Life is Like a Bicycle

Yesterday morning, Ben and I loaded up our bicycles and started the day's easy revolutions by weaving through the fog-capped streets of downtown Seattle. We were joined by a healthy support team of Seattle's morning bicycle commuter community, but they eventually broke off one by one until it was just Ben and myself and our way too loaded down bikes. An hour or so later, when all our bike commuter friends were wiping the sweat of their brows, sitting down to a cup of coffee and their day jobs, Ben and I were still actively sweating, still actively biking, and trying without much success to navigate the strange industrial districts of South Seattle.

We eventually celebrated the success of discovering the Green River trail in Tukwila, which eventually morphed into the Interurban trail, both delightful off-road asphalt trails which led us over train tracks, behind factories, and eventually spit us out in the little-known town of Pacific, WA. For the rest of the day we had a devil of a time figuring out how to get from the end of the bike trail to Tacoma--turns out the back roads of the I-5 corridor are not especially friendly to two little cyclists from Alaska armed with the not-extremely-helpful google maps (walking directions) and some confusing bike maps.

But, we made it! To Tacoma, that is. And then we did something that would cause bicycle touring purists to go red in the face: we rode a bus. From Tacoma to Olympia. We were tired, hungry and hot (yesterday the Pac-NW saw temperatures in the 80s and 90s), and the bus was cheap, easy and had a bike rack. We didn't even feel bad! No sir.

 Something about having already biked across the country in a (relatively) pure way makes us not as strict this time around. You might even look at our trip thus far and call us "lazy." We've already stopped and taken days off in Friday Harbor, La Conner, Seattle and now Olympia! But then, that's what this trip is all about. Seeing old friends, taking time to smell the roses, and eventually, with some luck and perhaps a bit more discipline, we'll get to where we're going.

Today, we're resting and enjoying Olympia, my old stomping grounds. We stayed last night with my dear friend Anna Bunk, got beers at my favorite bar Skep & Skein with my friend Nathan, and even enjoyed late night hot dogs at Jake's. This morning we met up with friend Charlie at Sage's for smoked salmon egg benedicts. Oh, Olympia. After so much time in Alaska, I've forgotten that places could be like this! People are young, friendly and covered in all manner of feathers, vintage glasses, and child-like tattoos. I've already been asked what my sign is, at least twice. We tell people we're biking to New Orleans and people smile and nod and compliment us on our life choices, not always the case. *Sigh*. Being here is like being in an adult kindergarten--everyone wants to play, eat good food all the time and help each other. If only there were ways to make a living in this dreamland.

Alas! The way of a traveler, and a bicycle tourist, is to be constantly moving forward. I saw a quote somewhere that said 'life is like a bicycle--you have to keep your balance, you must keep moving..." So, tomorrow, we head out into the wild abyss of Southwestern Washington. Next resting place: Portland, where there are sure to be more attractive tattooed people, good beer, and great food. Until then, happy trails.