Upcoming Adventure: Wandering Washington and the Oregon Operation
Haven't heard from this guy in a while, eh?
Welcome back to the show ladies and gentlemen. I know it’s been a while and for that, I’m sorry. Mostly sorry for myself. I have like three posts in drafts that I’ve started and can’t seem to finish- so many great stories and memories that share. I know I’ll find the time, but for now, onto the imminent chaos that will begin next week.
Let me bring you up to speed on the Very Imminent, Extremely Exciting, Quite Nerve-Wracking, and Rapidly Approaching, Washington to Oregon Ride. A lot has developed in the past month or so since I decided that I should pursue this and a bit may still change. Here’s the lowdown -
I’ve successfully completed my first internship and am now taking an opportunity to join a new team, beginning in May. While there was a standard one-week break in between the two positions, Fate had a bigger plan for me.
A few days after agreeing to join the new team in May, I saw an Instagram ad for a gravel bike race in Oregon, called the “Cascade Gravel Grinder”. I had seen a few YouTube videos and read reports of the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder, a five-day gravel stage race where you camp every night in between, and knew that if this race was put on by the same group, it would be a blast. However, the Cascade race was the weekend after my one-week break. I knew what I had to do, and compelled to chase the spirit of adventure, I booked the second week off.
A loose plan formed - I would take the two weeks and bike down to Bend, Oregon, where the Cascade Gravel Grinder is taking place. The next part of the plan was reaching out to two of the most special and wonderful people that I had the pleasure of meeting last summer when I biked across the country, coincidentally, staying in Bend. Rob and Christina had such an outsized impact on my journey and I carry so much from our two days together, and what I was able to learn from them, with me to this day.
With this idea in mind, I set out to find route inspiration and plot a way to Bend. There are a few options, but the one I’m the most keen on is getting into the Cascade Mountain Ranges in Washington. It’s the state I’m the most sad I missed on my summer tour and I spend all my days imagining what it’s like to frolic in the Olympics.
This is my A-plan. However, I realized recently, after re-examining the route (I did most of my charting from the Adventure Cycling Associations “Sierra Cascades” route), there are two big road closures in the middle of the route.
NF-23 and NF-25, going through the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest appear to be seasonally closed due to late snow that persists on the road, and it doesn’t open until June. Tough, because I will be swinging through in early May :/ However, on the National Forest websites, it points out that roads may be open to bicycle traffic but not wheeled, motorized vehicles, but it depends on the weather and to check with the park services. I will be calling them tomorrow! A-plan: Either NF-23 or NF-25. B-plan?Swing to the west to Toutle and follow the 5, or potentially East through the reservation. I don’t know much about either and will be making it up as I go along!
I reached out to Rob and Christina to see if they a) had any interest in participating in the race with me, and b) if they would be open to another few days of putting me up and spending time together. Fingers crossed I didn’t smell too bad when I rolled up last time on bicycle in July!!
They agreed to put me up, but after they return from Los Angeles, where Christina is partaking in the Yomp Rally, a 375-mile bike packing route that goes from Santa Cruz to Los Angeles. Since this is the week of the Cascade Race, she turned down the offer. Totally understandable, the Yomp is a WILD looking ride. I feel so blessed to know and get to follow along the adventures of such inspiring and cool individuals. Go Christina!!! I will be cheering for you the whole way and I know when I’m struggling, that if you’re cranking up those hills, I can too!
On to some of the fun stuff! I have finally completed my packing and some experimenting, and I think I have a pretty bomber set up.
I’m quite excited for this tour and I get very nerdy about gear and pack lists. I know I packed far too much gear on my summer tour, so this time, I’m stripping down to the barebones and going minimal in hopes that I reduce my fatigue, I can go longer, more comfortably, and reduce unnecessary items. Basically, if I don’t use it everyday, I don’t want to carry it. To Go Far, Carry Less is something that sticks with me from my summer riding and an ethos I live by.
The purple Teva’s were an impulse buy.
I needed to replace my off-bike shoes, the black water shoes that I got on Amazon for about $11 for my summer tour, which kicked around 13 states, and probably hundreds of miles of walking, especially after I used them as work shoes at the restaurant in Victoria for two months until they tragically fell off my bicycle on the way home at midnight on a cold and rainy eve. I decided not to go look for them. The Teva’s are comfy and I needed something I could wear socks with because my toes get cold easily😎
Bike: Trek 520, same as summer rig. With front and back Bontrager stock racks and fenders.
Bags: A pair of Ortlieb 12L panniers, an Apidura 12L Expedition Frame Bag (excited on this one), a Revelate Designs Feed Bag, and Topeak 1.2L Top Tube Bag and Saddle tool bag. Total on bike storage - 38ish litres
Guh. Even looking at all of this it seems like so much, but after packing, it’s really not that much. I’m so proud I trimmed it down and revised and changed it. I did two/three days of test rides last weekend and it was great simulated riding conditions. The day/riding ranged from 7-10° C, and after the first day, I added the arm and leg warmers for flexibility on the bike, as well as a warmer, hooded Patagonia fleece jacket and proper down jacket instead of my synthetic one, as well as a warmer pair of socks.
Further looking at the weather has determined that this 7-10° is pretty accurate, as it will get QUITE cold in the high mountains and not too warm during the day. I think lowest temps are looking 1-3° depending on if it snows, and highs of 16-20° depending on the sun and if this warm front does weird things this upcoming weekend.
Anyways, I’ve stayed up far too late to play with all the gear, packing and repacking, and writing this up. I’m going to add in a few extra Voile straps tomorrow, get a jar of peanut butter, tortillas, granola bars, trail mix and some fruit and then I should be set for Saturday/Sunday departure. I’m looking forward to this time spent on the bike and soaking up Washington and Oregon, as well as all of the places I’ve never seen before.
I feel immensely connected to all the people who helped and supported me on my previous tour, all the people and friendly faces who I met on the road, who made my trip such an unforgettable experience. There are too many names to list and I need to be better at reaching out to these people to let them know how important they are to me and how meaningful our time was together. If I meet even a fraction of such blessed and soulful strangers on this trip, who greet me with open hearts and arms, I will have another all-time trip.
I’m planning on camping most of the way, with some WarmShowers thrown in if there are any on the way. If you have any must-sees along the route or places to stop and eat, leave me a comment! I love reading them!
If you made it this far, you get a few rewards. First,
Here are some songs I’ve been enjoying lately:
She Treats Me Well - Ben Howard
And here’s some great reads I’ve enjoyed:
How To Craft a Harmonious Life
Well my brave reader, I’m so glad you took the time to read all of this and entertain my babbling and ramblings. It is now 12:30am and I need to go to bed. I had such a blast writing this and getting back in the flow state that is composing and sharing the wild world that exists in my head. I appreciate you, so much and hope you can get some of the same joy out of this that I get from writing it.
“I said it before and I’ll say it again: life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”
Thanks Ferris.
Until next time,
Ben
Hi, Ben, best of luck and enjoyment in your new journey. We met on the Coho ferry and talked about hiking the Olympic Mountains. You asked us to put in a link to our trans-Pacific blog, and here it is: http://karenandjimsexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/. We hope you have a safe and happy adventure, and come see us if you ever stop in Port Townsend. Best, Karen and Jim