Back in California

The Atlantic.
Click here to see the rest of the tour photos.

Well it has been a while since my last post. Since swimming in the Atlantic I have ventured back to the great West via train. Riding the train was a good experience, one I would recommend trying. My only advice would be to not to do the entire trip in one leg, but break it up by getting off and exploring. It was strange to cover the same ground by train in four days that it took three months to do by bicycle. Especially considering that by modern standards four days is a long time. I enjoyed being able to sit back and watch the landscape go by me, almost in a weird reverse flashback. Riding through the plains, which felt like eternity, quickly blew by and before I knew it I was peering out into the Colorado Rockies and the incredibly vibrant red rock mountains in Utah. On the last day I woke up just outside Reno, and was drinking coffee as the train pulled itself up through the Sierras when I was overcome with the feeling that I was back home. Prior to this moment I hadn't felt a sense of place, that I belonged somewhere or was even more comfortable in one place than another. But something about the thick pine forests and exposed granite faces put a smile on my face and made me very glad to be back in the West.

Five months after departing on what would be a deeply rewarding and challenging trip, I am still living a similar lifestyle, only now I'm sleeping on friend's floors, and riding my bike in familiar places. Being back has been great. Not that I don't appreciate spending time with friends and family on a regular basis, but having returned from a summer on the road I feel like I have accomplished something. More so than having graduated college even. It's been great sharing stories and catching up with people. I've been making use of my time back in Humboldt by doing things that working and going to school normally would have prevented me from doing. One being riding Forest Service Route One, an incredible bike ride along California's longest continuous ridge. Also this weekend we did my favorite bike tour, The Forks Of Salmon. Unfortunately the weather turned for the worst and we decided to turn back around after waking up to 5 inches of snow. Nonetheless, any amount of time in such a beautiful place is worthwhile, and seeing it dusted in snow was an altogether different experience.

Renata, my photo prof. from the SRJC with Jakob and Sam. All of us former students.

My great friends from Santa Rosa (Ben, Chris, Matt, Melissa, Lucy and Abbey)

Jen, Sonja, and Jakob at Russian River Brewery

Ted and Tessa at 3rd St. Brewery

Chris and JB and I catching sunset at Mad River Beach

JB riding Tish Tang

Me riding Tish Tang

Route One

The view as you drop down to Mad River on Route One

I'm trying to make the most of my time in the Pacific Northwest, since I will be moving mid November to Flagstaff, AZ to live with my girlfriend Lisa (who you may recognize from some of the bike tour photos). Lisa started a Grad program at NAU in August in sustainable communities, specifically looking at local food politics and making community food systems more socially equitable. Coincidentally what I had focused my studies on towards the end of my stint at HSU. It feels like a spontaneous decision, but at the same time it feels like the best decision. Before leaving on the tour I told myself that I would live somewhere outside California when I returned, exactly where I wasn't sure. Having never been to Flagstaff, or the Southwest for that matter leaves a lot to the imagination, but I am very excited for a change of pace and place. From what I hear it is a great spot, similar to Arcata and apparently a mountain biking hotspot which makes me very excited.

One of the many gnarly bends on the Salmon River Tour

Steelhead salmon spawning

So, on to the next chapter of my life, Post college. Being gone this summer taught me a lot, mostly made me appreciate the amazing people I have in my life, both family and friends. Being back in their company is almost overwhelming at times as I consider how lucky I am to know so many rad people. Having stepped outside of the "normal life" this summer I was able to see how little time most of us have to spend with the ones we love, which is a shame. Being back and having an open schedule has allowed me to maximize my time with friends and I am thankful for that, especially considering I will be moving very soon. I also gained a newfound appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us. While I was able to ride my bike through some breathtaking landscapes, I learned that living here in the Pacific Northwest, we are all very spoiled by the vast amount of beautiful places to explore. And while I won't try and convince anyone to quit their job, move out of their house and jump on a bike and ride across the country, I will be a strong advocate of appreciating what we have. What I'm talking about can't be measured in physical space, not material possessions or wealth, but rather exists within the relationships we have with the people we love and admire. As well as the relationship we have to the natural world, as vague and distant it quickly becomes when our lives become focused on making a living and raising families. Don't forget the therapeutic value that can come from a walk in the woods. These possessions, for me are what counts and are what make me happy to be on this crazy floating piece of rock. They are strong, and can survive through rough economic times, stress, and hardship so long as we appreciate them and continue to build on them.

 Without sounding too heady or mushy (hopefully) I will end this blog with a thank you to all of you who read it. It means a lot to hear that people actually do, and I enjoy the comments you leave. And although I'm not doing totally rad things like riding my bike across the country anymore, I will continue to use it as a venue to keep people updated on my life. So thank you for reading and I hope this finds you well.