Wednesday, August 31, 2011

i challenge America

first post from the road! yay!

we are currently in garberville, after two days, and approximately 800 miles on the road. it's been a good two days overall, but with little terribly exciting to report. we've been on freeway most of the way, and no incidents (which is good). so here's a quick rundown of things thusfar:


this is me ready to roll, all decked out in riding gear. if my smile doesn't seem entirely genuine, that's because this was taken 30 seconds before setting out on a month long motorcycle trip around the country. i was nervous as hell. to be honest, i still am. i've been doing that annoying mental thing where i look for ways out of finishing the trip. mostly on day one, but the whole thing is very intimidating. i know i'm going to love it, but it will also be a lot of work. it's going to be strenuous, both physically and mentally; i just hope i'm up to it. as long as i can keep working through these doubts, i can keep my confidence up, and the good times can keep outnumbering the bad.

the first day was pretty quick,, as things go. we went right down I-5 to corvallis, with a quick stop in woodburn, OR for a delicious lunch of chorizo tacos with two very good friends (for those who don't know me, good chorizo tacos may just be my favorite thing to eat ever, so this was a good start to road food). we pulled in to corvallis mid-afternoon to my cousins' new house and, after hanging out for a bit, had a good dinner at the block 15 brewpub (their "best bitter" is awesome). we crashed out after some top gear and got up early to tackle the long day.

I-5 down to grant's pass, 199 to crescent city and 101 south to garberville. there are some lovely roads here, but also a lot of freeways. 199 is very nice, twisting through the trees on the way to the coast, and you'd be surprised how quickly the temperature drops when you come over the crest and hit that ocean breeze. then it was 101 along the coast.

now, i must clear up a common misconception at this point. 101 is a lovely road, and it definitely has some awesome parts. some nice twisty-windy bits along the ocean, some nice curvy-loopy bits through the redwoods, but the majority of it is a freeway. granted, it's a freeway through some of the most beautiful forest in the country, but still a freeway. not so much sightseeing, and lots of wind buffetting. though the wind was not as bad as on the coast. when we pulled in to crescent city, man it was gusting like crazy. there were a few times i was riding along at a 45 degree angle just to keep going straight, and one or two that whipped my head around a bit. i'll give dad's beast of a bike one thing: it can hold a line through crosswinds far better than my little vixen.

but, the ride went rather nicely overall, and as freeways go, i'll take 101 over 5 any day. here's the coolest store we saw all day, while gassing up in myrtle beach (i think it's oregon):


if i ever decide to pan for gold, i know where to start.

my mental state was far better today as well. i enjoyed the ride and am well on my way developing my iron butt. the number one question i've been asked about the trip: won't your butt get sore? we had a 10 hour day today, about 8 of which was solid saddle time. the answer to that one is a resounding yes! music has also been helping me through a lot. i think i would drive myself crazy in about 20 minutes if i didn't have music to listen to. i thought about posting some inspirational song lyrics i've heard throughout the past few days, but i'm not quite that philosophical yet. give me another week or two by myself on the road, and i'll be quoting steinbeck and whitman to you, but for know i'll just say that i love my music. the lonely forest's "(i am) the love addict" may turn into the trip's theme song, for the simple reason that it's alphabetically the first song on my player, and when i start the shuffle in the morning, that always heads it off. it's a good one. other highlights have been elbow (do they know these days are golden?) and the decemberists (and we are vagabonds, we travel without seatbelts on and live this close to death). there i go, i'm quoting already. sorry.

so far, i've travelled through the washington valleys, along the oregon rivers, and through the northern california forests. this is the part i know and love. over the past two days, i've seen some of my favorite scenery in the world (exlcuding desolation wilderness in the sierra nevadas), but i also know it well. so, my challenge is this, America: top it. show me something more beautiful than my pacific northwest. i've hardly seen any other parts of the country, so show me something good. that is my challenge to you.

