI6c1Ap3kUqYXmjLi2ZhdrfHNUZUXpOPteV2JSHLlFgeQuXdbvBqAuV0Swycb/s320/IMG_0053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406126703749771602" border="0" /></a><br />Mmm. Twelve-grain.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_5ILW5To5Qb2c4a7QfM7_3OLs8OUfpS5Z7fD8xOk-ih9toWo5-TpJtTxUY05Yr43wt8YdL03dKg7MNfZb4YSvUb4nBCifuwz-TdW8Lq2lebpDpuYR3I6fsQiZhKKcvY_Ah1xIC-LgoSE/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_5ILW5To5Qb2c4a7QfM7_3OLs8OUfpS5Z7fD8xOk-ih9toWo5-TpJtTxUY05Yr43wt8YdL03dKg7MNfZb4YSvUb4nBCifuwz-TdW8Lq2lebpDpuYR3I6fsQiZhKKcvY_Ah1xIC-LgoSE/s320/IMG_0049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406126698151139250" border="0" /></a><br />And the report comes tonight from Pittsburgh, California. Today's miles: a whopping 74! We actually spent a couple of hours riding in the dark there toward the end, which was not so pleasant. But we didn't take any pictures of it, so it's sort of like it never happened. Tomorrow's agenda: bike, BART, and Sisco! Don't touch that dial, folks, things're aboutsta get crazy up in here! CraziER that is!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSDX7AdrAMcwKTNLCiqX9eWiVNhyphenhyphen_j4mEOMTvSek5sfw6k87ZcN9YlvbqkxqZegEuoZ7Yg91Mx5wVQZdOWb8RIPIpzav3EvJPrC3506XQf2V7x8kRHZ1lPrsFe9aFln47I2_QcQdT8U-3/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSDX7AdrAMcwKTNLCiqX9eWiVNhyphenhyphen_j4mEOMTvSek5sfw6k87ZcN9YlvbqkxqZegEuoZ7Yg91Mx5wVQZdOWb8RIPIpzav3EvJPrC3506XQf2V7x8kRHZ1lPrsFe9aFln47I2_QcQdT8U-3/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406126689341397298" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-43423249358378345412009-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:002009-11-18T08:28:07.100-08:00Nat for Dav Rd Rd 12We have a confession to make: we've sort of cheated. A little. But it's so cold up here, and buses are so much faster!<br /><br />So here's what's going on. Or, rather, what has gone on.<br /><br />We took a series of buses on Thursday that got us from Aberdeen, WA to Seaside, OR, where we lived it up for two days with the venerable Dave and Patti Steen in an authentic oceanside resort - we're talkin' concierge, elevators, gift shop, and multiple hot tubs with lights in the bottom that change colors. Patti did an exemplary job of plumping us up, and sent us on our way Saturday morning with our saddlebags overloaded with all kinds of edible goods.<br /><br />When the bus dropped us off in Tillamook later, we rode twenty-two miles to Cape Lookout State Park. We later learned that thirteen of those miles were unnecessary, as was the thousand-foot ascent and subsequent descent back to sea level. Oh well. We ring our sweaters out and move on.<br /><br />One day, two meals, one bag of jelly beans, zero showers, and thirty-three miles later, we were letting ourselves into a cozy house in the town of Otis, just north of Lincoln City. It wasn't long before its owner, Corrina, arrived home from a mushroom-gathering day-trip with her boyfriend Tony. Soon, aromas were wafting, guitars were singing, and friendships were quickly being formed. We ate freshly-gathered mushroom alfredo, and sat around jammin' out on banjo, guitar, piano, and mandolin. Gooood night.<br /><br />Today is windy. So instead of us riding fifty miles to stay overnight in Salem, Tony volunteered to give us a ride in his pick-up tomorrow (Thanks, dude!), which gave us time for a good, old-fashioned hike! I would describe it to you, but a photo-video montage is really the best way to go for this one.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxbdbMzBrHQoYSzXkk8DFZj2qFtbzZp5U1wD37-3J0V5L13QyG-tEziBNPaPYNemb6iaXtsn2A6azv8QpxxaQ16X47PyRdX-zT62okrF7hWN0uIt7Vak2p4vBMabQh65Zexy0DME1U8Cn/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxbdbMzBrHQoYSzXkk8DFZj2qFtbzZp5U1wD37-3J0V5L13QyG-tEziBNPaPYNemb6iaXtsn2A6azv8QpxxaQ16X47PyRdX-zT62okrF7hWN0uIt7Vak2p4vBMabQh65Zexy0DME1U8Cn/s320/IMG_0016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404901561788263042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRZ5wAvFe21L9DGyM1WtUHpkE6t5_u12O9AbTKYfLYoOKr-xFsoGypnoxBv4EuE3vhYWDJwHHtSRJttO_nsuEZ0-SqIQ91X-Gd507cmo4sq-5xC7Qmkwre-C9SWBD5ZMTiiNFgS-okcBG/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRZ5wAvFe21L9DGyM1WtUHpkE6t5_u12O9AbTKYfLYoOKr-xFsoGypnoxBv4EuE3vhYWDJwHHtSRJttO_nsuEZ0-SqIQ91X-Gd507cmo4sq-5xC7Qmkwre-C9SWBD5ZMTiiNFgS-okcBG/s320/IMG_0017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404901571580664290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVPnXb5MRla77zWIDaoZU4ERmkBt4eMgqyYDhCaNKWSPZeUiqzdGRE0NR0mMKRDli-IQZuiP0hbmSXeYG6_PCqhFNpbnrTZFeVw81bOdQoI81L2DwPUWZvA5TpPkLHhmRHBzO19Ap1wP3/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVPnXb5MRla77zWIDaoZU4ERmkBt4eMgqyYDhCaNKWSPZeUiqzdGRE0NR0mMKRDli-IQZuiP0hbmSXeYG6_PCqhFNpbnrTZFeVw81bOdQoI81L2DwPUWZvA5TpPkLHhmRHBzO19Ap1wP3/s320/IMG_0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404901579376681042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPaZbqkGbAGcRX0dSYFD1HAcNGwmVvy6DpY5dqyMfi-ImtTVB0-BB1ZvWeXcIddQIZjYgmWMgsK1G0qPalmhKG_e7vjvGnHvNp3uq_X3JiSiqV7ces-RVkZCL1l3A4wgjiFUknwU7l8lT/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPaZbqkGbAGcRX0dSYFD1HAcNGwmVvy6DpY5dqyMfi-ImtTVB0-BB1ZvWeXcIddQIZjYgmWMgsK1G0qPalmhKG_e7vjvGnHvNp3uq_X3JiSiqV7ces-RVkZCL1l3A4wgjiFUknwU7l8lT/s320/IMG_0021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404942880058138322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0Z-BfAF1a3PUMG37_4ONbV2DbI0Ctmzw-3s3a0gl6M9iffAb7fyZT300xRZgX2CO8x-Y57D-hDdBtyCYinSTTAY8ZoV61oG5TF8QaGfhS_Y579mEMWUNVVhSjv2rFuNyU-gHqMJ3_HS8/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0Z-BfAF1a3PUMG37_4ONbV2DbI0Ctmzw-3s3a0gl6M9iffAb7fyZT300xRZgX2CO8x-Y57D-hDdBtyCYinSTTAY8ZoV61oG5TF8QaGfhS_Y579mEMWUNVVhSjv2rFuNyU-gHqMJ3_HS8/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404942870194943922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEYTfHbcZfxh7ss-by12ON9OKZVt6MF2J0Y2Qnkryd3IZrJkXTpFyonE0y7Db3XTuwPgSiePJvMPH8XtIW8QeQ_iCJCeLJ0vuJBDmUeMK0HcwQ7WqEhClD1son58U3leVhUJFg2RAX9_k/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEYTfHbcZfxh7ss-by12ON9OKZVt6MF2J0Y2Qnkryd3IZrJkXTpFyonE0y7Db3XTuwPgSiePJvMPH8XtIW8QeQ_iCJCeLJ0vuJBDmUeMK0HcwQ7WqEhClD1son58U3leVhUJFg2RAX9_k/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404942864103597730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknXQt16R1Dqjw-CBKlN-l0dTZRLAUBCLlqXLbrlCtkQjXjrApFT8lBUeydBqMce-GUQJe7OPYmQmKh5g7MOx45UbTpi2xbt6WJvglnLn8LE8L6tACg7lke2dOFT6_6Ayw6Kh_nzCAllWL/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknXQt16R1Dqjw-CBKlN-l0dTZRLAUBCLlqXLbrlCtkQjXjrApFT8lBUeydBqMce-GUQJe7OPYmQmKh5g7MOx45UbTpi2xbt6WJvglnLn8LE8L6tACg7lke2dOFT6_6Ayw6Kh_nzCAllWL/s320/IMG_0029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404942852985560914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvqdCvNRYH3g89fkKvxDIQY0NgrPL7ZRHDR8fof99fdt48Lu-f1d9Sab5o3W1TCffHBDm3Tq65UAnEidNeen5cdS4QNNTfuo3lojX4MAO26YnwBGEKBjieRiw55Oyr8XH31yUegJoNUIz/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvqdCvNRYH3g89fkKvxDIQY0NgrPL7ZRHDR8fof99fdt48Lu-f1d9Sab5o3W1TCffHBDm3Tq65UAnEidNeen5cdS4QNNTfuo3lojX4MAO26YnwBGEKBjieRiw55Oyr8XH31yUegJoNUIz/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404942850071344386" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx7CPMVMMpv_hHMdy-RBqVK2IchaQF1jjBlyYg7Nn8JLb_qdNyn8oHQ_5EXKbZAmqXoSAGgLYYPrXkRioJZWQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcE0ezAYfLoyKJAeege9Otoxhxb3NQifRYTylehS-XHOukgGDMXiYndJuu_pXg01aGVJOB-Nf62qNEVUm5DYaE0fKYW94lSQz1pul-t_j7p3PmgFNnI3PiLufAUbWzXn12g3q3WRXIDyNK/s1600/IMG_0034.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcE0ezAYfLoyKJAeege9Otoxhxb3NQifRYTylehS-XHOukgGDMXiYndJuu_pXg01aGVJOB-Nf62qNEVUm5DYaE0fKYW94lSQz1pul-t_j7p3PmgFNnI3PiLufAUbWzXn12g3q3WRXIDyNK/s320/IMG_0034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404946302483256146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaIR0yrkKEMUHK3tKm08aVgo7SXEDqP9RRspdJfPwgyHK7e5BJF_I7sIPO-TBsZ_CeTev00rcXuTP_T5oTQ0kEL1YrrL_yz43NXMQPAGfqb8oFhGtgBPjnHpkToUG9vAkVLXTRkhCIMZd/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaIR0yrkKEMUHK3tKm08aVgo7SXEDqP9RRspdJfPwgyHK7e5BJF_I7sIPO-TBsZ_CeTev00rcXuTP_T5oTQ0kEL1YrrL_yz43NXMQPAGfqb8oFhGtgBPjnHpkToUG9vAkVLXTRkhCIMZd/s320/IMG_0045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404946287640971442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIO1tX7D8sUY03cfDvlga0XcddUOxpk-ergxMuij59DlUx7_OgwG-V46_ynSw_pn7Bw7xTcZ_KQUiJmmkCDvpYtU8wRCIx8mo58LqDv4wJ6pmYy42LAjtYoB0DTTRfhyphenhyphenQmjJ5GCxl62vhw/s1600/IMGP8328.