… With a Single Pedal Stroke
By BRUCE WEBER
TILLAMOOK, Ore. — The proverbial journey of 1,000 miles that begins with a single step… That step is both daunting and exciting. Oh, please! Blah, blah, blah. Get rolling, man!
LIFE IS A WHEEL
Bruce Weber cycles across America. Follow him on Twitter@nytbruceweber.
On Wednesday, I did.
The northwest corner of Oregon is known as a bicycle haven, and Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia River, is a favorite starting point for cross-country cyclists. Michael Claussen, the engaging manager of the Commodore Hotel, took my picture in front of the hotel as I was leaving on a drizzly morning.
“I do this a lot,” he said.
Despite Astoria’s status as a bike mecca, there is no consensus on the best way to get out of town. Route 30, which follows the Columbia and heads toward Portland, accommodates bicycles but is a busy highway with some shoulderless stretches. The Astoria-Megler Bridge, a spectacular span across the river to Washington, is rideable, I’m told, but terrifying. I opted to go south, down U.S. 101, another heavily used road, though it is officially designated as part of the Oregon Coast Bike Route.
It was a fine ride, except for a handful of hazardous spots — especially a narrow tunnel! — where the logging trucks sped by close enough to make me wobble. And it was a good test for me on Day One, longer than I had planned and sprinkled with challenging climbs that rewarded me with spectacular views of the Pacific coastline.
The sun was shining when I pulled into Tillamook (yes, home of the cheese) about 4:30 in the afternoon, having ridden 63.7 miles. My plan is to turn east about 15 miles south of Tillamook, in the small town of Beaver, and seek out the Nestucca River Road, a route that should not be missed, according to Erik Tonkin, the owner of Sellwood Cycle Repair in Portland. (O.K. Erik, my man, your rep as a route-advice-giver is on the line.)
I made it in acceptably good shape physically and with a cheerier temperament than I had expected, though I had all the symptoms of a first-day rider. My wind was short. My control of the bike, loaded with gear — I’m guessing 25 to 30 pounds — was a little tentative, especially on long downhills, during which I nervously rode my brakes more than I usually would. (Though I admit I’m not the most intrepid downhill rider in the world.) My behind got good and sore. The last couple of hours, I watched my odometer obsessively. Before I left, when people asked if I was in shape for a cross-country trip, I blithely said I’d be in better shape for it after two weeks. I certainly hope I was right.
Part of long-distance cycling, a big part, actually, and a rewarding, even pleasurable part, has to do with enduring discomfort and pushing through it to enjoy — and deserve — a cold beer, a good dinner and a happy sleep. It’s perverse, of course, working harder than you might wish to in order to feel worthy when you’re done — sort of like banging your head against the wall because it feels better when you stop. If you understand that particular perversion, you might well be a cyclist, or maybe you should be one.
I made it as far as I did on Day 1 partly because at the top of a long hill, overlooking the ocean, I ran into Kevin and Jennifer Hart, a young couple from Battle Ground, Wash., who were on the 11th day of a trip down U.S. 101 from the Canadian border to California. Neither Kevin, a Vancouver (Wash.) firefighter, nor Jennifer, a nursing student, had ever traveled by bicycle before, but they were hooked. We rode the last 30 miles of the day together, to Tillamook, their intended destination for the night.
“We just had a wild hair to do this,” Kevin said, explaining the unexplainable. They don’t have unlimited time; they’ll stop in Crescent City, in northern California, several days from now, rent a car and drive home, but they’re already planning to return by car to Crescent City next year and complete the southward journey to Mexico.
“Then we’ll do what you’re doing,” Jennifer said to me, with what sounded like complete conviction.
“What?” her husband said.
(You can read about my previous cross-country bike ride, and why I am going to cycle across the country again, in my recent story in the Travel section.)
10:52 a.m. | Updated I’ve never had this much advice — about anything — in my life. Just so you all know: I am wearing bike shorts. Those baggy shorts in the photo have a spandex lining with appropriately placed padding. I’m pleased with the straight-across handlebars — yes, I’m a title slower than I would be with drop bars, but my neck, which the handlebars were chosen to protect, isn’t giving me any trouble, and my hands feel fine. I tried wearing a backpack for a day – it didn’t have much in it, but I wanted to lessen the weight on the back of the bike a bit; I think it helped a little, though I’ll probably continue to experiment. I’m considering some other modifications, and I’ll report on those shortly. Thanks to everyone for checking in.
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