Pedals with Purpose

Flagstaff

2010-06-19T13:26:00.002-04:00

Well, I did it! After 35 days of riding, I arrived in San Diego fit, tanned and a whole lot smellier than when I left Vancouver on the 10th of May. I spent 3 days in San Diego with family friends Stephen and Alise, who generously took me into their home, as well as expertly accomodating my vegetarianism. We ate well both in and out of the house, checking out a great local thai place and an amazing mexican hole-in-the-wall. Alise is an excellent cook as well, and she put together some dishes I never would have even thought of.
Wednesday, Stephen took the day off work and drove me all over the area, down to the Mount Palomar Observatory, the Anza Borrego Desert, and out to La Jolla to see the seal colony that's taken up residence on the beach. Thursday I was on my own, walking out to the San Diego Zoo. I wandered all over the place, but the highlights were definitely the bonobos and the polar bears. I lucked out, too, as I met someone out front of the zoo with extra coupons; so thank you, mysterious Hawaiian coupon-bearer, for getting me a deal on the entrance fee. After leaving the zoo, I walked out into Balboa park, the cultural and recreational centre of San Diego. I wish I had a week in the park to check out the museum of Man, Natural History, Space and Aviation, Science and Technology... The list goes on. The Japanese Tea Garden was peaceful though, and made a nice cap on the day.
Yesterday, I said goodbye to San Diego, Alise, and Stephen, and caught a Greyhound out to Flagstaff, Arizona. I've sent my bike home by UPS, so travel has gotten markedly easier. I'm staying out here at Grandma and step-grandpa Henry's trailer for the time being, and eventually I'll make my way home overland.
This will be it for the blog though, as Pedals With Purpose has come to a close for the time being! Thanks so much to everyone who have been following along, and to all those who have donated or pledged donation to Pamoja Tunaweza. We've all done our bit to make the world just that much friendlier!
-Nick

Santa Barbera

2010-06-10T14:27:00.002-04:00

To borrow briefly from Mark Twain: "Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated".
Although it's been just over a week since I last signed on, I am still alive and well. Though for a while there I wasn't sure how I was going to turn out; a nasty case of heat stroke left me woozy and miserable for 3 or 4 days. Thankfully, I fully recovered now, and ready to complete the final leg of my journey in good spirits.
I had a ripping tailwind coming out of San Francisco, along with a perfect blue sky all day, and this convinced me to try to cover as much ground as possible while the weather was good. Rode just over 90 miles that day, and ended up severely dehydrated, which made the 40 miles the next day to Veteran's Memorial Campground less than enjoyable.
I took a sick day in Monterey, and in the end was glad for it, as I met some very interesting people in and around town. The hiker biker site was full of characters, including Henry, the retired ex-DJ, always ready to offer a bit of his own particular brand of wisdom; Wayne, the wandering rider covering almost 100 miles a day on a bike never meant to roll that distance; and of course Tony, a professional restorer of historic buildings and all-around great guy. Tony is an ex army nurse, and a firm believer in the concept of Karma. Because of this, he's always ready to lend a helping hand to someone in need, and as soon as he heard of my shoestring budget, jumped at the chance to go into town with me and pick me up a load of groceries. Not wanting to accept unnecessary charity, I respectfully declined, but I'm still amazed that someone could be so spontaneously giving towards a total stranger.
After leaving Monterey, I came across another group of riders who amazed me in their own way, namely by setting out to do something I would have never thought possible, or in any event probable: under the banner of the "Funky Monkey Family", Antonio, Jess and their twin children, who are just over a year old, are riding from San Francisco into the heart of South America. Formerly residents of Las Vegas, they've picked up roots, sold off all their possessions, and are headed south to start a hostel in the first suitable city they find. Traveling anywhere with kids is a task, so my respect for these guys is endless!
Today I'm taking it easy, riding the short distance through Santa Barbera and trying to get a taste of the city along the way. I plan on taking a bus through urban LA (weak, I know...), so at this rate I should be just four days from my final destination in San Diego!
-Nick