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIO1tX7D8sUY03cfDvlga0XcddUOxpk-ergxMuij59DlUx7_OgwG-V46_ynSw_pn7Bw7xTcZ_KQUiJmmkCDvpYtU8wRCIx8mo58LqDv4wJ6pmYy42LAjtYoB0DTTRfhyphenhyphenQmjJ5GCxl62vhw/s320/IMGP8328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404946279946123746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bv0DCGN7gBrGWrQkkS73cA_4PCkXz3JEXp1lEwJk9w2lqamYAqFjSKBquQzg6S1fGkWWUsEQGHRAkP08tvMtzvKgpVIPEtVnRFxFV5WTLdQ78cb2Bp_NrZiAyY5JQgiUDwvXo4akfamo/s1600/IMGP8327.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bv0DCGN7gBrGWrQkkS73cA_4PCkXz3JEXp1lEwJk9w2lqamYAqFjSKBquQzg6S1fGkWWUsEQGHRAkP08tvMtzvKgpVIPEtVnRFxFV5WTLdQ78cb2Bp_NrZiAyY5JQgiUDwvXo4akfamo/s320/IMGP8327.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404946273904792818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEYdKaI70P12UjY6tjskXhUHad3eJzvPsmMwrL8KBxGnUeFb987s-8iWW7Q0UmaPl-tV8L9WnnpwtqWwUFfBT1H0pxU7iKfE-i3Ad7QNt61LPJzmK7bqI3_e-a_b4SAj8wCjMixH9sHn_/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEYdKaI70P12UjY6tjskXhUHad3eJzvPsmMwrL8KBxGnUeFb987s-8iWW7Q0UmaPl-tV8L9WnnpwtqWwUFfBT1H0pxU7iKfE-i3Ad7QNt61LPJzmK7bqI3_e-a_b4SAj8wCjMixH9sHn_/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404946295605480786" border="0" /></a><br />Wind, wind, wind. If we're not careful, it looks like it might blow us right on down to Sacramento. Stay tuned<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-59031789777251763772009-11-14T12:29:00.000-08:002009-11-14T12:36:43.253-08:00An Historic Change of Title, ExplainedYou may have noticed that we've changed the name of our blog/Facebook group. That's because we didn't really like the old one. Don't get us wrong - The Betterment Project is still very much alive. But we decided it's not the most appropriate title of our adventure. We just think it sounds weird. We don't want anyone to run off with the idea that we're getting too carried away with the idea that we think we're bettering ourselves <span style="font-style:italic;">too</span> much. We think that would seem a little too... pretentious? Showy? Whatever the adjective, we hope you like our new title.Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-47394176701998277042009-11-13T14:08:00.000-08:002009-11-14T11:48:51.965-08:00Twelfth Anniversary Photo Celebration!<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"> Stephen and I both just furrowed our brows and counted days on our fingers, coming to the conclusion that today is in fact only the twelfth day since we rode down my parent's driveway. It seems as though it could be twelve years. All the folks we've met already seem like old friends, I've already begun exaggerating our triumphs into near tall-tales, and we seem to catch ourselves daily reminiscing about the comforts of our old lives. I know it hasn't been very long, and we've only barely traveled the height of one state, (one we've traveled several times over behind car glass) but it feels as though we've been through different worlds. The Olympic Peninsula, seen from the seat of a bicycle, is the largest piece of earth I've ever attempted to understand. The rolling forest never cares about how tired you may be, it continues for portions of infinity between tiny logging towns I've never heard of, filled with the most interesting, kindhearted folks I've ever met.<br /> Two nights ago we crossed that massive bridge into Astoria and out of Washington (Mike and Stephen wildly attempting to hold their breaths the distance(we were in a bus, thank God)). Already it seems we've crossed massive expanses of land and left a great deal behind.<br /><br /> Mike and I finally got a couple rolls of film developed. I now present this terrific mess of overdue photographs in as close to chronological order as I can manage: </div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8C8mytkz9xj8ZW4lCCr05Cef9TjkqW29_3zkm0TP1Q-iJimYlxAbNdMJA088sTIn0_o7M5VcKX-enmfkskFRDhBbRck_Hng-2OX9VRiot4zSJKC5ZfkAi5TzjiaNNJQvnTlB9_3v9cg0/s1600-h/971502-R1-01-23A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8C8mytkz9xj8ZW4lCCr05Cef9TjkqW29_3zkm0TP1Q-iJimYlxAbNdMJA088sTIn0_o7M5VcKX-enmfkskFRDhBbRck_Hng-2OX9VRiot4zSJKC5ZfkAi5TzjiaNNJQvnTlB9_3v9cg0/s320/971502-R1-01-23A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403716149240116530" border="0" /></a><br />This was our first real glimpse of Discovery Bay from Hwy 20 out of Port Townsend. We were here for half an hour tuning bikes, snapping photos and generally congratulating each other on how good our new lives were. This was only a few miles before we reached 101 and learned to blast our iPods to drown out the relentless roar of traffic.</div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNi1tGuvhZ75tePkuAgTrhqDIcncJqR1XLBlWHWdALNtyYaPjr5qSdaXCZSrEzzYuGYfqeOe9xehzXGvGsl4hfhe16vnw7etRpJ-v59R4l-HFdTL4GEYN10CwD4V_VY19KPk15UH33sE/s1600-h/970781-R1-20-6A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNi1tGuvhZ75tePkuAgTrhqDIcncJqR1XLBlWHWdALNtyYaPjr5qSdaXCZSrEzzYuGYfqeOe9xehzXGvGsl4hfhe16vnw7etRpJ-v59R4l-HFdTL4GEYN10CwD4V_VY19KPk15UH33sE/s320/970781-R1-20-6A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403719341320924770" border="0" /></a><br />The same place. The sun shining on Mikey at one of the first really serene stops on an unfathomably long road.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f-o2RrojwTGoq0uAcN3L2hyphenhyphenzgGPdgEoFDoZimLkFbAnzl-90REAQ7I5iqqQr-zTZVtYKEO9d85OvnRclxtWlH5qPN3UYiEnbHRWkcm3AYKtw1b2QhNk3bwIoSwoIFpaMgwGpvvB1rFk/s1600-h/971502-R1-03-21A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f-o2RrojwTGoq0uAcN3L2hyphenhyphenzgGPdgEoFDoZimLkFbAnzl-90REAQ7I5iqqQr-zTZVtYKEO9d85OvnRclxtWlH5qPN3UYiEnbHRWkcm3AYKtw1b2QhNk3bwIoSwoIFpaMgwGpvvB1rFk/s320/971502-R1-03-21A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403716158527351618" border="0" /></a><br />About ten miles out of Sequim on Hwy 101, we reach the top of miles of windy, climbing road ending us up on a bluff hundreds of feet above Discovery Bay. This was our first taste of treacherous road. It was also where we realized no hill was impossible to climb. We were ecstatic when we discovered our reward of two crazy miles of steep downhill landing us right at the base of Sequim Bay State Park.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn4gXkGaYWFszKJX3sSS5Bu-q1XhTgFOmrAmPuPl6LuG27gNQsaWtwi2KKD3RTDPTPnovMhq4BxT3tel6fSOd3L079PZ5lZix1Tw3jlYe4XBLjqA9budgPz2qHJTH_1ePTlSqJ9y5B2w/s1600-h/971502-R1-05-19A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn4gXkGaYWFszKJX3sSS5Bu-q1XhTgFOmrAmPuPl6LuG27gNQsaWtwi2KKD3RTDPTPnovMhq4BxT3tel6fSOd3L079PZ5lZix1Tw3jlYe4XBLjqA9budgPz2qHJTH_1ePTlSqJ9y5B2w/s320/971502-R1-05-19A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403716165392375874" border="0" /></a>Stephen conveniently had a flat tire just as we rolled past Mike's Bikes in Sequim. We spoke to a couple locals here who told us our plans were ridiculous considering the coming storm. They gave us new maps, new directions and new ideas. The ordeal had a strange aroma of divine intervention.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlplN4N_aAOGcnFKwQ3roWcDtmED7_kYw4QxBcO6g0HpuciHLE7Ygy6YzUujfYNG7tKtloWK3EYg6dgR57IZaAhSCiLtELlfaJU5CBHGHGGBV47QbMwQy4f7e71MkNKdkNQ8fEELujY4/s1600-h/970781-R1-16-10A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlplN4N_aAOGcnFKwQ3roWcDtmED7_kYw4QxBcO6g0HpuciHLE7Ygy6YzUujfYNG7tKtloWK3EYg6dgR57IZaAhSCiLtELlfaJU5CBHGHGGBV47QbMwQy4f7e71MkNKdkNQ8fEELujY4/s320/970781-R1-16-10A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403719335936636114" border="0" /></a><br />Mike and I wait out further bike troubles on the stoop of a family practice on a Sequim side street.