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Washington state was the second US-state on the trip. The Olympic
Rainforest National Park was the focus for the next few days. Lucky enough I didn't catch
any rain !! The roads are so beautiful, following the 101 south. First night I slept in
Sappho, nothing to do with SAP I hope, though it was a shithole. At Quinalt lake I met up
with Mark, Paul and Anneke. Mark and I are third cousins and he and his two kids drove all
the way down from Bellevue to see me. We had a good time. Unfortunately they had to leave
the next day after breakfast. The scenery along the coast is amazing and even more
beautiful by bike as you can stop wherever you like to. At Fort Stevens I met up with
Lance and Angela, heading to Mexico. So far we're biking together. It's very hilly and it
supposed to be like this all the way to San Francisco. Nothing to complain though as the
wind blows north to south....
| Date |
|
Dist. |
Cum. |
Avg. |
| 16-9 |
Sappho |
88 |
5044 |
20.8 |
| 17-9 |
Quinalt lake |
133 |
5177 |
21.2 |
| 18-9 |
South Bend |
127 |
5304 |
21.5 |
| 19-9 |
Fort Stevens |
114 |
5418 |
19.0 |
| 20-9 |
Nehalem Bay |
66 |
5484 |
17.8 |
| 21-9 |
Cape Lookout |
83 |
5572 |
19.3 |
|
As we headed south the beaches become more and more beautiful. The state Oregon signposted
a bike tour following the coastline. So it's very easy to find your way. There are
stateparks all over and camping is very cheap on the special hiker-biker campsites
(usually $ 4). It's also a good place to meet up with other bikers. We're in Bandon now, a
nice old town, but nothing more than a (internet) library and some stores. The coming few
100 miles look great, so we look forward to that. By the way: we're starting an anti-RV
club. An RV is a recreating vehicle, as big as busses. You don't need a special license
for it to drive. The average age of the RV drivers is over 80 and they normally don't
realize how big their vehicle is. A pain for most bikers..... So the main goal of the anti
RV club is to be sure they need a drivers license and as a yearly festival we blow up 2
RV's !! Join us: write to Alexjonker@hotmail.com
!!
| Date |
|
Dist. |
Cum. |
Avg. |
| 22-9 |
Beverly Beach |
91 |
5663 |
18.8 |
| 23-9 |
Florence |
99 |
5762 |
18.1 |
| 25-9 |
Tugman Park |
50 |
5812 |
18.9 |
| 26-9 |
Bandon |
86 |
5898 |
20.1 |
|
|
There we are: San Francisco. I've been looking forward a long time to cross
the Golden Gate Bridge on my bike. On the 10 th of October at 10.30 hours it happened.
Quite an experience I can tell you. After riding almost 2 weeks along the Californian
coast (famous highway 1) we reached San Francisco. In San Francisco I stay at the smelly
youthhostel, which is NOT nice after camping for 4 months. Anyway SF is great. Next week
my parents fly in and I take a break for a few weeks.
| Date |
|
Dist. |
Cum. |
Avg. |
| 28-9 |
Humbug Park |
65 |
5958 |
21.6 |
| 29-9 |
Harris Beach |
86 |
6044 |
20.1 |
| 30-9 |
Klamath |
73 |
6117 |
21.6 |
| 1-10 |
Redwoods,Elk Prairie |
29 |
6146 |
18.8 |
| 3-10 |
Eureka |
76 |
6222 |
19.8 |
| 4-10 |
Humbolt |
95 |
6317 |
16.8 |
| 5-10 |
Legett |
65 |
6382 |
20.6 |
| 6-10 |
Fort Bragg |
85 |
6467 |
19.6 |
| 7-10 |
Manchaster |
72 |
6539 |
21 |
| 8-10 |
Bodega Bay |
116 |
6655 |
21.6 |
| 9-10 |
Samuel Taylor |
68 |
6723 |
19.3 |
| 10-10 |
San Francisco |
45 |
6768 |
16.0 |
|
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4
November 1999
Right now, I'm in Flagstaff,
Arizona. After riding two weeks around by car with my parents. Seen all the great parks:
Yosemite, Death Valley, Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, lovely (though not by bike). On the
12th of November I'll start biking again from San Francisco south to Joshua Tree NP and
then east in the direction of New Orleans.... |
|
16 November 1999
During the 3 weeks I traveled around by car I made the decision to fly home in January,
caused by a lot of reasons, but basically tired of traveling by myself. Though it was a
tough decision to make, I'm still happy with it. After mam and dad left, November 12th, I
went back to Andrew. We spent another 5 days, which was great, and relaxing. It's so good
to have a 'normal' place to stay instead of always moving, tents and motels. In the
meantime I was traveling he fixed my new cassette on my bike, so I could go on. I had a
great time in San Francisco thanks to Andrew and Josh, thanks! November 15th I left San
Francisco, Andrew gave me a ride out of the city to Half Moon Bay. We said goodbye and I
pitched my tent, a start of a new period.....