until then,

rftc,

scott

Monday, August 29, 2011

0000.0

that's what my tripometer says at the moment. when i get back home, according to an estimated route with google maps, it will be somewhere between 7800 and 8000 miles.

tomorrow is the big day. everything is sitting in a pile in my living room and, as soon as this is posted, my laptop will be the last thing added and i will be fully packed. it's been somewhat of an anxious day. i'm always more jittery the day before a big trip or event than the day itself, and this has been no exception. all day i've been hovering around, jumping from one thing to another and rarely finishing anything in one sitting. but it's all ready and tomorrow at 8am i'll be setting forth on the trip of a lifetime.

there have, of course, been some last minute problems. we're having to hit a hotel on night #2 instead of staying with inlaws thanks to an unexpected wedding (cheers!), and the hotel i'm staying at during the tournament in san francisco does not park bikes. at all. yeesh. they recommended a parking garage close by, which may cost as much as $120 for the weekend, which is not so swell in my book. i'm seeing if i can head down to los altos early to park the bike and make it back to the city for the tournament to save some cash. something tells me i might need it somewhere down the road.

every fits on my bike surprisingly well. i have to repeat that i love my saddlebags. they have taken everything i can throw at them and then some. i have room in both sides for shifting and adjusting, and my tank bag is only half-full, if that. the camping gear is quite a bit to strap on top, but it fits well under the net, and shouldn't move around too much. all in all, it should be just fine. here is what vixen looks like, all ready to go:



and, some would say, the most important part of all:


this is a bell that guards against evil road spirits (at work, we call them ewoks. yes, it's a star wars reference). road spirits can mess up your bike, your health, roadside fruitstands, you name it, they are responsible for all types of bad news and, without a bell such as this, you leave yourself vulnerable to them and their mischief. these are extra powerful if given to you by friends, so a big thanks to paul and sandy for this one (i think it fits me rather well, too).

so, for the next month i will be living off of what i have on my bike. this is a remarkable feeling, that i can't exactly describe at the moment. it's very freeing, yet somewhat apprehensive. i'm quite nervous, but that is almost overcome by the excitement. every time i've felt somewhat overwhelmed by all the planning, or the problems, that have come up over the past few months, i've told myself that this is something most people never get the opportunity to do, much less take that opportunity when it presents itself, and i would be a damned fool not to make the most of it. which is true. i'm extremely privileged to get to take a trip like this, and i intend to make the most of it. it could very well be the last of this kind of adventure i get to have (although i have a new plan to do a motorcycle brewery tour through belgium...), and i intend to take it by the horns and suck all the marrow i can out of it.

so, for now, we'll just say i'm looking forward to getting up tomorrow and jumping on the bike. should anything come up that makes me ever not look forward to that, i shall have to reevaluate a few things, especially if it occurs in the next 30 days. but i'm not worried about that. i'm pretty pumped about getting out there. the next time you hear from me, it will be from the road.

ride fast, take chances,

scott

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

the route

all right, two weeks out. ish. yesterday was two weeks out. but yesterday was busy. i didn't have time to post anything. so this is my two weeks out post.

almost there! only a few things left to collect (the elusive sunstrip is still...elusive), and then it's just a matter of figuring out how to fit everything on the bike (trust me, there will be photos).

till, then, i thought i'd post my route/itinerary so's you can all see exactly where i'm going. and by exact i mean the best approximation i can give, since everything is subject to change (and i find there is a very slim chance i might have to fly home for a night in the middle. more on that in a bit). but anyway, here is as finalized an itinerary as i will have (the cities are where i will be spending the night):

Aug 30- Seattle, WA to Corvallis, OR.

Aug 31- Corvallis to Arcata, CA.

Sept 1- Arcata to San Francisco, CA. Stay at Gaels hotel

Sept 2-5- San Francisco. Hurling tournament

Sept 5- San Francisco to Los Altos, CA.

