Welcome to California

It feels like several days have passed since I was last able to update the blog. So much has happened since then. We have met people of all sorts and had our share of interesting adventures. Now in Eureka, CA, we left Oregon two days ago.

The southern coastline of Oregon is forever etched into my mind. We often biked alongside the sandy beaches and jagged cliffs, and we stopped frequently to take in the stark beauty of the landscape. The Oregon coast is like a strikingly beautiful young woman, with dark, windswept hair, ivory skin, and eyes as green and profound as a stormy sea. She gazes across the waves, the sea grass bending in the chilly breeze, longing for her distant love to return. As the sun sets, the entire sky explodes into chrysanthemums and the brightest wildflowers. Once the fiery orb has at last slipped below the surf, a dazzling host of stars twinkles above her unmoved face. Oregon's coastline was transfixing, holding you in a curious and magical moment like the end of an tenor's mighty aria.

The last two days, we have climbed up and down large hills through old growth redwood forests. The trees command such respect as soon as you see them. They are like sentinels of a sacred realm--ancient, serene, and stalwart. In fact, the deep corrugations in the bark remind me of deep wrinkles in the faces of Native American tribal elders that I've seen in photographs. As we bike through the groves of redwoods, the only sounds are those that our bikes make. As soon as we stop, or hike through the fern covered trails, the stillness of the space takes me. Quiescent, calm, and reassuring...

As we encounter the hills, it is apparent that Camilo is now the best climber of the four of us. His Paul Bunyan-esque tennis thighs propel him up the slopes like a steam engine. I am also noticing that my knee has nearly fully recovered. I am once again overtaking Lukas, and can almost keep up with Samir and Camilo. Hooray!

We camped at a Lutheran church the other day without permission, as we didn't have a phone number for the pastor. We were elated to wake up to find the church's hospitality chair inviting us inside the church to use the bathroom. People on this trip are amazingly generous and kind. We are learning from many other experienced bikers about touring and about people. Most tell us the same thing, that they never feel afraid while on tour; rather, touring repeatedly renews their faith in the genuine goodness of humanity.

I want to end with a funny story before the KOA kicks me off the computer. The other day, while eating lunch outside of a Starbucks, Camilo was cleaning his pocket knife with his toungue. This knife is like a fossil, covered in millions of layers of caked peanut butter and sundry food scraps. While inside his mouth, the blade nicked his toungue twice, causing it to bleed a little. To observe the damage he'd done to himself, Camilo stuck his tongue out grossly at the window of the starbucks like a mirror. He did this, rather humorously, for a good minute before realizing that the entire Starbucks clientelle was laughing hysterically at him. We all had a good laugh, and some coffee.

Peace, love, and nazitudes.