Companions Wanted
I was originally planning a solo ride across the pacific coast, but then realized how much fun my last tour was with people I met on the road. So instead I wanted to open an invitation to anyone who would be interested in joining me on my ride from the San Juan’s, WA, down the Pacific Coast. Official start date would be April 20th 2014 -
The Route:
I will be finishing up Wwoofing on Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands, April 20th 2014. From there I have decided to bike down the Pacific Coast, with the goal of reaching San Francisco. I will be taking the ferry from the San Juan’s and arriving at Anacortes, making my way to port Townsend. From there I will take the Olympic Discovery Trail, camping, stopping at places of interest and just enjoying the views. From there I will then arrive in Elma where then we can decide which route to take to Astoria. Then we will jump on to the Pacific Coast ACA, which will eventually lead to San Francisco.
I will be following most of the directions from Adventure cycling maps, and other sources of information (online, locals, books ect). This is a route open to change, in case there are other places of interest to see or issues come up.
Supplies/Gear:
Anybody wishing to come along on the trip (and who does not want to spend a small fortune on accommodation) would need a minimum of a one man tent, sleeping bag and liner and therma-rest or light inflatable mattress, together with toiletries, clothing etc. Also you would need a means of carrying these items on the bike i.e. panniers. This would cause a problem for cyclists who own carbon frame bikes, as panniers cannot be attached to these. (Not that I am aware of anyway). A cheap steel frame touring bike with a decent set of tires would be fine for the trip.
I will be riding a 2013 surly cross check, with a handlebar bag and two rear panniers. I will also be carrying my tent, sleeping bag and therma-rest. I’m still debating whether to bring cooking equipment, but I found that during my last tour it usually costs the same to eat at a cheap diner, farmers markets or worst-case gas station food, then carrying all the weight of cooking supplies. But, I love camp cooking and am more than willing to split the load if someone has the equipment.
Last notes:
This bike tour is very much for enjoyment and a time to see amazing places, push our limits and have fun. I’m very easy going and rarely am put off by setbacks, AKA (blown tires, slow rides, rainy days, re-routing ect.) I hope fellow riders come with an optimistic attitude and the ability to laugh at the bad stuff as well as the good.
On avg I can push about 60-70mi days. I can do further when needed but find I don’t like being too exhausted to really enjoy our endpoint for the day. But, I do understand there will be work days (days when all there is to do is ride from point A to point B), but those can be fun too. All in all I really have no reservations about where you're from, how old you are or how much riding you've done before - if you can keep up and don't mind living in a tent for a few weeks then should be fun!
So, if you're interested in joining me or have any tips for the ride, please get in touch. Again this is open to anyone, even if you think you could only ride for a couple of days or a week, the company would be much appreciated.
Liz