San Francisco

2010-06-02T14:40:00.003-04:00

I've been in town for 4 day now, and this is the first chance I've had to sit down with a computer. This city has been a real whirlwind! I crossed the Golden Gate bridge on Sunday, Memorial Day. Very hectic, as all the other tourists combined with locals out enjoying the beautiful weather made for absolutely packed bike lanes. Pelotons of road racers whipped around tourists on rental bikes who were mingled with pedestrians caught up taking pictures of the gorgeous views of the Bay area. Through all this madness, I struggled across the bridge and by chance got chatting with another rider headed into town on a stripped down single speed. Wayne is a homeless-by-choice wandering artist, camped north of the city in a state park somewhere. He rides the 20 miles into town every day to keep fit and hang around Golden Gate Park with the drummers, performers and hippy types that gather there. Wayne decided to change his plans for the day to show me around, for which I am endlessly grateful. We rode into town via the Fisherman's Wharf/North Beach route, which is packed with visitors and street vendors. Wayne is a tour guide at heart, and he pointed out all the best places to eat and visit that we passed, along with things that I never would have found on my own; back alley shops and a museum dedicated to the poets of the beat generation. After trying a few places, we eventually found the Adelaide hostel, tucked into an alley just south of Chinatown. Wayne left me here, where I've been living for the week.
My first day on the town, I went exploring with a pair of travelers from the hostel, Eilin and Johannes. They're taking a few weeks to visit the west coast, after completing a study-abroad semester in Vermont. We wandered up to the Beat Museum, hung out in Washington Square taking in the sights, and eventually walked all the way north to the Fisherman's Wharf via Lombard St, the twistiest street in San Fran, and one of the steepest. Fisherman's Wharf is the heart of the summer tourism district, so it was packed with people, restaurants, street vendors and the like. Right in the middle of all this, a group of sea lions have taken up residence in the harbor, making for an interesting tourist attraction. In the summer proper the group numbers almost 300 strong, but at the moment only about 50 or so are hanging around for the winter.
Yesterday was a busy day as well; I took my bike out to go exploring, and this proved to be an excellent decision. Everything in San Fran is within comfortable riding distance, so I crisscrossed through the various neighborhoods from 10 in the morning until 8 at night. I'll post some pictures of what I've seen as soon as I can, but for now we're being kicked out of the hostel for the day; there's come construction going on that they want us out of the way for.
-Nick

Point Reyes

2010-05-29T16:41:00.003-04:00

Finally, some decent weather! The thermometer hit 20 for the first time this week yesterday, and I'm told it's only supposed to get hotter. That and a beauty of a tailwind make for some excellent riding. Spent last night at Bodega Dunes State Park, a nice little strip of sand about 100 miles north of San Fran. I hiked out from camp towards the beach, but gave up on my quest for the ocean after about 2 miles of rolling dunes. Maybe it's a bit more than a little strip of sand. The highway here (the California 1 for those of you following along at home) is windy, narrow, and very steep. Traffic moves slower than I can bike on the downhills, which makes for some exhilirating descents. Yesterday I made my way down 600ft of shoulderless switchbacks with a cliff face on my left and a sheer drop to the ocean on my right. Needless to say, an experience well worth the ascent that preceded. Tomorrow I'll ride into San Fran, can't wait to lock the bike up and go exploring!
- Nick

Eureka

2010-05-24T20:04:00.003-04:00

So I crossed into California yesterday, after a week of rain and headwinds in Oregon. The clouds immediately parted, and I've had two days of sun and tailwinds. I kid you not, this state is magical. The next week is supposed to be wet again, but I'm not thinking about that at the moment, only how nice and warm it is outside! I had a short days ride today, 46 miles from Elk Prairie to the Eureka KOA. Not particularly scenic, as the 101 travels away from the coast in this region. I did take a couple of side trips towards the water during the course of the day, among them Patrick's Point State Park. Sheer cliff walls drop down to a shoreline dotted with sea stacks and a number of colonies of seals and sea lions. A stunning view, paired with the beautiful sunny weather. Yesterday afternoon at Elk Prairie I met a group of extremely Granola outdoor ed teachers preparing to lead a class of kids into the redwood forests. They were a great group, and I took full advantage of their exceptional generosity, eating dinner and breakfast with them as well as generally mooching human company around their campsite. Tomorrow I'm off to Marine Grove, a relatively flat day of about 55 miles. It's a fairly short ride, so I may take the time to check out the town of Eureka in the morning; it's supposed to be a great tourist destination, so maybe I'll see what it's all about.
-Nick

