The next leg saw us mostly along the WA coast with our first rain, lots of mudflats, oysters (mmmm), and crossing the Columbia River into OR at Astoria.  Today we took a day off and relaxed. Lots of cranberries growing  Oyster shell piles all over  My trusty steed The Astoria waterfront and the bridge we crossed yesterday. Clean clothes! And of course some tasty microbrews.

Posting this in Aberdeen WA, formerly known as the Hellhole of the Pacific, now a disinvested lumber town.  We've ridden 268 miles in 4 days and are the touring groove. Here are the highlights: First burger (meh) and onion rings (superior) of the trip at Fat Smitty's, which has 1000s of $ bills papering the walls and ceiling. We got on the Olympic Discovery Trail, a 100-mile bike route with beautifully engineered off-road bike paths, highways and everything in between. Our second night was spent camping at a Warm Showers host's.  Lonnie was a personable retired gentleman who's hosted more than 2500 people!  Plenty of snacks along the way. it was fairly hazy with wildfire smoke until we got to the coast, but we made out Canada across from Port Angeles.  After one of a couple of wrong turns on dirt roads a logging truck passed us and immediately missed a turn leading to a bit of literal bushwhacking!

Car, bus, plane, train, bike and ferry transportation today - that covers most of the options.  I met Mo in the Seattle airport and Al at the ferry to Bainbridge Is.  With all the travel and logistics it was a short ride of 24 miles this afternoon. Mo slicing mushrooms for dinner Big trees, blackberries everywhere and so green - we're not in Colorado?

Hi everyone,  Wednesday I fly to Seattle, assemble my bike and gear, meet my friends Mo and Al and start for San Diego!  I'm looking forward to riding in scenic lands, living outdoors and sharing good company.  I've wanted to do this trip since 1987 when I chose to travel in Europe before studying abroad instead of riding the Pacific Coast with my siblings.  Time to go see what it's all about 😀 We're taking a relaxed approach to logistics and don't have a fixed schedule.  It should take 5-6 weeks to ride around 1800 miles.  We'll start by going around the Olympic Penninsula before crossing the Columbia River at Astoria, OR and heading down the coast.  It's adventure time!