The three of us began our coast to coast bicycle tour with the wind and rain in our faces. We left Arcata Ca after packing up our house for a trip to explore the country unhindered by schedules and time constraints. We will be gone for three to five? months taking it a day at a time. We left on June 2 and Made our way up to Trinidad for some Beachcomber goodness. Hot coffee and poached eggs put us back on the road for a few more miles before deciding that Orick was far enough.
Derek called Dan who lives in Orick from Adventures Edge to bring him some rain-pants as his new waterproof (non-waterproof) pants were not holding up. We were invited to stay at his charming warm, beer stocked, breakfast equipped, house with awesome neighbors. To those of you who don't know Orick it looks like a ghost town sprinkled with meth famous for redwoodburl carvings. Needless to say sleeping under a bridge out of the wind undisturbed sounded great up until this conversation. Instead of that lovely concrete scenario we peddled a bit and met Dan's neighbors Carla and Neil who invited us to soak our chilly bones in their hot tub, invited us to fresh fish dinner, and to drink beer and play games(ping pong, fos ball) until the wee hours of the morning. We were a little amazed and taken back by the generosity of good people. Carla and Neil put us up in their newly finished bungalow. Dan shared a wonderful evening and invaluable info on his home state of Montana and got us set for a big morning breakfast. It was a pretty unbelievable start to the trip.
Dan's Place with beach break lookout
We got up said our goodbyes and headed over Baldhills road to Orleans
Other side of BaldHills coldest most miserable yet breathtakingly Beautiful day to date. In Orleans while looking for a church to sleep at friendly people stopped and asked if we needed a place to stay at their permaculture farm Sandy Bar Ranch. Amazing place on the Klamath. Hung out with interns and milked a goat in the morning.
Bad Photo Derek has the goat shot
Biked along the Klamath to Happy Camp to meet up with my love Tessarita. She had homemade Lasagna and a threeday weekend to come tour with us.
Happy Camp native Mr. Bigfoot
Tessa and Chris Along the Klamath
Made it to Ashland Oregon after taking the Interstate 5 summit for a BBQ at Derek's uncle house with my parents. Great food and for day five this was the second hot tub? I dunno we must be doing something right. I had a rest day with my parents and met with the crew the following day at lake of the woods with Lisa and Rose who would accompany us to Burns, Oregon
Lake o Woods
The new team from Lakeview Oregon to Burns. Lakeview didn't have a lake, is the other Mile high city, although less famous, they had an amazing hotel room with two beds and six people in it after rain and hail, thanks to Rose.
Near Alkali Lake, Smelled of the Sea and death of small unseen crustaceans
The Desert on my Lips
Cracked, dry, yellow orange.
No surprise when the Suns rays rise
to devour a clouds in the sky.
only a faint memory of rain.
But we echo, water,
water
water.
Our cycling bodies require.
The heat has scorned this arid sagescape.
Sparse cattle plundering
what few stands of grass hold on.
My lips touch plastic bits
bringing water to my salty lips.
We make it through
the sea of pale green brush
but my chapped lips do not forget.
Cattle branding on the road.
We saw more wildlife in irrigation ditches going to Malheur Field Station that we did in the preserve. We also saw more mosquitoes than I ever have in my life, nevertheless the museum had one of the most impressive collection of taxidermied birds I have ever seen.
The John Day Fossil Beds.
We made it into Idaho into Boise. The city of trees. We spent three days at our friend Jocelyn's Parents house. Scott and Tessie treated us like family and put us up before meeting us. Cooked us an amazing homemade dinner of pasta and grilled steak. Scott shared info on the Sawtooth mountians where we head next for the most challenging riding yet with on pass topping 8900 feet. 
Had a day to test ride epic eight thousand dollar mountain bikes on beautiful single track.So far we have made it about 800 miles and am loving all of the new sights. Flags everywhere as well as big trucks but people are nice.
Much love
