Sunday, June 26, 2011

Utah, Sweet Utah.

You are my second home, and second summer road trip. I will always love you, too.







Thank you for your:
+Mountains.
+Lake home.
+Family time.
+(Too brief) Friend time.
+Museums of Art.
+Philosophy conference birthday parties.
+Little Prince earrings.
+Little Prince reading.
+Salt Lake Public Library.
+Salt Lake Temple.
+Crepes.
+Memory Grove.
+Proposal.
+Etc.

(More on the last one later.)

Saturday, June 18, 2011

If you believe in yourself, you will know how to ride a bicycle!



This little boy--and this little video--gave me courage to ride a (road) bicycle, 36 miles down the Oregon Coast. This is true despite the fact that I have previously only ridden vintage bikes and cruisers, where their baskets carry my school bag or groceries, and their high handle bars let me sit straight up. This is also true despite the fact that I have previously only ridden 25 miles in a single day, not even at single time.

The whole thing came about by a joke. Each day for three days one of the riders touring with S said he would be willing to trade me places. I.e., he would take my car for a day, and I his bike. Each day for three days I laughed it off. This time at lunchtime I said yes. We switched right then.

I was terrified--that a car would hit me from my left side or that loose gravel would make me wreck from my right side, of dropping down to one of the lower handle bars, down-hill's massive speed, the narrow shoulder with its beautiful, but treacherous heights, my inexperience in such conditions, or on such a bike. I didn't even know how to shift gears. S gave me lessons and encouragement, but it was not quite enough. At this point I was still afraid of listening to music, so kept reciting memorable lines from the boy's speech in my head.

At the end, I truly felt happy of myself.

Waiting for the cyclists to break camp-time.














Directly pre-lunchtime.















Post lunch-time.














Boom.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Oregon, Sweet Oregon.






















Thank you for your:

+Green grass.
+Trees.
+Pretty blue skies.
+Gas station attendants.
+Non-existent sales tax.
+Public libraries.
+State Parks.
+Slow speeds.
+Tracks/high jump pits.
+Ocean views.
+Best ice cream.
+Salt water taffy.
+Black sand.
+Clam chowder.
+Safeways.
+Hippie houses.
+Bike tours.
+Best friends.
+Old friends.
+Memories.
+And so forth.

I will always love you.

Monday, June 13, 2011

I am from:

+Klamath Falls.
+Grants Pass.
+Baker City.
+John Day.
+Cottage Grove.
+Provo.
+Long View.
+Florence.
+Stockton.
+Fair Oaks.
+Cameron Park.
+Boston.
+Valencia.
+Pico Rivera.

Last week I drove through nearly all of them.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Oregon is so pretty.





















It is nice to be home.