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO2vqwCPgbe1aLlpm4eKycDKEJcqsc3Wj-u0WaWDV-IMUmh1yZhQTDDHtEudwNknPBciA1gajHs_4IuwbSRTeJskUi7HrOvOXg5DNBwQWQmd-jzh8X5WyhBRnfiUEdBWy9ja1FxWuHq0/s1600-h/970781-R1-11-15A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO2vqwCPgbe1aLlpm4eKycDKEJcqsc3Wj-u0WaWDV-IMUmh1yZhQTDDHtEudwNknPBciA1gajHs_4IuwbSRTeJskUi7HrOvOXg5DNBwQWQmd-jzh8X5WyhBRnfiUEdBWy9ja1FxWuHq0/s320/970781-R1-11-15A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403719333650433138" border="0" /></a><br />We stop for a stretch break on 101 on the cusp of Port Angeles.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6oRR1nSwxD4p9M1_o3DbV0jP-dloqSgnwrSMC0Dvn44l2p4nUwE7HtSCZdkFqLNKJN3YQ2SUeXaNB9mIHVHQcQeTjiJQZg-EwnZwkh3MmJL31zs0RrpnpGnzNNM5RoJxICV3iWx7CYMQ/s1600-h/970781-R1-09-17A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6oRR1nSwxD4p9M1_o3DbV0jP-dloqSgnwrSMC0Dvn44l2p4nUwE7HtSCZdkFqLNKJN3YQ2SUeXaNB9mIHVHQcQeTjiJQZg-EwnZwkh3MmJL31zs0RrpnpGnzNNM5RoJxICV3iWx7CYMQ/s320/970781-R1-09-17A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403718188714067122" border="0" /></a><br />This is on the far side of Port Angeles as were learning to live our lives in the rain. This was the first really cold day. You can see the snow line in the hills down the road.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavf8cv7SmTACr1c8EKXbDFD2YIMQ7zwIp5oY5oD_ANfvDC0Kq5heHOhJ76tK-2w1YQhsMTUnXjES6se7Z9Ed4u8B2tDdfimgGx6h2DZutxyDCT5Tdp8i8HBP5rS7wHP1QUGSWGRu50Xc/s1600-h/971502-R1-10-14A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavf8cv7SmTACr1c8EKXbDFD2YIMQ7zwIp5oY5oD_ANfvDC0Kq5heHOhJ76tK-2w1YQhsMTUnXjES6se7Z9Ed4u8B2tDdfimgGx6h2DZutxyDCT5Tdp8i8HBP5rS7wHP1QUGSWGRu50Xc/s320/971502-R1-10-14A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403716166043428674" border="0" /></a><br />Hwy 112 rattles high above the Elwha river, whose green basin is speckled with glowing deciduous trees, covered in smoke from hidden chimneys.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedMQ9DIGhG87yAoy9WSNbOGKuEqNjnYbSrG-ZJis98eFOtZIjOC0WPv2VpLj7XLpLCPiYRaunXDDRF7pS6cfB0zNMPYkQJ30ws6WdKxP9F_ScY5Uye0GZJAa6bp3_zhO-iCHD9kOWelo/s1600-h/970781-R1-06-20.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedMQ9DIGhG87yAoy9WSNbOGKuEqNjnYbSrG-ZJis98eFOtZIjOC0WPv2VpLj7XLpLCPiYRaunXDDRF7pS6cfB0zNMPYkQJ30ws6WdKxP9F_ScY5Uye0GZJAa6bp3_zhO-iCHD9kOWelo/s320/970781-R1-06-20.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403718185876055346" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Mike and Stephen catch up on letters and journals as our laundry tumbles in the Joyce Laundromat. The rain still coming down outside, our plans for the night still tentative.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6Pt4C5LeFOZmeDryxFVkIaBWHzJeNLtt9_krESXclslsLypqJtaLxk72hquaRLnO57OCdWtipYvqp96DLDxJ4mmhlvjw90GhsBhv2RcCEGpq-RR190gkusZcR3quhKhyfGv0f8wOPgg/s1600-h/970781-R1-05-21.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6Pt4C5LeFOZmeDryxFVkIaBWHzJeNLtt9_krESXclslsLypqJtaLxk72hquaRLnO57OCdWtipYvqp96DLDxJ4mmhlvjw90GhsBhv2RcCEGpq-RR190gkusZcR3quhKhyfGv0f8wOPgg/s320/970781-R1-05-21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403718183052622194" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I couldn't sleep at our Salt Creek campsite (partly due to the raccoons ravaging our pots and pans all night) so I rose early to find nearly fifty surfers already in the water. They're the tiny black specks arcoss the bay. Maybe you can't see them. These guys are serious.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOChp2_LG8i42_pQFbqYfVjJrVGzZ9Pi8_trtDzXjKDOLrpealFSWaXbpAm0ZcSbVgPicVg_EvpYd7tET7aMrQ6rJ_XcNk700YR5fbuJKDoTV-wniqwp4rWVA8ZBvGtEb8WqhAHqvVZg/s1600-h/970781-R1-03-23.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOChp2_LG8i42_pQFbqYfVjJrVGzZ9Pi8_trtDzXjKDOLrpealFSWaXbpAm0ZcSbVgPicVg_EvpYd7tET7aMrQ6rJ_XcNk700YR5fbuJKDoTV-wniqwp4rWVA8ZBvGtEb8WqhAHqvVZg/s320/970781-R1-03-23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403718178679545826" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Our new friends Andy and Kris let us stay in the beautiful studio above their garage six miles west of Joyce. We all decided we could have lived there forever. We were deep in the woods, the Strait of Juan de Fuca just below our windowsill.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BK-wJhMyBd_SdesiUE0G0ekSNjXPHITCn-kCH3fTDHIbJj_8RXi7lepZTHA1N967gehekQBs9jQ5KG6cSq_XotASvAQG53tefUFPo1Q7c1laZ3312cB3m4L-T2GVOi4wby_Pb_ixrhk/s1600-h/970781-R1-01-25.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BK-wJhMyBd_SdesiUE0G0ekSNjXPHITCn-kCH3fTDHIbJj_8RXi7lepZTHA1N967gehekQBs9jQ5KG6cSq_XotASvAQG53tefUFPo1Q7c1laZ3312cB3m4L-T2GVOi4wby_Pb_ixrhk/s320/970781-R1-01-25.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403718168916340706" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This, I think, is the favorite stretch of riding so far. The rooty, leafy hiking trail around Lake Crescent escaped the trees for a second as the sun busted through the clouds. We spent an hour here, where an arched wooden foot bridge carries the trail around a tiny cove.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGaCAukICJeinLdtYPHjNl_4XGzDappSKwngdtSY8W7pwSEc6Qc7LZrkiTlq5E_v4wBjQYBBBW8j5w-UTqElEXUBiG8GKziODEP8_pX3-QO3STrSAbYJa4ZrtkSsKxpfwMGToaOqz66M/s1600-h/971502-R1-22-2A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGaCAukICJeinLdtYPHjNl_4XGzDappSKwngdtSY8W7pwSEc6Qc7LZrkiTlq5E_v4wBjQYBBBW8j5w-UTqElEXUBiG8GKziODEP8_pX3-QO3STrSAbYJa4ZrtkSsKxpfwMGToaOqz66M/s320/971502-R1-22-2A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403717336464855922" border="0" /></a><br />The snow capped hills above Lake Crescent.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmN00dof18NxxK4RAnR0_VMhyphenhyphenn91pwtpdXohVIL6wu53UmTW6NbhgW9b2deQ0yTSvRQK3OBzzgGv7rKgkIthj3xMQl4ib78orrghFyMQRtPeW9gK0JtOKM6ac0BBQkNebYCj8STFyn0w/s1600-h/971502-R1-20-4A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmN00dof18NxxK4RAnR0_VMhyphenhyphenn91pwtpdXohVIL6wu53UmTW6NbhgW9b2deQ0yTSvRQK3OBzzgGv7rKgkIthj3xMQl4ib78orrghFyMQRtPeW9gK0JtOKM6ac0BBQkNebYCj8STFyn0w/s320/971502-R1-20-4A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403717329352060002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmd6c-luWKojlhZU90KNLltYRzjC8KBSSMihOHJnmYMqtir3dyyyLunr-_xQQnrqDEpt6D3dayyys6mzN0ru3GQOI26EDMMruWwJGTIf_kVRmZh5FODeFHk1jL3A7ob89Yc8oulNW-vGk/s1600-h/971502-R1-19-5A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmd6c-luWKojlhZU90KNLltYRzjC8KBSSMihOHJnmYMqtir3dyyyLunr-_xQQnrqDEpt6D3dayyys6mzN0ru3GQOI26EDMMruWwJGTIf_kVRmZh5FODeFHk1jL3A7ob89Yc8oulNW-vGk/s320/971502-R1-19-5A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403717323600031826" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYKrwcplNlCbzOfh93UOVmbwUg8XWH1eyQdnTyInfcyV999Hfcf1kjATeGNz3dKX_JRs8gUUgQm_KT8LLoaMij39wgrOz4zT3xYRYlpLexNE44yJqhmQkCPYhyphenhyphenEySvsyPyU_3xn-j6ds/s1600-h/971502-R1-17-7A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYKrwcplNlCbzOfh93UOVmbwUg8XWH1eyQdnTyInfcyV999Hfcf1kjATeGNz3dKX_JRs8gUUgQm_KT8LLoaMij39wgrOz4zT3xYRYlpLexNE44yJqhmQkCPYhyphenhyphenEySvsyPyU_3xn-j6ds/s320/971502-R1-17-7A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403717320584263586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOdG-Jq4-N7aXriuqNmmEDea-B2E7ZyE8XuDuIMavTtkZoHxFHfvFGrQIevN56cO0NF5Eypu6Ej-Up80LKWiV0i9s79UWNRdP1p21775cKYSvRSX7gcGDq2OXtiZ3RVUH0oiizbr5Mrk/s1600-h/971502-R1-21-3A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOdG-Jq4-N7aXriuqNmmEDea-B2E7ZyE8XuDuIMavTtkZoHxFHfvFGrQIevN56cO0NF5Eypu6Ej-Up80LKWiV0i9s79UWNRdP1p21775cKYSvRSX7gcGDq2OXtiZ3RVUH0oiizbr5Mrk/s320/971502-R1-21-3A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403717329849669458" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This was the only remainder of the railroad around the north shore of Lake Crescent.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIatkFEUdpcfuVQS7OAa5ITZ4lg0uX8hTVnSmuZCS3qF66OSSw_EJjYkCw2ZAyPRz3RL018sFCdECGyOdqgK5e1wyfrURPU3wRY6peIn9Xek0zFw8VikS7amrxCUojc5YbumYqblkELM/s1600-h/IMG_0007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIatkFEUdpcfuVQS7OAa5ITZ4lg0uX8hTVnSmuZCS3qF66OSSw_EJjYkCw2ZAyPRz3RL018sFCdECGyOdqgK5e1wyfrURPU3wRY6peIn9Xek0zFw8VikS7amrxCUojc5YbumYqblkELM/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403719345821378402" border="0" /></a><br />Behind the Wal-Mart in Aberdeen homeless people fish for salmon in the bottle neck of Grey's Harbor.