Sept 6- Los Altos to LA, CA.

Sept 7- LA to Phoenix, AZ.

Sept 8- Phoenix to Albuquerque, NM.

Sept 9- Albuquerque to Black Kettle National Grasslands, OK. Camp

Sept 10- Black Kettle to Hot Springs, AR. Camp

Sept 11- Hot Springs to Indianola, MS.

Sept 12- Indianola to Conecuh National Forest, AL. Camp

Sept 13- Conecuh to Orlando, FL.

Sept 14- Orlando rest day

Sept 15- Orlando to Savannah, GA. Camp

Sept 16- Savannah to Greenville, NC.

Sept 17- Greenville rest day

Sept 18- Greenville to DC.

Sept 19- DC to Cleveland, OH.

Sept 20- Cleveland to Chicago, IL.

Sept 21- Chicago to Omaha, NE.

Sept 22- Omaha to Badlands, SD. Camp

Sept 23- Badlands to Yellowstone, WY. Camp

Sept 24- Yellowstone to Craters of the Moon, ID. Camp

Sept 25- Craters of the Moon to Walla Walla, WA.

Sept 26- Walla Walla to Seattle.


i've indicated where i'll be camping, the rest of the time i'll be staying with family or friends (i haven't put their names down, because i didn't want to ask them all for permission). there is a three day cushion, which i can always burn hanging around yellowstone or another of the parks at the end if i have time. here's what my map looks like now:


the green is a little hard to see. that's camping. the orange and pink are either family or friends. i am excited.

but wait, you say! why might i have to fly home in the middle of the trip? well, it would be for an interview, assuming i make it to the interview phase, in a residency i'm applying for. slim chances, but if it comes through i'm not going to pass it up. i'm not entirely thrilled about the idea of splitting up the trip like that, or flying home in the middle, it ruins the completeness of it, takes away some of the purity. however, i'm certainly not going to let this trip ruin what could be a career-making opportunity, and so i'm willing to make a small sacrifice. if it comes to that.

ok, that's all for now. i still have much work to do preparing my application for said residency, and i still have to find time to buy my last few articles and take my bike in for a fluids check. yeehaw. till next time.

rftc,

scott

Friday, August 12, 2011

a few things i dislike...

...about cars when i'm on a bike. i'm trying to get up to 10, to make it a proper list, but we'll see how it goes.

1. merging. people should learn how to merge. it's not that hard. bikes tend to know how to merge better than car. you continue to drive at a constant speed UNTIL THE MERGE POINT, and then merge every other car as needed (i can also include turn-signal use in here, but that's not a bike specific complaint, everyone sucks at that). everyone who reads this and drives a car, you should keep this in mind. this also leads right into the next one...

2. not being seen. this seems like an obvious one, but i need to point it out nonetheless. i've had my fair share of swerving, none of which was my fault, and almost all of which happen at merge points. i have several spots where i make sure i am not in the merge lane, simply because i've had to take evasive action too many times from cars not looking. look. please. it's not hard.

3. jokes about chaps. OK, this one is technically when i'm not riding (unless they really shout), but it gets a little tired. yes, i wear chaps. yes, they are assless. if they weren't assless, they wouldn't be chaps. they would be pants. and yes, they are comfortable.

4. going extremely slow up hills. this one shouldn't need explanation. seriously. i shouldn't be stuck in first gear. use the damn accelerator. it's right next to the brake pedal.

5. slowing down in a turn. i don't mean that everyone should bomb through turns like they're in the motoGP, i mean that you shouldn't slow down IN a turn. everyone who rides a bike (properly) knows this, and everyone who is a race fan (car or bike), or knows how to drive well knows this as well. when you are making a turn, you drop your speed as much as you need BEFORE ENTERING THE TURN. you then keep constant speed or accelerate throughout the turn. this is the most efficient and safest way to negotiate and significant turn. on both cars and bikes.

