last set of photos are up

So I'm back in London now and am gradually being reintroduced back into society. I've stopped sleeping outdoors, eating 5000 calories a day and hiding my food before going to sleep every evening. I have to admit I miss the cycling, but I don't miss the camping.

The photos from the last part of my trip are up now, enjoy!

Heading back to the UK

I'm in San Diego airport, I'm all checked in and ready to go. I'm
definitely ready to come home now, looking forward to a break from the
nomadic life! I arrive back tomorrow - probably to the news that Obama
has been elected. Sad news that his Grandmother died the day before
his big day.

I've really enjoyed San Diego, mainly because the hostel was so good.
I've never really enjoyed staying in hostels so I wasn't looking
forward to this part of my trip. Actually it was great, I met loads of
good people, they had events in the evenings and volunteers came in
and cooked healthy 3 course meals for $3. Halloween is a big deal here
so everyone got dressed up and we went out to see a reggae band. They
are putting on an election night dinner tonight with a lecture on how
it all works (and as the results come in - i didnt meet many mccain
supporters there!) and I'm a bit jealous of all the others getting
ready for that as I was leaving. It's the hostel in Point Loma by the
way - check it out if you go to San Diego.

Thanks for all the messages on my last post - greatly appreciated :)
I'm going to organise dinner at the Bonnington Cafe in Vauxhall a week
after I get back so hopefully some of you can make it.

Finished!

I crossed the Mexican border into Tijuana today so that's it - I've
cycled from Canada to Mexico, and can now hang up my dusty cycling
shoes for a few days and relax on the beach in San Diego. I'm staying
here until I fly back to the UK on Tuesday.

I checked into my hostel yesterday so only had 25 miles to ride today,
but most of the route was through very busy city streets and the
traffic was stop/start the whole time so it was slow going.

It was quite surreal finally arriving at my final destination after
pedalling for so long. I was through to the Mexican side in no time,
didn't have to show my passport - just wheeled my bike through a
revolving gate and I was there. I had a beer and as usual people came
up to talk to me and ask questions about my bike and where I'd
started. It's a bit like being a minor celebrity!

Getting back to the US wasn't quite so easy. I had to queue for 2
hours, luckily I met someone in the queue who drove me and my bike
back to the hostel otherwise I would have had to cycle back in the dark.

So now I feel tired from the ride, slightly hungover from a night out
with people from the hostel last night, but really happy that I made it.

I'll put a few more photos from the final leg of the ride up tomorrow.

Sent from my iPod

I survived LA

The ride wasn't as bad as everyone made out, though there was one
crazy section where the pacific highway went by the port. I was
reminded of Ridley Scott's vision of LA in Blade Runner, heavy
industry as far as the eye could see. Lots of huge trucks zooming past
and no shoulder to cycle on, nice!

I actually ride out of LA tomorrow, but have done the hard bit now.

Sent from my iPod

LA tomorrow

I'm in Malibu at the moment, have splashed out on a more expensive
campsite (well it's an RV site with a few spaces for tents) so have
wifi and a hot tub.

Tomorrow I'm going to be cycling to Huntington beach in LA. According
to both the guidebooks I have and every cyclist I meet LA is the most
stressful place to cycle through in the known universe. One thing I've
learnt this trip is people do tend to exaggerate dangers/difficulty of
hills/quality of fish tacos from out of the way delis so we shall see.
Probably famous last words!

I'm likely to be staying in a motel tomorrow night so should be able
to post an update.

Sent from my iPod

Camping with the Hollywood A list

The place I was camping last night was called El Capitan State Beach.
Across the road is a resort called El Capitan Canyon which does
boutique camping with yurts that cost hundreds of dollars to hire for
the weeked. One of the other bikers on my site went to the grocery
store there, there was an guy with beard, hat and sunglasses who was
talking talking quietly and attracting attention to himself as he was
trying to stay incognito. Turned out it was Joaquin Phoenix. Lots of
Hollywood types go there apparently. Thing is I'm sure we bikers had a
better view as our site was right on the edge of a cliff overlooking
the sea - and it only cost us $5 a night!