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55-5eBvJ4xGEpAwvG6XAlE998N05Qvs6s6RhgCE7dGDATgOUeKifAfHUR19dQai1xhgSdWzQ_3bQfyTmXz9EG7qMCiYd60e3DlIlyvFtb-J7T_SZhlGHhzWPAH1g1yE946i3id8EXw98/s1600-h/IMG_0011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55-5eBvJ4xGEpAwvG6XAlE998N05Qvs6s6RhgCE7dGDATgOUeKifAfHUR19dQai1xhgSdWzQ_3bQfyTmXz9EG7qMCiYd60e3DlIlyvFtb-J7T_SZhlGHhzWPAH1g1yE946i3id8EXw98/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403719705097077186" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We spent an entire day with our couch surfing host and new good friend, Stephen. He took the day off work to show us around Aberdeen, feed us, introduce us to his friends, and entertain us for hours with hysterical and often terrifying stories. We love this guy.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvXfTsXF4fDUe846ynInirQal-TqojAhQ6tCY0ajPHDXuOCutpkUF-9qIxUlQS6nkUI49DgCHLTNf2JObaE7EtM6GLHrTcoqChHKV5-gdGNGC6yQRvwSoEqZx5viFKQ__OSL2YcAYqqk/s1600-h/IMG_0010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvXfTsXF4fDUe846ynInirQal-TqojAhQ6tCY0ajPHDXuOCutpkUF-9qIxUlQS6nkUI49DgCHLTNf2JObaE7EtM6GLHrTcoqChHKV5-gdGNGC6yQRvwSoEqZx5viFKQ__OSL2YcAYqqk/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403719350300127170" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3tyAKxQke2STiVentLc2yqRHJL-Ck_1aTdZvbBHm7ys5n0eBtjI3hQE_B2ixhytYpVIsxn0_upZhyphenhyphen3LiJrNDCgP6pWwINfJ2PETLgR6EmrniMOAvnmWFCvpgLnhDPekr_Ma-yoektjs/s1600-h/IMG_0014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3tyAKxQke2STiVentLc2yqRHJL-Ck_1aTdZvbBHm7ys5n0eBtjI3hQE_B2ixhytYpVIsxn0_upZhyphenhyphen3LiJrNDCgP6pWwINfJ2PETLgR6EmrniMOAvnmWFCvpgLnhDPekr_Ma-yoektjs/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403719711252478258" border="0" /></a><br />We spent another day transferring between countless county buses in attempt to catch up with the weather. The drivers tend to hate us because the bike racks only hold two bikes and we have to convince them of our method of tying the third bike between the others. We spent hours in the backs of buses ranting on and on about the nature of universal truth and the instinctual values of everything. Nothing was resolved.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> This morning we left Seaside, where we kept ourselves warm watching the wind and hail from the windows of a fancy resort on the beach. Stephen's Dad and Stepmom invited us to spend a couple nights with them and we jumped at the chance. Yesterday was a very strange day. We spent hours lounging in the pool and hot tub, and taking leisurely rides down the beach. Mike and I even took a free wine tasting class. The whole time Patti was trying to fatten us up, feeding us fantastic portions of delicious food (steak, cookies, bacon and eggs, etc). We can hardly express how grateful we are for their hospitality.<br /><br /><br /></div></div>tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11989703019527385712noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-68220377787982998182009-11-10T20:11:00.000-08:002009-11-10T21:42:34.201-08:00A hearty Hoquiam hello from... Hoquiam.Yesterday (Monday): Started out in Forks with the weather never having looked less friendly. I took this picture at Thriftway, where we stopped to buy our food rations for the day.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_oVdYMWBnW5LzNQ4le36tvRA8PgoFKi0lowRoFcwCmQNzPyC0KkZO43J3SDcTc7U_35EQpQteUGRn4ePLFruSGDbRO-8xUc8SDODEZgux_3fd0L5S8yx96Jb1THheSYWAyLd1KddGp4i/s1600-h/IMG_0005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_oVdYMWBnW5LzNQ4le36tvRA8PgoFKi0lowRoFcwCmQNzPyC0KkZO43J3SDcTc7U_35EQpQteUGRn4ePLFruSGDbRO-8xUc8SDODEZgux_3fd0L5S8yx96Jb1THheSYWAyLd1KddGp4i/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402707851876805506" border="0" /></a>It might be hard to tell in this picture, but it's totally pouring.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But luckily, the sun came out while we were preparing our lunch underneath a Highway 101 overpass.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5s6t665JL1ebMg71jtIctBJ_-aHMBxjXM69_MZI7hINBVCBLSIq61pbaM3u4-qHzIkfP7e3SBZhmr6PrTWcY_iNvXU7Yk-6J3PsaoDytVyihDjI_r0JTkSd-KwKICxiUqYiUypJIqHizn/s1600-h/bythebanklunch.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5s6t665JL1ebMg71jtIctBJ_-aHMBxjXM69_MZI7hINBVCBLSIq61pbaM3u4-qHzIkfP7e3SBZhmr6PrTWcY_iNvXU7Yk-6J3PsaoDytVyihDjI_r0JTkSd-KwKICxiUqYiUypJIqHizn/s320/bythebanklunch.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402707864922950466" border="0" /></a>So we put some of our stuff out to dry.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkpZXXNDiYucHS6ZCTk8keIwvIUf6Zsc-dfXSgYBUVWkEuivJKoM5KB7n5r3kIn-4Ts2udx4vF1bYERE_1NRKidmhSlnTxLPQMHV-E_RobsCfC-cQPbvVHex6v4W4gdPV4d61Yg05Du6I/s1600-h/bythebanktylershirtoff.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkpZXXNDiYucHS6ZCTk8keIwvIUf6Zsc-dfXSgYBUVWkEuivJKoM5KB7n5r3kIn-4Ts2udx4vF1bYERE_1NRKidmhSlnTxLPQMHV-E_RobsCfC-cQPbvVHex6v4W4gdPV4d61Yg05Du6I/s320/bythebanktylershirtoff.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402707880970297010" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7AQX8lkxWotMRWyjvRor3Vq7sb3BrYVpexfkWM3V81z7x_0O9Puf39fqd65h3ZIcRnZ8Fhb5JhIFFgOg-Oaz85DmfuOOTWrRmYtG2XTinTsKmMgnIQrfahAoM9ZGapLEWRoFuBdzuPfx/s1600-h/bythebankmystuff.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7AQX8lkxWotMRWyjvRor3Vq7sb3BrYVpexfkWM3V81z7x_0O9Puf39fqd65h3ZIcRnZ8Fhb5JhIFFgOg-Oaz85DmfuOOTWrRmYtG2XTinTsKmMgnIQrfahAoM9ZGapLEWRoFuBdzuPfx/s320/bythebankmystuff.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402707871877989298" border="0" /></a><br />Some time later, during a short break from pedaling, I leaned my bike against a road sign to take a short walk up the road with the camera. Here's what I found:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNhYjGP7Ivt4jLBZ533TtuB62e_JWMl-xqyK1fgCsIpD8hLsGMIIlwNemlPZ297ODxDVzwbOWUAL1G83sUdJwEKrdBu-x0qIMxTQhxwFwcPnSb-B7YxTg_BjjLkRtmMSL7y8fC__oflWU/s1600-h/bottle17.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNhYjGP7Ivt4jLBZ533TtuB62e_JWMl-xqyK1fgCsIpD8hLsGMIIlwNemlPZ297ODxDVzwbOWUAL1G83sUdJwEKrdBu-x0qIMxTQhxwFwcPnSb-B7YxTg_BjjLkRtmMSL7y8fC__oflWU/s200/bottle17.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402706221437244402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvexptCOocsUjuBdFomX-kxOnUpbDFLNXSnESRwMySRNclcdW8l9OqB-8FkCePIiz8iq1vps0szH6PGiuHX4y8tU1x1cELeAfcJh1Bmt1spU91r336fBTKzj_wOGvNYcMp0UR-R3XmdBI/s1600-h/bottle16.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvexptCOocsUjuBdFomX-kxOnUpbDFLNXSnESRwMySRNclcdW8l9OqB-8FkCePIiz8iq1vps0szH6PGiuHX4y8tU1x1cELeAfcJh1Bmt1spU91r336fBTKzj_wOGvNYcMp0UR-R3XmdBI/s200/bottle16.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402706218882849842" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCTj5Hy27nvqFFbRbMeTAbkh_7kwfTFClU_fxhDZtVO0YR_pbPazjpZWrHPFpSc1RH7YhU0cnCsTXq8rvZ3EXm0uhQ2BC6WKA6yz0eiFmyMpHlBqoj42NWnByJDQxGhc3Q4kYxREJNiyz/s1600-h/bottle15.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCTj5Hy27nvqFFbRbMeTAbkh_7kwfTFClU_fxhDZtVO0YR_pbPazjpZWrHPFpSc1RH7YhU0cnCsTXq8rvZ3EXm0uhQ2BC6WKA6yz0eiFmyMpHlBqoj42NWnByJDQxGhc3Q4kYxREJNiyz/s200/bottle15.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402706211369090338" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4FIoEvWHBlvLBBf9bDLY3cNrsptzyvA14yAzpQIIzCRGIQfRyENusIk5OcZGOccdKW2j7ikuOV0G-c0vss3iD6o5GRVB2bJeglOiL33vTrkr7mbHAfkDdWGbcqbo5ExMo8VwnASkXjTh/s1600-h/bottle14.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4FIoEvWHBlvLBBf9bDLY3cNrsptzyvA14yAzpQIIzCRGIQfRyENusIk5OcZGOccdKW2j7ikuOV0G-c0vss3iD6o5GRVB2bJeglOiL33vTrkr7mbHAfkDdWGbcqbo5ExMo8VwnASkXjTh/s200/bottle14.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402706202099274114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUzV5oEYdlq4prs4LRTt8HzAObclpJIhi3ry8JL9tt2GiTNyTxjb67JgAj0JOoAl6YEcW4i5A9idqe7agUYCn2OtkeBaP8wc_9MRtW9MmKoSmO6yjisSGTeIipHoAguYAJC_Ai_lebrhw/s1600-h/bottle13.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUzV5oEYdlq4prs4LRTt8HzAObclpJIhi3ry8JL9tt2GiTNyTxjb67JgAj0JOoAl6YEcW4i5A9idqe7agUYCn2OtkeBaP8wc_9MRtW9MmKoSmO6yjisSGTeIipHoAguYAJC_Ai_lebrhw/s200/bottle13.