Victoria, BC to Portland, Oregon

I crossed from Victoria, BC to the US by ferry.  I landed in the town of Port Angeles in the US which is on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. The Olympic Discovery Trail took me all along the northern coast of the peninsula. 

A 'free produce' exchange along the Discovery Trail.

 I met a lovely elderly lady called Sandy who was out riding her bike on the trail. She explained to me how each 3 mile section of the trail has been adopted by a local family who take care of it. This involves cutting back the bushes/trees and keeping it free from litter. She was on her way to her Tai Chi class 10 miles away so we cycled together and chatted. She was really proud of the trail and said she moved to this area 12 years previously because of it. I made sure to compliment her on her 3 mile section that she and her husband had taken care of for the last 12 years! She told me she was a member of a national organization called Rails to Trails working to convert old rail tracks into bike trails. It made me wonder how networked such groups are at home in Ireland.

Not quite sure what this is, but found at a farmers market
on the Discovery Trail.

While on the trail I stopped at a farmers market called Sunny Farms. A lady approached me and asked all about my bike and my trip. She was American but originally from Hungary and had biked all through Europe when she was younger. She insisted on paying for my groceries. $11.46. She remembered being shown all sorts of kindness while on the road herself and wanted to pay something back. I had been in the USA for all of about 4 hours when this happened. A lovely gesture of welcome to America. 

It's coming into Halloween season.

As the trail finished I turned south along the Hood Canal in the direction of Portland.

The journey from Victoria BC, Canada to Portland, Oregan, US was a total of about 400 miles. I decided to do what the Romans do when in Rome and switch my bike speedometer to miles. It’s painfully slow compared to cycling in kilometers, but I guessed that it made more sense as all the signs here are in miles.

Lou and his wife Amelia were my first Warm Showers hosts. Lou found me a little stranded on the road as night was falling and so gave me a lift up the steep 1 mile driveway to his house. The following morning I had to get to work fixing my first puncture. One puncture after one day of cycling. Hmmmm.

WS host Lou had recently biked on his rather unusual
recumbent bicycle 4500 miles across the US.

WS host Amelia and the dog, Mr. Bear

The Hood Canal also provided the first opportunity for some wild camping. September seems like a really nice time to camp in Washington. The days are long and sunny and the nights are cool but not cold.

Beautiful spot along the Hood Canal.
Slept, cooked, swam.

Chaz was my second Warm Showers host on this route. A planned one night stay turned into a two night stay due to an invite to go flying. I kid you not. He took me up to about 8000ft and I saw Washington State with its forests and waterways unfold beneath me. We even flew over Bill Gates’ house/compound in Union. What a treat.

WS host Chaz takes me flying in a Vans RV-9/9A

A view over Washington State.

First proper campsite. Pitches were beautifully located
in the forest.

From Olympia to Portland Google maps took me on lovely back roads which intertwined around the I5 (interstate highway). I camped for 2 nights right by the highway in ‘proper’ campsites. But at $25 per night I won’t be doing that too often. I hear that campsites along the Oregon and California coasts are a lot cheaper.

Highlights:

• Going flying of course
• Finding my penknife. It was in my tent. I knew I couldn't have left it in Navan
• Oh and also fixing a puncture for the first time in my life

This week I learned that:

Both whipped butter and a Washington craft beer called Irish Death – are gorgeous!

 

Whipped butter. Light and fluffy.

Irish Death. A Washington State delicious dark ale craft beer. 

I’m reading:

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

I watched:

Virgin Galactic Spaceship One flight on YouTube (thanks to Chaz, the Warm Showers host who was nuts about flying).

I’m listening to:

RTE Documentary On One – The Irish refugees of Glenstall Abbey.