//location:
Bodega Dunes
Bodega Bay, Calif.
//time: 9:15 pm
//mi. 950
//from where I write:
Penultimate night!
And for the rest of the ride I will smell like I just stepped out of a campfire. finally able to do laundry (free showers yay!). Dried all my clothes by waving them over the campfire.
Today was a shirt lil guy: 30 mi. Sonoma County's killin' me though. Still the ever unrythymic rolling hills. And my bike's been acting funny when I switch gears. Like, I'm used to it sticking + clanking up sometimes but now it's just like every skgle hill. And I have to stop, pull to the side (highway 1 doesn't really have a shoulder whatsoever) and manually switch gears.
Typical scenery of today.
That lil speck on the road is a cyclist, for scale. Gorgeous ride, but killer offbeat hills and coming down em, you're flying and trying to keep your eyes and ears to the shoulderless road. Also, I could hear sea lions barking the whole way ^_^
Also these suicide shifters are tough -- every switch into a gear is a task. I have to time the motion just right and balance with the incline + traffic. Lately, it's been a struggle and I just end up covered in grease by the end of the day.
Three days, 100 miles, no shower whadddddup.
Bodega Bay is a cute little town. I dropped my stuff off and set up my tent at the campground just a mile north of town, then rode in to get few groceries and a snack/dinner #1. Called up my little brother and chatted with him for a bit. He starts college in about a week and that's exciting and stuff.
Dinner #1: a fish taco, and a fried artichoke heart taco from The Birds Cafe. I could've eaten like four more.
And this was Dinner #2. Tomato, Swiss and sundried tomato + evoo tuna, tied up and toasted. If anything from this trip kills me, it'll be mercury poisoning.
Alban + Jessica showed up at camp today! They're so fun. I've loved sharing bits of this last leg with 'em. They're just the kind of couple who when you're hanging with 'em, you just feel like you're hanging out with two best friends. You know? They're the kind of couple that make you so happy they're together because it just makes sense.
Their entire journey -- every day of it -- Alban has documented in his journal. I think he's on his fourth or fifth book. He swears by Moleskine. And they've logged each point extensively, too. Coordinates, date, km/day, total km (they're right on the cusp of 15,000) and one short, outstanding note about the day.
Alban + Jessica's log.
Jessica has a brick of a journal going, too. Beautiful leather book holding photos, sketches and portraits, various tickets, etc. Very culturally rich and colorful.
Iran; Jessica's book.
Cambodia; Jessica's book.
Jessica's book.
Laos (I think?); Jessica's book. They met this old man in Japan. He asked them if they liked beer, and then rushed inside his home and brought out beer galore, sake, and that frozen octopus.
And they also shared with me their photo collection of people they've met + shared memories with along the way. As j flipped through their collection, they got excited about each photo and shared a story about the person. Where they met, what they were like. I had such a good time looking through their trip like this. Then it was my turn, pajamas and all.
They always take two photos: one to keep and one as a gift.
One of Jessica's sketches is of a woman selling grilled bananas off a street cart in Thailand.
I suddenly remembered that I had just bought a banana and thus dessert was decided. (I had intended to eat for breakfast, but I keep accidentally eating my breakfast for dessert.)
Alban + Jessica had a bunch of bananas (the traveler's best friend) and threw a couple over the fire, too. We stuk some dark chocolate covered cookies in them and watched as they bubbled + charred over the flames.
And as we were banana grilling, this trio of European guys roll into camp, sit down at the other picnic table and start playing the ukulele. Just strumming away.
It was pretty funny. Usually I set up camp right when I arrive, and most cyclists do from what I've noticed. Seemed like they came there to play their uke. It went well with the bananas.
There was an Italian, Slovenian and French dude. Flew to Vancouver, bought bikes, and set sights on San Francisco. They were funny. We all shared the fire for the night, and now I'm passing out snug in my sleeping bag.
Jessica drew this for me and left it in my handlebar bag. Found it when I woke up the next morning :) That thing on the back is this two pound whale I bought two days ago. It was an impulse buy, is heavier than my tent, and I do not regret the purchase whatsoever.