I also found out that the fire I rode past a few days ago closed the
road a day later so I'm lucky I made it though in time. You can get
through another way but it's quite hilly.

Sent from my iPod

And now the end is near

Yep, I've almost finished! I'm in Santa Barbara having a day off, then
I just have 5 more cycling days to go. On Sunday i'll be in Malibu, on
Monday I'll be in the centre of LA then on Wednesday I'll get to the
Mexican border.

I've done all the major hill climbing now. I thought yesterday would
be an easy ride with only one high, but gentle hill. It's quite hot
during the day now though so I was completely knackered after the
first hour of riding. And only days before I'd been cruising over
much bigger hills in the appropriately named Big Sur - that was
definitely one of the highlights of the ride.

As I was riding through Big Sur I saw a couple of helicoptors in the
distance. When I got closer I saw they had huge buckets hanging
underneath which they were dipping into the sea and then flying over
to a fire that was just over the hill from me. I thought I'd come to a
foggy bit of the coast but it was actually smoke from the fire.
Luckily the road was still open, as was my campground.

Have seen lots of wildlife over the past few days, there was an
elephant seal colony that have taken over a whole beach, there must
have been hundreds. I have some video of them to put up when i get to
a computer. From my campground I can see dolphins in the bay. I
thought about joining them for a swim but the water is seriously cold.

I still need to find a place to stay in LA, there's a hostel that all
the bikers normally stay at in Huntington beach but it might have
closed as their phone number is disconnected. Looking round for
alternatives makes me realise that all I know about LA is through
listening to hip hop, anyone fancy a night in a hostel in Compton? Me
neither!

So I'm going to confirm the day I'll be flying back on Sunday. I'm
hoping to get a flight on Saturday 1st Nov, but if there's no
availability I know I can get one on Tuesday 4th (meaning I'll be back
on the 5th). And my ride won't quite be over until I get back to the
UK as apparently it's not too hard to cycle from Heathrow to central
London ...

Big Sur

Have just arrived in the famous Big Sur and am having a coffee and
contemplating the hilly 30 miles I still have to cycle today. It's a
smaller place than I expected, apparently its population is only 1000.

It's nice not to worry about the weather any more. It just doesn't
seem to rain around here at all, the worst it gets is a little foggy.
Mornings and evenings are chillier than I expected though. No fires
are allowed in the campgrounds around here, which is fair enough
considering the amount of damage fire does to this part of the coast.

The campground I wanted to go to this evening - Pfieffer Big Sur - is
shut because of fire damage, so I'm pushing on to Kirk Creek campground.

Last night I stayed in Veterans Park which is basically a campground
in the middle of Monterey. There were signs up warning of 'urban
raccoons' who have no fear of humans. Sure enough I was woken at 2am
by the sound of one of my panniers being dragged out of my tent porch
by one of the little buggers! Normally they don't touch your stuff if
it's that close to where you are sleeping. Turned out I had left some
trail mix in there so it was after that.

Santa Cruz'ing

So I've managed to get a huge 80 miles out of San Francisco, time for
another day off I reckon :) I cycled through town on my way to the New
Brighton Campground yetsterday evening and really liked the look of it
so I've decided to have a look around.

As I was cycling through town this guy on a bike asked me if I needed
directions. I told him where I was going, he showed me a shortcut and
then offered to give me a driving tour of the area. I'm meeting him in
a minute.

I bought an iPod touch when I was in San Francisco, partly because I
was missing music (I now have Brady's collection!) but also to make it
easier to get Internet access. Everywhere has wifi but nowhere has
computers so it was getting really frustrating.

Sent from my iPod

More photos added + some other blogs to read

Some more photos for your delectation, and some blogs by people I've stayed with/met:

Greg in Vancouver - http://lunchatthevillage.blogspot.com/

Doug (I'm in a few of his photos) - http://www.rompingground.com/

Fernando (have to use Google translate as unless you speak Spanish) - http://www.ciclocleto.blogspot.com/

Back on the road tomorrow

I've been in San Franciso since Saturday, it's been good to have a decent amount of time off the bike and see a lot of this city. It's also been good to see Brady (it had been 10 years!), and meet his wife Kate.