6. improperly attired bikers. this is the one complaint i'll make (here, anyway) about other bikers. you're going upwards of 80mph on basically an engine strapped to two wheels. i'm not saying you should be wearing leathers all the time or anything, but at least weag long pants. not short. not t-shirts. oh, and gloves are a good idea, too.

7. using my brakes. again, this doesn't mean i'm bombing around all the time. as i have explained before, i generally use throttle control and gear shiftin to control speed while i'm riding. unfortunately for me (and fitting into several other catagories above), when i'm riding in traffic most cars aren't paying enough attention to the vehicles directly ahead of them, or the general flow of traffic, to notice when i'm slowing down unless they see brake lights. or at least i don't trust most people enough to believe they are. for the most part, i have to remind myself to hit the brakes, at least as a token effort, to notify the cars behind me i'm slowing down.

well, that's seven things. 7 is close to 10. we'll call that a good list.

this has been a nice break from trip prep. i hope you enjoyed it. tune in next time for my itenerary.

rftc,

scott


Sunday, August 7, 2011

the list(s)

well, it's really coming down to it. i'm finding myself getting closer and closer and, as a result of such, i have less and less time to get my remaining gear. i still have a few camping things to pick up, as well as some food to stockpile, and a few bike things. but everything is going to plan, thusfar, and i'm looking forward to it like crazy.

i've been trying to come up with some goals for the trip, and i've actually been having a fair amount of trouble coming up with more than a few. i'm not big on specific goals for things like this, but i have a few that have been mulling over in my mind:

1. finish (this seems like an obvious one, but it's also the first and foremost)
2. reconnect with family and friends along the way
3. meet an amazing person i will never see again

that's all i've got, really. it's short, but i think it's a good list. i feel that if i have too many things i want to accomplish, i won't be as able to open myself up to the experience and just let things happen. i don't want to feel pressured to get anything done, other than getting to where i'm going. i think that will be pressure enough.

the list. i've been working on my gear list for about a month now, and it's pretty complete (though i added one or two things a minute ago before starting this post). mostly little things that i've added, that i would have remembered anyway but hadn't written down, like matches or something like that. anyway, for those of you who have the inclination, here is what i have so far (warning: it's kind of a long list):

Bike gear

  • Motorcycle (duh)
  • Tank bag (w/rain cover)
  • Saddlebags
  • Cargo net
  • Tool kit
  • Extra bungie cords
  • Throttle rocker

Riding gear

  • Helmet
  • Textile jacket (w/zip-out liner)
  • Textile pants (w/zip-out liner)
  • Riding boots
  • Warm weather gloves
  • Cold weather gloves
  • Balaclava
  • Camelback
  • Maps
  • Water bottle
  • Food (bars/snacks)

Clothing

  • Jeans
  • Casual shorts
  • Athletic shorts
  • 4 kits (t-shirt/underwear/socks/handkerchief) (5 if room)
  • Long-sleeved shirt
  • Light pullover
  • Light jacket (can be worn under textile)
  • Hat
  • Bandana
  • Swimsuit

Camping gear

  • Tent
  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping pad
  • Camping pillow
  • Garbage bags (waterproofing)
  • First aid kit
  • Knife
  • Leatherman
  • Stove and fuel
  • Dishes and silverware
  • Cookware (1 pot?)
  • Matches
  • Camping towel
  • Crank lantern
  • Crank radio (if room)
  • Food (resupplied on road)

Personal gear

  • Toiletries kit (toothbrush/toothpaste/floss/pills)
  • Basic personals (wallet/watch/phone)
  • Book
  • Music player (w/charger)
  • Laptop (w/charger)
  • Camera (w/charger)
  • Sunglasses
well, that's what i've got. if you've read this far, thoughts and comments are always welcome. i don't have a lot of experience with this type of thing, so this list is mostly off the top of my head (granted, off the top of my head for about a month).

i think that's enough for now.

rftc,

scott