Brookings

2010-05-21T19:02:00.004-04:00

It's taken several very wet days of travel, but I've finally made it to the border. I'm a mere five miles from California, and I'm convinced that as soon as I leave Oregon it'll be sunny days and tailwinds to San Diego. I'm kidding myself, of course, but a guy can dream. The weather is supposed to change soon, which will be nice as I'm a bit soggy at the moment. Not to mention bruised, as gravel-sized bits of hail have rocketed to earth three times in as many days. The ride today was absolutely incredible, following a cliff-edge looking out over sea stacks and gold-sand beaches. I spent last night in Humbug Mountain State Park, which is not all as dreary as the name makes it sound. The campground is nestled into the base of Humbug Mountain, a 600ft hill covered in spruce and, more often than not, shrouded in fog. While there I shared dinner with a fellow tourist from Portland, a young vegan anarchist with dreams of living completely off the grid. All in all a very interesting guy to talk to, and talk we did, until the sun dropped like a rock behind the mountains and the bugs came out in force. Today I'm camped at Harris Beach campground, but no other riders have pulled in yet. May have to brave the bugs alone tonight! Tomorrow I'll break camp as soon as the weather allows, as if the pattern holds I'll be rained in until at least 9. The rain should be followed by a brief period of sun to throw everything on the bike, followed again by another torrential downpour and intermittent drizzle throughout the day. Fingers crossed though, as the weather report says sun for tomorrow. For now, I'm off to make dinner- quinoa burritos, anyone?
-Nick

North Bend

2010-05-19T18:14:00.003-04:00

So, good news bad news time. The good news is that the hills have subsided, and I have a new camera which I've been taking many pictures with. The bad news is that the wind has turned into a headwind, gusting 50mph, and it's been dumping rain for the past two days. Bad news regardless, my spirits are high, and I've even found some companions to pedal with. Met Walter and David, two recent graduates of University of Michigan Engineering up at Beverly Beach, and have been riding with them for two days. Came across the Oregon Sand Dunes National Recreation Area yesterday, which were absolutely beautiful, even in the rain. I would've enjoyed them more, however, if I hadn't promptly gotten myself stung by a bee upon my arrival. Waiting for anaphylaxis to kick in is never fun, but luckily I didn't react at all; I must have grown out of my childhood allergy. I did get an excellent night's sleep out of the episode though, as the antihistamines I took put me out like a light for 12 hours straight. I'm unfortunately out of posting time, as my computer has a time limit, but if i think of anything more I'll be sure to include it in my next post, which should see me approaching the Californian border!
-Nick

Lincoln City

2010-05-17T16:15:00.004-04:00

A mild disaster struck yesterday. To my great disappointment, I managed somehow to lose my camera along the way, so I have no pictures of Washington, and Oregon will have to wait until I can find a replacement. I've come across a rather large town though, Lincoln city, so I should be able to pick one up before I head south again. I'm shooting for Beverly Beach today, another 25 miles down the road.
Met my first fellow tourists yesterday, up in Rockaway Beach. They're the hardcore type, on the road for almost two years, and have been up and down both coasts a number of times. They've also chased the warm days down in Utah, and ridden tailwinds straight across the Great Plains.
While picking up camp fuel in Tillamook, came across another rider, headed for San Francisco from Seattle. He had a giant duffel bag strapped to his full-carbon fibre Specialized, and I felt a bit of empathy for this less than prepared racer-turned-tourist. He was making excellent time though, riding around 100 miles a day. Very impressive.
I've come into real coastal territory today, over Cape after pass after Cape, some nearly 1000ft high. I'm just thankful for the tailwind, it's the only thing pushing me up these hills at this point!
-Nick

Cape Disappointment

2010-05-15T13:47:00.002-04:00

I find myself at the end of Lewis and Clark's famous route, and I have to say, Cape Disappointment is not a fitting name for a place as pretty as this. After spending a night in Raymond, a riverside town a ways inland, I pulled into the Cape around lunch time yesterday. The beaches are beautiful, dotted with ancient lighthouses and an old artillery base. The short clam-digging season is upon us, so everyone is out on the beaches with shovels and buckets. It's times like these I wish I was still a meat eater...
Spent the afternoon yesterday cleaning and organizing my gear a little better; went to great lengths to reduce the weight in my pack. After picking carefully through maps, bottle caps, webbing and string, I managed to drop almost 7 pounds of dead weight. Got some great pictures at the beach, I'll get them posted as soon as possible.
Hoping to make it to Rockaway Beach today, though at this point I'll be lucky to make it to the Oregon border, 5 miles away. Maybe I'll have to settle for Cannon Beach, a resort town not too far over the interstate bridge.
-Nick