That period didn't start very nice: rain, a lot of rain on my way to Monterey. So a
restday to let everything dry out. The famous Northern wind was still there, so not too
bad. Monterey is a very pretty city. Saw 'the Insider' with Pacino, nice movie. The next
day, I continued along the pacific coast to Big Sur. The weather turned out to be the
worst of the whole trip. You believe it or not, but I've seen water streaming UP-hill. I
had I headwind, or better, headstorm and the rain came down in gallons. I was soaked, all
over. The headwind has blown me off my bike for like 3 or 4 times. With the lowest average
ever I reached Big Sur, time for a motel to dry out. After Big Sur I wouldn't catch rain
anymore...... 650 km south of San Francisco I reached Ventura, the last city I visited
along the Pacific Coast. I cycled 2500 km along the coast and everything they say about it
is true: absolutely beautiful, every single mile..... And it is relatively bike friendly.
I would find out in the next week what that means.....
| Date |
|
Dist. |
Cum. |
Avg. |
| 16-11 |
Santa-Cruz |
98 |
6866 |
17.3 |
| 17-11 |
Monterey |
70 |
6936 |
17.6 |
| 19-11 |
Big Sur |
55 |
6991 |
14.4 |
| 20-11 |
San Simeon |
113 |
7104 |
19.2 |
| 21-11 |
Pismo Beach |
84 |
7188 |
22.3 |
| 22-11 |
Gaviota Beach |
110 |
7298 |
20.1 |
| 23-11 |
Carpenteria |
74 |
7372 |
18.8 |
| 24-11 |
Ventura |
46 |
7418 |
18.7 |
I wanted to avoid Los Angeles on my bike, so I headed east, to Phoenix Arizona, from where
I had plans to take the train to Florida. The train because I would run out of time to
bike all the way and crossing Texas by bike is not a pleasure cruises either. I planed 6
days to get to Phoenix, but this plan turned out a little different. First Valencia (the
Spanish version is a bit more exiting, I promise you). It was thanks giving and I was
invited to have diner with a family. After a day uphill, leaving the coast, this was a
very welcome present. Everything changes as soon as you leave the coast: humidity drops
(below 50% !!), the temperature rises and you won't see any green until.... (? Texas?
Florida?). The desert starts actually as soon as you leave the coast, that turned out to
be my 'killer'. I went on to Pearblossom where I could sleep in someone's RV, including
diner, but never-the-less, this was a very heavy day: a lot of traffic, no shoulder to
bike on, hot, uphill, dry, no water, headwind, I was sick of it (read this twice if you
have plans to bike here). But I would give it another day, up to Hesperia. Same story....
and it's hard to explain what it is like, but for example the car drivers: they are
freaking maniacs. It's like the play the game: 'Hit the biker, with care though......'.
There are not really rules for the came, as long as you just hit the guys on two wheels. I
won finally, but this was not what I wanted for another 600 km to Phoenix. The day to
Joshua Tree National Park was the limit: No desert for Alex anymore. There was only one
problem: I was right IN the desert, how do you get out? I spent a day in Joshua Tree NP to
see these weird trees, which was nice. The only way to get out of the desert was to ride
to Palm Springs, one long day riding, so I did..... About halfway, just after I got both
tires flat (some days it just doesn't happen.....), it happened.... There are people who
don't believe in coincidences. Well, explain this: you are in the middle of nowhere, and I
mean NOWHERE. I decided to take a coke (favorite energy), so I stopped at the (there is
only one) gasstation. And who was smoking his cigarette there: Udo, with who I biked 3
weeks in Oregon, two months ago!! That was so great!! Imagine, he supposed to be far more
south in Mexico, and I far more east in Arizona!! The big desert is a small world...... He
was heading to Joshua Tree, but basically with the same problems like me, he decided to
turn around and ride back to Palm Springs!! We spend 3 days together, relaxing, talking,
and having fun. From Palm Springs we split up: he took the bus to LA, I to Tucson. 600 km
through the desert, via Phoenix, brought me to Tucson, to Andy. I met Andy on my first
day, June 10th in Fairbanks. We kept in touch, and now, 6000 km and 6 months further we
meet up again. Tonight we go out in this great student city: I look forward to have FUN,
cause that's why I came for........
| Date |
|
Dist. |
Cum. |
Avg. |
| 25-11 |
Valencia |
72 |
7490 |
17.5 |
| 26-11 |
Pearblossom |
88 |
7578 |
18.3 |
| 27-11 |
Hesperia |
73 |
7651 |
17.9 |
| 28-11 |
Joshua Tree N.P. |
121 |
7772 |
18.3 |
| 29-11 |
Twentyneign Palms |
82 |
7854 |
19.6 |
| 30-11 |
Palm Springs |
104 |
7958 |
19.8 |
| 03-12 |
Tucson Bus |
|
|
|
Five weeks to go before I go home: 1week Arizona, 1 week New Orleans, and three weeks
Florida with Inge. Not much more biking, just see the US and relax. Back home is the real
world waiting...
