I'd like to
apologize to my loyal fan base for the lapse in news. Mostly this dearth has been due to
sheize computers not letting me do what I want to. It is not due to me doing other more interesting things, I swear. It has been a while though since I updated you on what I have been up to so, let me begin.
Since crossing into California two weeks ago things have gotten larger, including my lifestyle. In Eureka I was put up by family friends (the
Stanffords) at the Carter House, an upscale inn where I was served wine and
hors'deuvres at five and the host offered to tuck me in at night (he really did). I took the
Merlot, bread and cheese but tucked myself in, thanks very much. I was going to head this post with a photo of myself in a plush (sorry Enid) bathrobe just after taking a warm shower in my swanky room, but I somehow managed to delete the photo. So, you will just have to imagine how smug and self indulged I looked.
Other things that have gotten larger since entering California are the hills and the trees. About 50km south of Oregon I ran into my first set of massive hills,
coincidentally flanked by massive red woods. It is really awesome to have good scenery when climbing hills, as it provides a bit of distraction. The forest did just that.
Any post by me wouldn't be complete without a bit of inappropriateness. This larger-than-life, anatomically correct bull greeted my Texan riding partners and I following our first big descent.
One thing that continues to amaze me and which I said I would write about at some point are American restaurant portions. They are seriously large. Only twice in my life have I not been able to finish the food on my plate because I was full. Both times were in the United States of America. I think I know why US citizens don't travel, they starve in foreign restaurants!
My life of largess continues. I spent four nights in Mendocino staying at the
Stanfford's inn, where I was wined and dined and very well looked after. I got in some hiking and
canoing with Sam, one of the staff members there and managed to evade the rain storm that passed through over the course of two days. I left Mendocino in brilliant sun last Saturday and I haven't seen a cloud since. I am now in San Fransisco, also know as the Gay Bay, staying with a friend of Sam and the
Stanfford's. I plan to cycle in the critical mass that is happening here Friday and then leave the city Saturday morning. The cycling has been a bit tougher since entering this cushy lifestyle, and it's hard not to take all those burning bushes in Southern California as a sign, but I am still on track to make it into the
Baja and back to San Diego for the 15
th of November.
Last night about ten billion bikes cruised the streets of San Francisco together, in an event called Critical Mass. For those of you not familiar with Critical Mass, it is a form of bike activism intended to assert bike presence on urban streets. While I am convinced that these events do more harm than good by pissing off drivers and halting other forms of sustainable transit like pedestrians and buses, it was a fun evening.
Last night's Critical Mass was made more fun and interesting by Halloween and the Day of the Dead, which are fast approaching and huge holidays in this area. Lots of cyclists were dressed up in creative costumes; my favourites included the blind cyclists with guide canes and dark glasses and the wine dispensing cow (neither pictured here).