Amanda Park

2010-05-13T11:28:00.002-04:00

Well, internet cafes (and civilization in general, for that matter), are not as proliferous as I expected in Washington, so here I am posting at 8 in the morning...
I've covered a lot of ground since Victoria, and the weather and winds have been in my favor. Took the Coho ferry from Victoria down to Port Angeles, where I picked up a few essentials. Spent the remainder of the afternoon riding, past Marymere Falls and the Sol Duc hot springs. Finally ended up in Beaver, a small town with everything I needed (ie running water). Camped for the night, then picked up and rode through Forks, home of the Twilight saga movies. Vampire paraphernalia abounded, but I resisted the urge to pick up a Team Jacob T-shirt. Space is tight already on the bike. Came upon the town of Queets, where I was told of Quinault lake, a beautiful little town with plenty of camp sites. I had already ridden 40 miles or so, but figured it didn't look that far on the map, maybe an inch or so. Of course, 25 miles later, I wasn't so sure. Made camp in Quinault, and took my first warm shower since departing Victoria. Gorgeous. Awoke this morning to the sunrise, and walked down to the world's largest sitka spruce. Everything's bigger in Washington. Today I hope to make it to Twin Peaks campground, about 60 miles from here. Hopefully the bike holds up, as there's not much in the way of towns between here and there!
-Nick

Victoria

2010-05-11T00:22:00.004-04:00

After a weekend of being shown around the best parts of the Vancouver area, I find myself in Victoria. Attended a kegger for cancer research on Saturday evening with Carolyn Deady, and personally discovered the next best thing on the west coast music scene. Move over Aidan Knight! Also heard an albums worth of Tragically Hip covers- those guys just seem to follow me everywhere I go! Spent Sunday climbing the Chief, and despite the kegger still fresh in recent memory, managed an excellent hike. Beautiful weather, and the local chipmunk population was friendly, as discovered by our Australian friend Carmen. Today, caught a ride out to the ferry with Carolyn. Coincidentally ran into Rejean Phillips of Physi-Kult fame, for the second time in three days, on the ferry. Rejean ran the Sun Run yesterday, in an impressive 30:41, putting him 8th overall.
Upon arrival, readied my bike for the road with a liberal application of both twine and positive thinking. Rode the 30k into town to the house of Denise and Greg, a pair of family friends who have taken me into their home for the night. Tomorrow I head for the border, taking a ferry to Port Angeles. I'll be entering the unknown once I cross into the States- with no friends along the coast I'll be relying solely on the generosity of strangers should I run into trouble. Can't wait!
-Nick

The Adventure Begins

2010-05-08T15:05:00.002-04:00

Greetings from Vancouver! I departed Kingston yesterday, finding myself, much to my surprise, on the same plane as fellow members of the Physi-Kult running group, on their way here for the Sun Run 10k. After a relatively uneventful, if unusually turbulent flight, was picked up at the airport and brought to the home of the Deady family, who have graciously taken me in for the weekend as I get my feet on the ground and my bike put together. I all goes as planned I'll be on the ferry to Victoria on Monday, where I'll begin my journey proper. Time now to get the bike reassembled and take it out for a test ride. Happy mother's day to everyone (especially you, mom!), that's all for now.
-Nick

Success!

2010-04-23T19:02:00.005-04:00

A big thanks to all who came to Pints With Purpose last night! On the whole, a great evening of awareness- and fund-raising, with over $1000 raised. Updated plans before my departure on May 4th now include a promotional day at Runner's Choice on Princess St. Al Cantley and Choice have generously donated their storefront to the cause, and on the 30th of the month I will seize the opportunity to ride a spin bike in the front window to raise awareness for Prevention Through Empowerment. Passersby will have the opportunity to make donations, as well as to enter a draw for various prizes provided by local business. Pictured with me above are Karen Yates (left) and Jenn Carpenter, two local physicians who work with Prevention Through Empowerment both locally and in Tanzania.

Pub Nights

2010-04-16T12:52:00.002-04:00

For those of you who aren't following the Facebook group Pedals with Purpose, here is most current information on scheduled pub nights:
The Kingston night remains set for Thursday 22 April, 6:00 at the Kingston Brew Pub, 34 Clarence St.
The Toronto night is no more, due to conflict with the U of T exam schedule.

Welcome!

2010-04-09T16:25:00.003-04:00

Day 1 of blogging, what could be called the test period. Once I begin my ride in approximately one month, postings will be regular updates on my progress, as well as a collection of any photos and video I manage to amass along the way. Above all, though, this site remains a space for raising awareness of the cause of Pamoja Tunaweza, as well as shameless promotion of upcoming fundraising pub nights in Kingston and Toronto. I want to stress the fact that all money raised through Pints with Purpose, as well as any cash amassed throughout the course of my journey will go directly to the Prevention Through Empowerment Fund; I am personally covering all expenses of the trip itself. If you would like to make a donation to Prevention Through Empowerment, you can take one of three routes: Follow the links through www.tunaweza.org; visit www.canadahelps.org; or come to one of our pub nights, currently scheduled for the 22nd of April in Kingston and the 23rd of April in Toronto. Thank you so much for visiting the site! Even more important than the fundraising aspect of my trip, is the awareness you're helping to bring to this incredible group of people.
- Nick