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402706197781205234" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mFbhe71s0UxljUd_JHlWTwCl7WOZEZ6k3-OqTdjhW-AS-FBZIJRxqC1zPSWq2jWScLCMn1Dgt-i7mMYQRc2THYx2tlhT5czwHVVNs3EHQLUD_gjnV7A_X_4Z6UynLMRAaDWNCHh3fDNV/s1600-h/bottle11.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mFbhe71s0UxljUd_JHlWTwCl7WOZEZ6k3-OqTdjhW-AS-FBZIJRxqC1zPSWq2jWScLCMn1Dgt-i7mMYQRc2THYx2tlhT5czwHVVNs3EHQLUD_gjnV7A_X_4Z6UynLMRAaDWNCHh3fDNV/s200/bottle11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705749591449170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYTK4EqUU4BsKywSYLZoIyDx_1tDdDS07SG7VjLkaE0krsGpbD3chpr2lyb2wD7QXNUbjhJUwHIIHUBxWb3Snk2XoDAN6Pqd6twssGCy8Cpj6HcjWrIADDDYPFhYMdUEFjXIvGVQ5Aigx/s1600-h/bottle10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYTK4EqUU4BsKywSYLZoIyDx_1tDdDS07SG7VjLkaE0krsGpbD3chpr2lyb2wD7QXNUbjhJUwHIIHUBxWb3Snk2XoDAN6Pqd6twssGCy8Cpj6HcjWrIADDDYPFhYMdUEFjXIvGVQ5Aigx/s200/bottle10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705743808148882" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmN09qkBtBhv7Ye1d0Hl-IT3L2FZyC8jdqkQOwhJ5GF3gtLezDFmPM_uNWE-Ys0TBeR58uuzsfVNbJZg73mdliguTps23EyT9wRgCSH1LvB939KD0m1sTnGElfx0Dfy76sp3rCUD6vlHx/s1600-h/bottle9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmN09qkBtBhv7Ye1d0Hl-IT3L2FZyC8jdqkQOwhJ5GF3gtLezDFmPM_uNWE-Ys0TBeR58uuzsfVNbJZg73mdliguTps23EyT9wRgCSH1LvB939KD0m1sTnGElfx0Dfy76sp3rCUD6vlHx/s200/bottle9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705730770092786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEV-w3hw6Y0pTx96IrkbWkZGUDknRXdSaC8q6yKJApu_y4zYahMbzA3YC_-GbYYBEmBTmOA49jDqGf3OXnvbMbjWFhSbiHfXHJmDbxbT-P1G6bCzxbTNYqk-VeOnpycyw9CTwMSIdeKfBO/s1600-h/bottle8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEV-w3hw6Y0pTx96IrkbWkZGUDknRXdSaC8q6yKJApu_y4zYahMbzA3YC_-GbYYBEmBTmOA49jDqGf3OXnvbMbjWFhSbiHfXHJmDbxbT-P1G6bCzxbTNYqk-VeOnpycyw9CTwMSIdeKfBO/s200/bottle8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705711813694146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0ECzYc-xD0UgIGEaGRfEHHifZDm7xV81gB-MjJWwz8G6SgGqjTLRex4lEoWXxWJ1unYhumDBcc1J-Rx1Q5g-Ssq8xQGJpSIRS2j7erK4p7ScrhFQzmGxBOsbgofLj9Iw9QxjNLnQUq83/s1600-h/bottle7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0ECzYc-xD0UgIGEaGRfEHHifZDm7xV81gB-MjJWwz8G6SgGqjTLRex4lEoWXxWJ1unYhumDBcc1J-Rx1Q5g-Ssq8xQGJpSIRS2j7erK4p7ScrhFQzmGxBOsbgofLj9Iw9QxjNLnQUq83/s200/bottle7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705700634943714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6DgzJzU5sqsfKeZGlRsuWuOwrWTbnSLba9ym7nYaE10ACxeigg47rFDzjFSF4FQuvOleq5ISwAZ86I2ue-qHztQE9Y_yl32rRjKy7ZIJTdez5gKnBVfNpdlsZGUfUtv8KjpdU6srxaBk/s1600-h/bottle5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6DgzJzU5sqsfKeZGlRsuWuOwrWTbnSLba9ym7nYaE10ACxeigg47rFDzjFSF4FQuvOleq5ISwAZ86I2ue-qHztQE9Y_yl32rRjKy7ZIJTdez5gKnBVfNpdlsZGUfUtv8KjpdU6srxaBk/s200/bottle5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705302922155042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA69Yijm65RQvqOhmQjPdF0Fh553IBegGRzJK6xj0Q1N10_edj_SqWb0JAW7IV_dougSa7LhGNvLPrtj5MUezWubxuHGJL_6yOWCCVM2kUccqD3HoZ7G7xmhtUJ4EoiGD0T14hyphenhyphen6qyaA0/s1600-h/bottle4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA69Yijm65RQvqOhmQjPdF0Fh553IBegGRzJK6xj0Q1N10_edj_SqWb0JAW7IV_dougSa7LhGNvLPrtj5MUezWubxuHGJL_6yOWCCVM2kUccqD3HoZ7G7xmhtUJ4EoiGD0T14hyphenhyphen6qyaA0/s200/bottle4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705290848548722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5uvp7XRtLi1vBqdxuvvZVLAeAoC7lPEEx0zKmSvhfLN4gicKOWDqnTxGoggJC0RhSj9lK5xa7MYhzYNxJA2m0I-dG628urBC7OTfTtysRTcNzzvAh3EOfFz-MsOeYikPg8tUpOwU_oxc/s1600-h/bottle3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5uvp7XRtLi1vBqdxuvvZVLAeAoC7lPEEx0zKmSvhfLN4gicKOWDqnTxGoggJC0RhSj9lK5xa7MYhzYNxJA2m0I-dG628urBC7OTfTtysRTcNzzvAh3EOfFz-MsOeYikPg8tUpOwU_oxc/s200/bottle3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705283773692210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgyVeZsGrWeF2ql7DacyYM4e8JxBozoeNR6EoLHYFRddmvXsXIBXY4AkrDofBmxx9BZODem00bGp8GzZhHKDAmdxk7PnWD-fxY97zFY8oQACRgtNGjD39_6bkpc75OlBWfyNz0TKumGlf/s1600-h/bottle2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgyVeZsGrWeF2ql7DacyYM4e8JxBozoeNR6EoLHYFRddmvXsXIBXY4AkrDofBmxx9BZODem00bGp8GzZhHKDAmdxk7PnWD-fxY97zFY8oQACRgtNGjD39_6bkpc75OlBWfyNz0TKumGlf/s200/bottle2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705270553887346" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5xYEpDZmnuXdz_TYAErXw6QLj-DF36zhCHqmHgMUaACuyHDh2oWH_l63xBTsgyA8OTpij2FNU1m2s2PxW5foTpVjAQliUZojbXx8L5kLztlqe1OGUbDXX6hyphenhyphen2BOoj-gVA1-SgbOT1hmj/s1600-h/bottle1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5xYEpDZmnuXdz_TYAErXw6QLj-DF36zhCHqmHgMUaACuyHDh2oWH_l63xBTsgyA8OTpij2FNU1m2s2PxW5foTpVjAQliUZojbXx8L5kLztlqe1OGUbDXX6hyphenhyphen2BOoj-gVA1-SgbOT1hmj/s200/bottle1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402705260460539698" border="0" /></a>Seriously! These were all within one hundred feet of each other, people! Not that we didn't enjoy the ride. In fact, we all decided that the stretch of Highway between Forks and Kalaloch provided the best ride so far on the trip. Maybe it had something to do with our emotional reunion with the Pacific Ocean.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SkcaPQ0NB0ZtUO1UV8Q4pXedwXVbhSznAhrWr9d9fc4HulRiIkUg5TsZ0VKz4xZ91tH8Ny-JgHx77h-U47UtyB_Rx9XZdPnZDDFQjkt9x45Y7AwnxfJHoaJWD9igr_FTbft3bQZMw8Px/s1600-h/theocean.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SkcaPQ0NB0ZtUO1UV8Q4pXedwXVbhSznAhrWr9d9fc4HulRiIkUg5TsZ0VKz4xZ91tH8Ny-JgHx77h-U47UtyB_Rx9XZdPnZDDFQjkt9x45Y7AwnxfJHoaJWD9igr_FTbft3bQZMw8Px/s320/theocean.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402708583913065474" border="0" /></a><br />And I finally worked up the courage to take my hands off the handlebars long enough to snatch these two nuggets.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwX65qIWGmfAzxkG6QEYMKW70-iK998Yume6zQ_POP4-joY5F_rkr6sj3x7MBzMsec5PRuBO8jXUdY3MJQoaA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxjc3TqgZtA28GRDj2Qd2zoXgOkij45hLSvv-AgbyqzotChDiC6OTlwNVnFZCjfGqv5J03BkS_KJ41aTD7lAQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />And best of all, when we arrived at the campground, we actually had sunlight left! Yessssssss.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirq512dXlJRhv6WlqvEDph_MvRz-ZZ4cRDoNFGcwSMSIyVWOkssHyyzOg4Trgzti_dLeAQxVQYCNtjeAkcKlIMHnbg0MHy8uVl1qa7ftZEqjBMoW9dbNSO7vNdhFK1G3StdzM0vyo5EEPS/s1600-h/campsitebefore.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirq512dXlJRhv6WlqvEDph_MvRz-ZZ4cRDoNFGcwSMSIyVWOkssHyyzOg4Trgzti_dLeAQxVQYCNtjeAkcKlIMHnbg0MHy8uVl1qa7ftZEqjBMoW9dbNSO7vNdhFK1G3StdzM0vyo5EEPS/s320/campsitebefore.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402708590184461378" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKBPyfjcYDpvmf40jMzjwjjNKcuoCPAQvhlB1RAzZolUnOjtUfxCT25cM4U4OW5Pdc23bPCU6FLRxMR0oSh41tt4se8koxQSd-kpFT9dE1czphCVM9FmmFvCNvVlFMOkGR6nXKquGFfNk/s1600-h/campsiteafter.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKBPyfjcYDpvmf40jMzjwjjNKcuoCPAQvhlB1RAzZolUnOjtUfxCT25cM4U4OW5Pdc23bPCU6FLRxMR0oSh41tt4se8koxQSd-kpFT9dE1czphCVM9FmmFvCNvVlFMOkGR6nXKquGFfNk/s320/campsiteafter.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402708598752116562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Today? You don't want to hear too much about today. Let me just say a couple of things:<br /><ul><li> it's still raining, a lot</li><li>we're in Hoquiam, which is pretty (suspiciously?) far south from Kalaloch, where we started out</li><li>and, this:<br /></li></ul></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gjPUnU5qhJ9M6gF8aoPOm6BYEpzxV0qw9ePnOEmMzjrXpCyRvKHksuo6ETuNSNjMQ_VIUT-rpT8cqEKCTCaRowsjXQlfmi1YHWqlVx47aOg-sfbA-Tykw0xlSgWfiN5DfGjMB7OoL1VZ/s1600-h/thebus.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gjPUnU5qhJ9M6gF8aoPOm6BYEpzxV0qw9ePnOEmMzjrXpCyRvKHksuo6ETuNSNjMQ_VIUT-rpT8cqEKCTCaRowsjXQlfmi1YHWqlVx47aOg-sfbA-Tykw0xlSgWfiN5DfGjMB7OoL1VZ/s320/thebus.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402716119762246834" border="0" /></a>(Yep, a bus.)