On Satuday we went to a night that was part of the Litquake literary festival and saw various writers doing readings while drinking (they were doing the reading, we were doing the drinking).

I've also been to check out the famous Haight Ashbury district, which turned out to be a bit like Camden but did have some good record shops, and had a look round the Mission district which is the Hispanic area of the city.

So I'm off again tomorrow, it will be a short ride to my next destination - Half Moon Bay - which is supposed to be beautiful. I think I've got about 10 days riding until I reach the Mexican border. I was thinking about heading into Mexico for a few days as I've been making good time, but there isn't anywhere good to go in that kind of timeframe. The famously dodgy Tijuana is the town just across the border, which isn't a great option. If you have more time you can cycle down Baja California but you have to go a bit of a way before it's starts getting nice.

In San Fran + added photos

A really quick post to say I've arrived in San Francisco and am at Brady & Kate's place. It was pretty cool arriving in the city via the Golden Gate bridge, lots of groups of cyclists on ultralight expensive road bikes were out on their Saturday morning ride and I got lots of rounds of applause and cheers when they saw how much stuff I was hauling up the hills!

About to go out with Brady on a ride round the city. I've started uploading a few photos to Picasa and have added a slideshow gadget to the blog. There are only about 5 photos there at the moment, I'll upload more tomorrow.

Hippyville USA

Crossing over the state line into California everything seems a bit different. There was actually border control coming in from Oregon which suprised me. There are all kinds of things you're not supposed to carry between states, including fruit and veg so I thought I was going to get frisked for contraband bananas. We (I was cycling with Will and Douglas at this point) got waved down and the border guard told us some of his own cycling stories, gave us some keychain LED lights and sent us on our way which was quite nice.

The further we get into California the more hippyish the towns seem - lots of organic food places and hemp shops all over the place. The towns are also bigger (a lot of the places I passed through in Oregon had a population of about 300!). The campground we stayed at a couple of nights ago had a grocery shop outside that had a club night going on with a DJ (playing 100% Dynamite type music) and a ska band, this place was in the middle of nowhere! The shop owner had set up an agricultural dam full of water in his back garden so people could lie on it and watch shooting stars - it's like a huge water bed big enough for 10 people. The water was warm as it had been a sunny day, it was really quite relaxing to lie there (with the group I'm cycling with and various locals) and have a beer. I saw a shooting star too.

I have tonnes of good photos at this point - I'm going to put them online when I get to Brady's place in San Francisco which should be on Saturday.

I is halfway!

I'm staying on a campground just outside Eureka, 900 miles into my trip and I reckon that's about halfway which is a bit of a milestone. It's also easily the equivalent of cycling Lands End to John O'Groats.

The weather has cleared up now which is a relief. There was no rain yesterday, and it's supposed to be sunny today. Last night I stayed on a campground in the redwood forest - it was called Elk Prairie I think. I didn't see no elk, though Douglas did, when I met up with him at the end of the day he had photos of a whole herd (is that the right collective noun?).

I haven't see that many animals so far actually, living ones anyway. Have seen plenty of roadkill, don't worry I haven't succumbed to the temptation yet. I'm sure a raccoon I saw yesterday was really fresh though, still steaming.

Have been cycling a bit with a guy called Wolfgang who is originally from Germany , but has lived in Vermont for a while. He has just cycled from Vermont to Vancouver via Alaska, he is now cycling down the Pacific coast like me, then he is going to go into Mexico - down through Baja California then over to the mainland. I'm not sure how old he is but he's retired with 3 grandchildren! He was telling me one year he traced the route of the tour de france - keeping 3 days ahead of the riders the whole time. Quite an impressive guy.

So I'm heading back into the redwoods again today, I'll be cycling some of the avenue of the giants today and camping in the redwoods again tonight.

A quick post to say

I'm soaked! It really bucketed down last night and my tent ended up in a small pond. Felt like I was back at Bestival.