|
|
Saturday morning I left Andy at 6 in the morning to
catch my train to New
Orleans. Amtrak (www.amtrak.com, I took the sunset
limited) is a very
convenient way of traveling, it's like 1st class in an airplane. The train has a
restaurant, bar, lounche, etc. The trip was 2500 km and took about 40 hours, never been so
long in one vehicle... Through New Mexico, Texas I arrived Sunday late in New Orleans,
Louisiana. New Orleans is a very nice and pretty city. It reminds me of Paris in a lot of
ways. Has not much to do with the other boring US-cities. Famous Bourbon street and nice
parks, Jazz music on the corner of the streets, it's a great city.... Tomorrow night I
head on to Orlando, Florida. Another 20 hours by train. Saturday I'll meet Inge for the
last 3 weeks of my trip (so far).
|
|
Back in Holland.
Sorry
for not writing for a while, but here I am, back in Holland. I left New Orleans with 10
hours delay caused by a train accident. Late at night, after another 20 hours by train, I
arrived in Orlando. The city of entertainment. The next day Inge flew in from Holland so I
picked her up from the airport. It was great to meet up again after not seeing each other
for 3 months. Lots of stories to tell. In Orlando we did the classic things: Disney
World, Universal Studio's and Kennedy Space Center. It was good fun and such a difference
compared to cycling alone in the dessert of California. I felt like born again !! But
after 3 days in this plastic world, we'd seen it, so took the car (what a convenience..)
up north to St Augustine, the oldest settlement in the USA. We went down the west coast in
Florida via Tampa, Clearwater (best beach in the US !!), Ft. Meyers to The Everglades
National Park. We came to see the alligators, and yes, they are all over, like the
mosquito's. The park is beautiful with lots of wildlife, good scenery, but the mosquito's
are almost as bad as in Alaska. And that is not fun. Inge turned out to be very allergic
for the mosquito's so we quit after two days heading to the Keys. It was 4 days before the
millennium so all campgrounds became crowdy and expensive, but we found a spot on Key
Largo. The planning was to celebrate millennium on Key West, the southernmost point of the
USA, but the place was soooooo popular that it was hard to find a place to camp. The
cheapest motel room went for $255, we could finally crash for $50 in a shitty corner of a
campground 5 mi. away from Key West. The Keys are beautiful. All Keys (little islands) are
connected with bridges, 45 in total. The sea is very clear, you can dive, snorkel, sail,
it's a paradise on earth. A tradition on Key West is to see the sun set at the end of the
day on Mallory Square, followed by a big applause from the crowd. And that's what happened
on the 31st of December as well. The last sunset of the 20th century of the most southern
point of the USA. Celebrating New Year was great. Everyone is out on the streets having
fun, drinking beer (it's forbidden to drink alcohol on the streets in the rest of the
USA), just wearing a T-shirt and shorts. The place to be is Sloppy Joe's, the pub where
Ernest Hemingway often went to. There was one BIG (America's BIG) organized fireworks
which was great. At 3.00 hours we went to bed.
The next day we left up north to see a bit more of the other keys. We did some snorkeling
of Key Largo and went up further north to go to glamorous USA: Palm Beach. Home for the
rich Americans: Donald Trump, movie stars, etc. Expensive cars, jewelers, fashion
designstores, and not to forget: the traffic jams around the golfcourts. Our final
destination would be Miami Beach. Characterized by Art Deco architecture, Miami Beach is a
great place with good beaches, good nightlife and guaranteed sun. We met up with two
friends from Holland, Charlotte and Jeanine. We had good fun during the last 4 days of my
trip. On the 11th of January 2000 we flew home..... 7 Months USA/ Canada, end of a story,
end of a dream. In total I traveled about 20.000 km, 8.000 km by bike, appr. 3.500 km by
train, 9.000 km by car, appr 700 km by boat and appr 800 km by bus. It was good fun,
but I love to go home...
Epilogue: 3 weeks after Happy to go home ? Mixed feelings: it's great to meet family and
friends again,to go out with friends, to have normal bed, good food (!!), no 'always on
the road' feeling anymore, not alone anymore, no muffins, no Mc Donalds, Burger King and
Wendy's, flat tires, Americans asking the same questions all the time.....
But on the other hand: End of a dream, jalous on the friends who are still biking (good
luck guys !), end of freedom, back to rhythm. So, what shall I say: home sweet home is not
too bad, I had seen it. Would I ever do it again?
SURE !! |
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