<br /><br /></div>Bottomline: the weather's terrible, but we're still having an awesome time!Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-2171317038822086692009-11-08T20:37:00.000-08:002009-11-08T22:08:45.784-08:00Joyce to Forks by way of Lake Crescent!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2WggdcsYDqvGRiCi-jRt8gBPCggT2p3KxeS97lCnX9t2WcxFqzrvTBmDXNRol181MIUTUjnfD6kHBAndnfYOrjlHxFgfvr06MV8mTo-x9YkEARusHWl-2Dyj4q90zQM9h7187xnW8xbT/s1600-h/IMG_0012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2WggdcsYDqvGRiCi-jRt8gBPCggT2p3KxeS97lCnX9t2WcxFqzrvTBmDXNRol181MIUTUjnfD6kHBAndnfYOrjlHxFgfvr06MV8mTo-x9YkEARusHWl-2Dyj4q90zQM9h7187xnW8xbT/s320/IMG_0012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401961468948632514" border="0" /></a><br />We left Kris and Andy's this morning with our bellies full of oatmeal, our saddlebags full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and a long road ahead of us. We rode back through Joyce, then headed south to get back onto Highway 101 and ride around the south shore of beautiful Lake Crescent. However, a gut feeling led us to take the more treacherous route around the north side, on the Spruce Railroad Trail.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dv_z9t-1EtKFIG6KBS-AddYZdAt1eO8AjLHCr7T3l4nFkzvpVBpkYj3VrovhVChAwuZWmSrjKV8I0RdgTrKDoCm_rdsw_MGF77pDTl8XnYFyk4fxxGtLGqq1kvRMDIaBYFYcsqTV3rbj/s1600-h/IMG_0016.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dv_z9t-1EtKFIG6KBS-AddYZdAt1eO8AjLHCr7T3l4nFkzvpVBpkYj3VrovhVChAwuZWmSrjKV8I0RdgTrKDoCm_rdsw_MGF77pDTl8XnYFyk4fxxGtLGqq1kvRMDIaBYFYcsqTV3rbj/s320/IMG_0016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401961473586629330" border="0" /></a>Aside from testing the performance limits of our fully loaded touring bikes, the rocky, forested lakeside trail did offer us some rewards.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NPZBUvUR7X8fRUA_Y9ikx74eyYqWW4dHzAErpy3K_E3yzd4yrgQ92EoayrhGXl25HdOhHsZRhZzUdm8N1SEqYCaQSPSzpeezvkQspaPLW-hJknEB_Xxg4ndsKGt918exnQwdiLh9ip1D/s1600-h/IMG_0020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NPZBUvUR7X8fRUA_Y9ikx74eyYqWW4dHzAErpy3K_E3yzd4yrgQ92EoayrhGXl25HdOhHsZRhZzUdm8N1SEqYCaQSPSzpeezvkQspaPLW-hJknEB_Xxg4ndsKGt918exnQwdiLh9ip1D/s320/IMG_0020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401961479954197682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hK4WcpicSYa1dRROTDkN0fumk2aAPvfhRQh32YmopsoPepyZ4UxAbf2bKiDT2Dl7RtK83-bE7_x2pNwvlj_BU-iwqmEhkjsohMSwksxnYVG8C1B1hLRRBk-YtkhNu3qXrqfU8Xq-AeWJ/s1600-h/IMG_0022.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hK4WcpicSYa1dRROTDkN0fumk2aAPvfhRQh32YmopsoPepyZ4UxAbf2bKiDT2Dl7RtK83-bE7_x2pNwvlj_BU-iwqmEhkjsohMSwksxnYVG8C1B1hLRRBk-YtkhNu3qXrqfU8Xq-AeWJ/s320/IMG_0022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401961490815911010" border="0" /></a><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx-JGdjrSfjAQjHoNImBs6xKTtE5lzfsCAs2MHjCKEwiWqVaZIW72ee2TaaPrU8cUIYWkAqEE4XkR1gQ-ExhQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div>It also had its setbacks.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetx-eJiClCHIi7Sta1u9PpaytRCc9T423ZPZjipk5neI1BFRJXdRVa9WC_toCxgIZ6nla82gtFQn9I5LoihYhMmYYklmKTzyIGyNElxdLKK-I3OthDkXVYjYD1gMQ2H-YBrr9GRAkyaz-/s1600-h/IMG_0026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetx-eJiClCHIi7Sta1u9PpaytRCc9T423ZPZjipk5neI1BFRJXdRVa9WC_toCxgIZ6nla82gtFQn9I5LoihYhMmYYklmKTzyIGyNElxdLKK-I3OthDkXVYjYD1gMQ2H-YBrr9GRAkyaz-/s320/IMG_0026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401961492916242930" border="0" /></a>But we got over them.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCgi9LxYVAbu1ObzDPRy5mL2TV8J_LScyWGXNcqD9I9C7AnzpfQYwT8lHYYjrnB9TbSm2UrrglPH3dXBy1C1gYMtBf32UfAEqcuXi4B_N3v4ihYzfRl11QTBFloMZ8pVps2hXUlHv4V9c/s1600-h/IMG_0027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCgi9LxYVAbu1ObzDPRy5mL2TV8J_LScyWGXNcqD9I9C7AnzpfQYwT8lHYYjrnB9TbSm2UrrglPH3dXBy1C1gYMtBf32UfAEqcuXi4B_N3v4ihYzfRl11QTBFloMZ8pVps2hXUlHv4V9c/s320/IMG_0027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401965642724119202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6BCqkmHtcJqpIFT9331kOAyD4DeKjHivVZNieMhZHN5RNfzAm0NIF6dRPnE4oTN1rAe1JsXJflhyOIggyPBS6SWBX68YmPtK4fpXQ19iq2qd2350uZf9ndoPL-yDGdyw2cyfF93W5exT/s1600-h/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6BCqkmHtcJqpIFT9331kOAyD4DeKjHivVZNieMhZHN5RNfzAm0NIF6dRPnE4oTN1rAe1JsXJflhyOIggyPBS6SWBX68YmPtK4fpXQ19iq2qd2350uZf9ndoPL-yDGdyw2cyfF93W5exT/s320/IMG_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401965639542383730" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAgm8DfwIXlRFALBSOuhLR6yMZP5PF9feh7ncmUIsD9NDHidhh9cyZvIP_azwvZJu3goknUNGsJdzW0jkal85XLmElXQ8t-jOoA5bzd9bJszHzK7K_MSTWcXQdHq0swRHgYb5Lb9J1xFg/s1600-h/IMG_0029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAgm8DfwIXlRFALBSOuhLR6yMZP5PF9feh7ncmUIsD9NDHidhh9cyZvIP_azwvZJu3goknUNGsJdzW0jkal85XLmElXQ8t-jOoA5bzd9bJszHzK7K_MSTWcXQdHq0swRHgYb5Lb9J1xFg/s320/IMG_0029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401965629303361122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDygHR46OHE3Rv00zCs7po86vETTjciCe4AKRd2ALnyqZbAzvJCAig0Zn7ox75VZxU20QDtI-IutC8wranSe7JJZf6a-hlE-G7YG4Jq2pmbDJ5C5hfxI62pzAMvQLriZ4DvIKbcAfq_lT/s1600-h/IMG_0030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDygHR46OHE3Rv00zCs7po86vETTjciCe4AKRd2ALnyqZbAzvJCAig0Zn7ox75VZxU20QDtI-IutC8wranSe7JJZf6a-hlE-G7YG4Jq2pmbDJ5C5hfxI62pzAMvQLriZ4DvIKbcAfq_lT/s320/IMG_0030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401965623012517490" border="0" /></a>(Get it?)<br /><br />Twenty-six more miles, and we find our famished selves in Forks, Washington. Cheeseburger? Yes please. But a hotel room? Sure, why not. And it's another early bedtime for us clowns!Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-68069999454661995412009-11-07T20:26:00.000-08:002009-11-08T20:28:36.636-08:00More From Your Favorite PeninsulaHappy 21st birthday, Mikey!<br /><br />That's right everyone, THE Mike Ferrario turned twenty-one last Thursday, and he is just as polite, handsome, and talented as ever. The world loves you, Michael, and your friends are proud to know you so.<br /><br />I get the feeling this may not be the last time we say this, but a lot has happened since our last post.<br /><br />And I mean a lot.<br /><br />Remember that coffee shop you read about two posts ago? That was where we ran into this guy:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfiUWvI8-WkbugofOWuPOcNGeUSD5vCaZOxwd9kC_kEnjLvwPGnsfXa9c0NuYenszX4vVB77_p-YDilrbuGKG3VslOjIbvSjKdMRAzrgaE3fGH_z0b3rmky5UVyGPuforOsukGqmX4QUG/s1600-h/us+curt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfiUWvI8-WkbugofOWuPOcNGeUSD5vCaZOxwd9kC_kEnjLvwPGnsfXa9c0NuYenszX4vVB77_p-YDilrbuGKG3VslOjIbvSjKdMRAzrgaE3fGH_z0b3rmky5UVyGPuforOsukGqmX4QUG/s320/us+curt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401941330508922018" border="0" /></a><br />Meet Curt.<br /></div><br />Curt first approached us inside Hurricane Coffee in Sequim to ask where we were planning to stay that rainy Thursday night. We told him we were headed out to the Dungeness Spit to camp near the beach, but it was immediately obvious he had a better idea. A few hours later we were settling down for the night, here:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx_s284nJJo8t0amFgw5o1a_x9nWZrcGd7QXQxqQj1z2t9qhABeAtCd-YkRJlCXNiHH_jLSWLaWRp1vABNo2-lIMUTvzR1ntUJt5IChIzxTq1iqdQ77VM4i83oojnARtirCaL7UiCW9Iw/s1600-h/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx_s284nJJo8t0amFgw5o1a_x9nWZrcGd7QXQxqQj1z2t9qhABeAtCd-YkRJlCXNiHH_jLSWLaWRp1vABNo2-lIMUTvzR1ntUJt5IChIzxTq1iqdQ77VM4i83oojnARtirCaL7UiCW9Iw/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401942084772199890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Let me take this time to write to both of you directly, Curt and Mary Beth. Thank you so much for everything you so graciously shared with us. Seriously, everybody, you should meet these people. And not only did they give us heat, shelter, bedding, and hot showers, but they took us out to breakfast in the morning! The boundaries of human goodness indeed seem to have expanded their limitless capacity once again. Thank you Curt and Mary Beth, from the very bottom of our hearts. Experiencing your hospitality was like living in a dream, but the omelet and pancakes from Tarcissio's made it almost too much to handle.