Day off today in Brookings so haven't quite made it to California (5 miles to go). Will get there tomorrow and start encountering some serious hills as I go through the redwoods (one hill is 7 miles long and climbs to 1200ft).

Banjos and raccoons

It's been a little while since I've last got to an Internet connection as have been cycling every day since I got to Oregon. I've got rid of the map at the side as it wasn't updating properly and I always tell you where I am in my posts so it was a bit redundant really!

After staying the night in Astoria last Thursday I set off for Manzanita but stopped 15 miles into the journey by heavy wind and rain. I found a hostel to stay at in Seaside for the night then set off the next day in beautiful weather. I've cycled every day since because you have to make the most of the weather while it's good in this part of the country.

The cycling has been fantastic - lots of hills but amazing dramatic views of seastacks and huge sand dunes. I've been camping every night in Oregon as it's only $4 a night if you are a biker and the campsites are really good. There was a particulary good one called Cape Lookout that I wish I'd stayed a bit longer in.

I've also met a few more bikers doing the same tour as me, we tend to agree a campsite to head for then cycle alone during the day and meet again in the evening. Will from Washington has brough a banjo with him which is good to hear around a campfire. The raccoons were out on force last night and managed to get into Will and Douglas' panniers and eat all their food which was quite funny.

So I've now done about 700 miles I reckon and should get to California tomorrow. One of the first places I'll get to is the redwood forests and the Valley of the Giants which should be a highlight of the trip.

Goonies never say die

I arrived in Astoria last night (after a thorough soaking which was my welcome to Oregon!). I met another cyclist doing a similar route to me yesterday so it was good to compare equipment and experiences.

Apparently lots of movies get made in Astoria, there seems to be quite a local industry around the fact The Goonies was filmed here. You can go and see their house from the beginning of the film (and Data's house next door), and the school from Kindergarten Cop is next door (that will be a special moment for me). In less happy news the lady in the information centre told me Chunk died from a drug overdose aged 32. One truffle shuffle too many .... (sorry!).

So I will actually be a pacific pedalist from today as I head down the coastal road. I'll keep you updated ....

I do believe I'm getting a bit fitter

I've just arrived in Longville which is a bit of a hole (think one big trading estate) but it's a handy place to have my day off the bike tomorrow as I can get a train into Portland and have a look around.

Anyway the big news (for me anyway!) is the cycling is getting easier as my body seems to be reluctantly adjusting to the fact it has to power a heavy bike up and down hills all day. I've really enjoyed the last couple of days cycling. The roads have been quiet and the views have been great. I'm now 350 miles into the trip so feel like I have covered a good bit of distance and am looking forward to getting to the coast (should get to Astoria on Wednesday). I've actually only got about a days cycling before I get to Oregon).

Stayed in a great hotel last night - the Olympic in Centralia. Loads of character (it's over a 100 years old which seems ancient over here), very cheap and free tickets to their in house cinema which is actually an old theatre and has sofa's with table service instead of cinema seats.

I've been meeting people all along the way which is nice. Having a fully loaded touring bike is a great conversation starter and as people in the north west are into the outdoors in general people are very enthusiastic about what I'm doing.

OK I'm off to find some food. I might put some more pictures up tomorrow if I get the chance.

Setting off for the coast

I've spent 2 days in Seattle which has been fun. We went to see a dodgy band at an even dodgier venue called The Comet, I drank a lot of coffee (but managed not to go to Starbucks once which is quite a feat in this town) and genrally had a relaxing time. Thanks a million to James and Stasha for putting me up, being great company and cooking me some delicious food.

I'm off to Shelton today, and I plan to be at the coast (Astoria) by Wednesday then I can start the Pacific highway. It's raining for the first time today so I'm going to take it sloooow.

Hopefully I'll be able to post again within a couple of days.

Got to Seattle ....

And I've finally found an Internet cafe so can do a longer post! I got to Seattle yesterday evening after cycling about 60 miles from Port Townsend. James and Stasha (and Castro the cat) have just got a place here right next to the University of Washington (it's called the U district).

The cycling has been quite hard so far. I'm carrying a lot of weight on the bike which makes hill climbing a lot more difficult than normal. I reckon it'll take me a couple of weeks to get up to a decent level of fitness. I'm on schedule though as I'm not covering that many miles a day at the moment. The cycling gets much hiller when I get to the Pacific coast (I'm starting it in Astoria). I'm going to go through my bags and see what else I can get rid of to lighten my load. I've also lost just under half a stone despite constant snacking and big meals.

Crossing the US border was quite quick but I think the guards there feel like it's their job to give you a bit of a hard time.

Guard: so which way are you cycling down to San Diego?
me: highway 1
Guard: there's no highway 1 on the west coast it's in the east
me: you know, route 1, the pacific highway
Guard:
me: well whatever you want to call the road that goes down the west coast, that's the way I'm going!

Once I got over the border I got lost and couldn't find the road I was looking for. Someone in a bike shop told me afterwards that they've changed all the roads around in preparation for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010.

I'm cycling to Shelton next. I'll try and update this blog as often as I can, they don't seem to have Internet cafes in small towns but apparently I can use the Internet in public libraries.

OK photo time...

Whale watching in Anacortes


.











A view taken between Bellingham and Anacortes














Arriving in Seattle

Quick post from coffee shop

Hi all - quick post, I'll write more if I find an Internet cafe later (I'm in a coffee shop waiting for the ferry from Fort Casey to Port Townsend at the moment).

All is fine so far apart from losing my phone in Vancouver! I have a new (ridiculously cheap) US mobile. I should be in Seattle tomorrow (Wednesday) night and will probably go and stay with James and Stasha.

I was expecting to be able to Internet from Anacortes yesterday (where I had a day off the bike) but there were no Internet cafes! I went whale watching and saw plenty of 'em.

Hopefully write more later + I have lots of amazing photos. Weather has been absolutely perfect so far.

The bear wanted him. He was going to eat him.

So I've arrived and am at Greg's place - thanks to Erin and Greg for coming to pick me up! Much appreciated guys.

And thanks for all the comments and advice everyone - very encouraging. Anyone know if it's possible to configure blogger so I can reply to comments?

Went to Greg's parents place for dinner last night as it was his brothers birthday. Everyone was talking about a bear that had attacked a fisherman after jumping into his boat. This happened just up the coast and it's all over the 'quality press' this morning. I was also given plenty of advice on how to deal with different animals that I might encounter when I'm camping. Unfortunately in my jet lagged state I think I've mixed it up a bit so I can't remember if I'm supposed to let off an air horn at a skunk or stand my ground against a bear. And raccoons can gang up on you apparently.

I think I'm going to set off on the ride on Saturday. Perfect cycling weather that day, around 20 degrees, clear skies and hardly any wind. Until then I need to put my bike back together, buy a few bits and pieces (yes including bear spray Liz), and have a look around Vancouver which incidentally looked beautiful when I landed yesterday.

OK well I'd better start doing stuff then. By the way Greg, this sums up your cat perfectly

Finally off!

It's been a long time coming so I can't quite believe it's finally come around but I'm flying to Vancouver tomorrow lunchtime to start my cycle ride down the pacific coast.

Most of you will know about this because I've been going on about it for ages but for those who don't - I'm cycling from Vancouver to San Diego, following the coast as much as I can. It's 1800 miles which at the moment looks like a scary number. I've got 2 months to do it, I'm cycling alone and am camping/motelling/staying with friends along the way.

You'll be able to see roughly where I am on the map on the left.

I had the idea about a year ago after reading an article by a couple of guys who were cycling around the world for Friends of the Earth. They said the bit they were looking forward to the most was the west coast of America and I thought that sounded like a great idea. The guide I'm using for the trip is the Lonely Planet one which has all the maps etc I should need.

When I arrive in Vancouver Greg (my old flatmate from Guildford) is picking me up from the airport and is putting me up at his place. I'll spend a couple of days there and then set off.

I'll let you know how it's going - all comments and encouragement welcome :)