<br /><br />From Sequim we travelled farther down Highway 101, until we got onto Highway 112, which we followed to Joyce, Washington. We stopped at the Joyce General Store to buy some Chef Boyardee Ravioli for later, and did some laundry in the self-service laundramat across the road. After three loads, it was dark and we were pretty tired. Dave, the local painting contractor we met just outside the 'mat, told us the route to Salt Creek State Park, adding that it was "a great place to just haul ass!"<br /><br />So we hauled ass for a couple of miles on a dark windy road, and halfway up the hill that leads to the park entrance, my chain broke, again. So in the morning I removed a couple more links (bringing the total to six removed links), and we labored our way back up to the General Store for some breakfast.<br /><br />I should also mention that Salt Creek has a racoon problem.<br /><br />Another quick inspection of my worn-out (and now too-short) chain warned us not to proceed to Forks, which was our original plan, so I got out my Sharpie and spiral notebook and began making a sign that said "P.A.?" to show to passing cars in hopes of hitching a ride to the nearest bike shop.<br /><br />Fortunately, a solution turned up before I was even done coloring in the question mark.<br /><br />Dave the painter guy showed up, frantically searching for one of six $400 pure-bred puppies. We hadn't seen any puppies, but he still offered to bring us a spare bike chain he had at his house down the street. Before he was back, a serious cyclist showed up and strode into the store. I admired his mountain bike while we waited for Dave to return with a chain, and the cyclist guy, Andy, came back outside to see what was the matter with my bike. When Dave showed up with a new chain, Andy quickly told me it was the wrong size, but that he had a brand new one that <span style="font-style: italic;">was</span> my size at his house, six miles west of where we were. Mike and Tyler followed him out there on their bikes, and Andy's wife Kris picked me and The Clever Girl up in their truck about fifteen minutes later.<br /><br />To make a long story a little less long, they offered for us to stay in the apartment above their garage for the night and fed us squash, potatoes, broccoli, turkey and milk for dinner. Also, Andy put a brand new chain on my bike for a cost that was less than half the material value. What a guy! Seriously!<br /><br />And so, Andy and Kris - thank you for sharing your food, your expertise and advice, your weekend, your living space, and your internet connection with us three hooligans. You've reminded us again what a good world we live in, and we cannot - can<span style="font-style: italic;">not</span>! - wait for that crockpot oatmeal in the morning.<br /><br />It is now past 8:00, which now, incidentally, is just about our regular bedtime. I'll leave you with a couple more pictures.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiZswIP0K06uZdc2HUlG4YlC4jwyNYR6X5PbToJsARx-aJbaS5sV-z1wpNZnI0ELv2icR6BKM1TTAd49FrZ7Gh0f-Lrme-PaE4bpTwqVQ9IKt53rjed0l1_dXuSTYm9KD5pq_0UIWBaM2/s1600-h/IMG_0007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiZswIP0K06uZdc2HUlG4YlC4jwyNYR6X5PbToJsARx-aJbaS5sV-z1wpNZnI0ELv2icR6BKM1TTAd49FrZ7Gh0f-Lrme-PaE4bpTwqVQ9IKt53rjed0l1_dXuSTYm9KD5pq_0UIWBaM2/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401944956569687042" border="0" /></a>Kris and Andy's house<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilNJ2i5LCgfX6UxYsSmspTZzk_qdSUHO0V6fSwJVNnLlU0UzhJibB9PKe8OvjhE4uPiy4vDTAGpnjmJYWeuZces0ZLMvxCVOpnTq2xKJ-HoRzXqdpFhpOd9T4dt31_W9VaVZT-gSvNVg/s1600-h/IMG_0009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilNJ2i5LCgfX6UxYsSmspTZzk_qdSUHO0V6fSwJVNnLlU0UzhJibB9PKe8OvjhE4uPiy4vDTAGpnjmJYWeuZces0ZLMvxCVOpnTq2xKJ-HoRzXqdpFhpOd9T4dt31_W9VaVZT-gSvNVg/s320/IMG_0009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401955423414061554" border="0" /></a>Tyler, Kris, Andy, Mikey, and Stephen (me)<br /></div>Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-71741952367663247932009-11-05T15:05:00.000-08:002009-11-05T15:21:32.850-08:00We love you Kevin, Katie, Moms and othersKevin kindly took these pictures just before our Tuesday morning departure. We miss you, everyone!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjQ24qWuSv-DEowkxb0PgQa7sTfbw3VmNdFtFUXCAqGuT3XPwlNMZDFU_GNGqjR4l0wNdpQ0yeH_yYwSnPO3PwnTODKIC6ZEHe99SxoCd7h2yBRo18cKbytKlqvcQBlhHMS89zbfKC5Cj/s1600-h/14432_168188584838_500449838_2653912_3466172_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjQ24qWuSv-DEowkxb0PgQa7sTfbw3VmNdFtFUXCAqGuT3XPwlNMZDFU_GNGqjR4l0wNdpQ0yeH_yYwSnPO3PwnTODKIC6ZEHe99SxoCd7h2yBRo18cKbytKlqvcQBlhHMS89zbfKC5Cj/s320/14432_168188584838_500449838_2653912_3466172_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400761215899775298" border="0" /></a>Gettaloada THIS guy.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXM9Xjnq7mK3YJiVsMgpKku44zPJwODvWh1VoGhh286g0zfSBsATMKG-kSxPLXWEmmzE3puVcH1nWfV6sh7q5gsT3E146sCePmloOPWd8ZEZAyIPwtAVerVvbqFq7P0_s_4v-TpBHIJ0g/s1600-h/14432_168188579838_500449838_2653911_1148010_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXM9Xjnq7mK3YJiVsMgpKku44zPJwODvWh1VoGhh286g0zfSBsATMKG-kSxPLXWEmmzE3puVcH1nWfV6sh7q5gsT3E146sCePmloOPWd8ZEZAyIPwtAVerVvbqFq7P0_s_4v-TpBHIJ0g/s320/14432_168188579838_500449838_2653911_1148010_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400761211398738562" border="0" /></a>Nanners = potassium = less cramps<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKmINLNLYrCWzVGPIqK5fkqnwx-BOL9SDPrbJd2irGdc5bAxkd6lc1EEF2LOnNTBDeVbNbq7kJxgHnuZqnUc7Is4XjUSeXhtgv0Efr_X2i5w7MnhLSTB2frjbZrkNjpYZAuR_M0D5ZYIV/s1600-h/14432_168188594838_500449838_2653914_857494_n.jpg">\</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfqARn9KoztEsKELhhtxqcvGZgqrxtbRaxmsknshaSU0bRhCd-cVLXraCOwsKqum1F8ahiT6hEXCwlSRo6LkJg44w993Za79MFTTi78nZffSJi7ORGgbFnNk7eOkuN1GsYSNQh5Y2OPTr/s1600-h/14432_168188629838_500449838_2653920_5451212_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfqARn9KoztEsKELhhtxqcvGZgqrxtbRaxmsknshaSU0bRhCd-cVLXraCOwsKqum1F8ahiT6hEXCwlSRo6LkJg44w993Za79MFTTi78nZffSJi7ORGgbFnNk7eOkuN1GsYSNQh5Y2OPTr/s320/14432_168188629838_500449838_2653920_5451212_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400761225978635138" border="0" /></a>We love you, Katie!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFvy-vOx4ehJMmX8BzP8Qi0hCub6Pd_DmvxYjw0VhMSX02MLxb3f1BH9o8bGiqwyFuvwZAhSoI4UQiZznoXoh-12WzluMq2AZO83ZEcgGXAXjZbO6Q-WlRlC0hDWnU68Ihyphenhyphenb8kHhF4fBd/s1600-h/14432_168188624838_500449838_2653919_3229990_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFvy-vOx4ehJMmX8BzP8Qi0hCub6Pd_DmvxYjw0VhMSX02MLxb3f1BH9o8bGiqwyFuvwZAhSoI4UQiZznoXoh-12WzluMq2AZO83ZEcgGXAXjZbO6Q-WlRlC0hDWnU68Ihyphenhyphenb8kHhF4fBd/s320/14432_168188624838_500449838_2653919_3229990_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400761787583841202" border="0" /></a>And you, Kevin!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn2eevonJDM8wTg3liRFzmdcCMJGvk9Xs4ZpAhFpzDghnkxBiFXapGaJh4XHML4Sfac9I-hXSkRAaYGcr62tDjYL9Tpr9KZZitpY1d16oL8bQA7PYs_RRi2ttf-RhUans_6ugWoRaTJjE/s1600-h/14432_168188614838_500449838_2653917_1152481_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn2eevonJDM8wTg3liRFzmdcCMJGvk9Xs4ZpAhFpzDghnkxBiFXapGaJh4XHML4Sfac9I-hXSkRAaYGcr62tDjYL9Tpr9KZZitpY1d16oL8bQA7PYs_RRi2ttf-RhUans_6ugWoRaTJjE/s320/14432_168188614838_500449838_2653917_1152481_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400761223047798322" border="0" /></a>Us (Tyler, Stephen, Mike)<br /></div><br />More to come soon. Thanks for loving us back.Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-50530648069817007722009-11-05T12:49:00.000-08:002009-11-05T14:04:57.617-08:00Trading PlacesAs the rain pours down on a busy Thursday afternoon in Sequim, WA, we find ourselves shacked up in a somewhat empty coffee shop, wondering what the heck we have done with our lives. The locals tell us that there's a storm coming in, and we better take cover because it's gonna be a doozy. We look back at the road behind us, eighty grueling miles and a ferry ride between us and our moms' hot casserole. We look at the road ahead, 5,166 grueling miles and several multi-day ferry rides without our moms' hot casserole; it's going to be a long, long ride. But our vows stay the same, we will keep pedaling until we run out of wonder. We wonder what it will be like to complete our first thousand miles; we wonder what the trees look like in Honduras; we wonder how much the food will cost in Mexico; we wonder how tall the people are in Columbia; we wonder what the road has in store for us to learn; we wonder what God has layed meticulously in front of us for us to conquer; we wonder how big lake Titicaca really is; we wonder how small we really are; we wonder what the Earth looks like from less than 20 miles per hour; and we wonder how much we have missed in our fast-paced American lives.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4K-M9-z4K3N9XPQMkUctJhaAu_R2rLIT85j5msrznZQSomzDzdqOp43e0MFNaNBaKpwNXnlf7QsvxRoFeA2kBONdlmsn7IwchVIQK-dMBuq6pc3Ra88yHOWhMf4qUpl_olCaeLt31lXk/s1600-h/nov4th_PT.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4K-M9-z4K3N9XPQMkUctJhaAu_R2rLIT85j5msrznZQSomzDzdqOp43e0MFNaNBaKpwNXnlf7QsvxRoFeA2kBONdlmsn7IwchVIQK-dMBuq6pc3Ra88yHOWhMf4qUpl_olCaeLt31lXk/s320/nov4th_PT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400740131510280930" border="0" /></a>Tyler's bike in downtown Port Townsend Wednesday morning, parking before going into the outdoor store to buy some stove fuel, a dry sack and a spork for Mikey, and long johns for Stephen.<br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmy6cGrOOFxqSV58LAZXQYEnMm0fpdV7VpGp28gIoF6HPYUT8vJfcpEcCT2jLugxv3DDDWN8hCBJwNyO_sInCj0qUrNw8Aesj3tqVwCg4I-A3ZABEgSMc44SRbD0f5IDlNEXxwKo2xx4/s1600-h/nov4th_cliff.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmy6cGrOOFxqSV58LAZXQYEnMm0fpdV7VpGp28gIoF6HPYUT8vJfcpEcCT2jLugxv3DDDWN8hCBJwNyO_sInCj0qUrNw8Aesj3tqVwCg4I-A3ZABEgSMc44SRbD0f5IDlNEXxwKo2xx4/s320/nov4th_cliff.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400740137915749058" border="0" /></a>Tyler and Mike hold a short conference to discuss how to fix a faulty chain link on Stephen's bike, The Clever Girl.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrfepqUfAuIUDTdNHxRNgMZ-4ePC17U64F9aUS9U_sWLgit_LRbojtiOqrziXlc7FzjDXr3thf2F16kfQEYewYIlIvOZX2zAzo3gWlcnPxMdKHE9VRvmOppZLJSMeS3W1e1VfB8Ugsdc/s1600-h/nov4th_workin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrfepqUfAuIUDTdNHxRNgMZ-4ePC17U64F9aUS9U_sWLgit_LRbojtiOqrziXlc7FzjDXr3thf2F16kfQEYewYIlIvOZX2zAzo3gWlcnPxMdKHE9VRvmOppZLJSMeS3W1e1VfB8Ugsdc/s320/nov4th_workin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400741386714704786" border="0" /></a>Tyler counsels Mike on how to properly load film onto his new camera before finishing the many-sloped journey to Sequim Bay State Park. NOTE: since Mike and Tyler are primarily shooting with film, their pictures will become available on a more delayed basis than these digitals.<br /><br />It has only been three days since we left, but I feel as if I've already learned a couple of the types of lessons I was longing for when I envisioned this trip. I've learned about the speed of the people of the world, and the incredible juxtaposition of the speed of the Earth. Riding slowly up a seemingly endless mountain road puts a new idea in one's head about the stillness of the nature around us. I can hear the silence as my legs pedal vigorously and my lungs burn from the cold air. It helps me to forget. To forget how absulutely exhausted I really am, how uncomfortably cold it really is, and how much more incredibly difficult it's really going to get! My mind stays blank as my legs robotically keep moving and lethargy seeps slowly in through each and every one of my joints. I know we will get into better shape. I know that we will get better at packing up our stuff. I know we will get better at budgeting our funds. I know that every single day is going to be a lifechanging and and difficult challenge, resulting in new knowledge and wisdom at every single stop. This is going to be SO worth it.mikey jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02753020746631667277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-25320842710585391552009-11-02T00:55:00.000-08:002009-11-02T02:12:05.391-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrbRIP8O01V_cOCIdBkDlToUA7WjwV7-7OprXK4mKhdAICmdv9x-qw0Mtj0onTB4bA9oG7xcHM0VssovJFQrLmQBPJXeVTGQ9nVNSyuMGnH51U5inXTbqaomBtEtTJxHzmJShFmHY-1-M/s1600-h/DSCN5744.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrbRIP8O01V_cOCIdBkDlToUA7WjwV7-7OprXK4mKhdAICmdv9x-qw0Mtj0onTB4bA9oG7xcHM0VssovJFQrLmQBPJXeVTGQ9nVNSyuMGnH51U5inXTbqaomBtEtTJxHzmJShFmHY-1-M/s320/DSCN5744.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399442412550355778" border="0" /></a><br />Another day of driving, packing, unpacking, and organizing, with a made-for-TV double feature, and little bit of Zelda on the N64 towards the end. Unfortunate development of the day (UDD): a decision to postpone our departure one (1) business day, due to... you know. This and that. Encouraging recent occurence (ERO): We're all moved out of our tiny, previously-full-of-stuff house! And, we're really, <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> close to leaving. We can smell it. AND, a new knife, who I shall call Donatello - a gift from my dear brother James. You can see him here in the green, laying down in front of the tent and pile of clothes (Donatello of course, not James). He is toothed and dangerous, a real tiger of a blade who will strap to your belt or, in times of toughness, an appendage.<br /><br />Bottomlines/lessons:<br /><ul><li>new departure time - sometime on Tuesday.</li><li>the less stuff you have, the easier it is to move<br /></li><li>Donatello does not forgive!<br /></li></ul>Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405994683797102449.post-46303307136963938442009-10-27T22:31:00.000-07:002009-10-27T23:47:45.776-07:00Jerry Seinfeld, Unnecessary Hyperlinks, and Other Pressing Global Issues<span style="font-family: georgia;">When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to pedal the 5,246 miles from Fidalgo Island, Washington to Machu Picchu, Peru, one invariably begs the simplest and most common question of all: Why?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">We definitely do not know. Of course we </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">sort of</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> know, but we don't </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">know </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">know. However, for some of you who are dying to hear some kind of answer, cogent or not, I have taken the liberty to construct a reasoning tool to help you (and perhaps ourselves) learn a little bit about our aims. It is not a story, or a manifesto. It's just a couple of lists.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">REASONS TO BIKE TO PERU:</span><br /><ol style="font-family: georgia;"><li>To make better friends with the sun.<br /></li><li>Bikes are more satisfyingly labor-intensive than motorcycles.</li><li>Bikes are safer than motorcycles.</li><li>Let's face it: we can't afford motorcycles.<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/aprender">Aprender español.</a></li><li>It will be the biggest and most bad-ass thing we've ever done, ever.</li></ol><span style="font-family: georgia;">REASONS WHY, IF WE WEREN'T SO SET ON THIS, WE MIGHT WANT TO STAY HOME:</span><br /><ol style="font-family: georgia;"><li>Everyone we like or love, we will miss you.</li><li>The number 5,246 is really, really large.</li><li>School.</li><li>Just kidding.</li><li>We have seven seasons of Seinfeld left to watch from Tyler's box set.<br /></li></ol>As you can no doubt see for yourselves, this categorically proves the logic behind our reasoning, using proven mathematical techniques. The first list has six items, while the second weighs in with only five.<br /><br />By the way, we leave November 2nd, SHARP. K bye.Stephen Steenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00189875125328004973noreply@blogger.com4