Oh boy...I've put off writing this entry because I didn't (and still don't really) know how you tell you all this. The ride a damn bike team of Maggie and Lani has been dissolved. We all got to San Fran and after some careful deliberation decided that we weren't fit to tackle the next half of the trip together. That's not to say we got into a huge, ugly fight and hate each other now...that's not it at all. We came to a very, very (almost surprisingly) loving conclusion that, as travelmates, Lani and Me just weren't working. I think for me, my needs and expectations for the trip are just different than Lani's...but that's not to say that one is better or worse...oh no...just different.
Tamara and I spent a few days in the hostel after her bike was stolen and decided that her and I wanted to continue on together...so the next day we said goodbye to San Fran and kept on going......only to have the skies open up on us and we were forced to stop in the suburb just outside of San Fran called Daly City. We sat around and tried to figure out what we were going to do for about an hour until we came upon a Church carnival and decided to get dry and get our wits about us. As it turned out Tamara wasn't super keen on riding her free bike, the same bike she was warned might break apart as she's flying down the 1, and I was feeling tired, but anxious to keep traveling. After a lot of deliberation and soul searching we have decided to ditch the bikes and travel backpacker style the rest of the way. We are still working on the pumpkin farm and going to explore Big Sur, en route to San Diego...it's just the means of getting there that has changed.
I know a lot of you are going to be all "WTF? I thought this was about riding a damn bike?" and maybe you're right, but I don't really agree. My goal for this journey was to experience new things, rediscover myself and learn about the beauty that exists in this world and I have and I feel like all of that has lead me to this decision. I don't feel like I'm giving up, mostly because I'm not, I'm still going to be traveling and am even more excited about where I will go, how I will get there and what I will do because now I will be even more mobile and "free". I love to bike, it was so spiritual for me riding the 600 miles from Oregon to Northern California and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything, but the bike was always something I had to worry about and after a month of riding, it was wearing me down. Tamara's bike being stolen was a wake up call and a gut check...I found myself almost wishing my bike had been stolen, just so I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. I was constantly checking on it, tire pressure? chain lubed? brakes working? pannier attached? chain broken? I want to travel now and feel free to go anywhere and do anything and not have to worry about how I'm going to get 200 pounds of stuff there with me.
So that church I mentioned earlier, the one with the carnival, well we ended up talking to the priests that live in the rectory next door and they offered to let us stay a few nights to sort out the bikes and get out of the rain. Father Labib (he's from Lebanon and such an amazing soul) has been absolutely amazing, always making sure we are well fed and cared for...it's really restored some of the my faith in the church...really it has.
Where is my bike? Well...at the moment my bike is at Refried Cycles in San Francisco...they are going to try to sell it for me on consignment and then mail me a check. If I can't sell it within a reasonable time frame...well then I'll figure that out later. I have a feeling it'll work out though, I really do. Tomorrow one of the Padres here will drive us to Half Moon Bay to the Arata Pumpkin farm...and then from there.....
WHO KNOWS!?!?
Tamara and I have applied to work on an organic farm in Mexico, like Wwoofing, but not...just working in exchange for food and lodging in central Mexico. I'll let you know how that pans out.
I hope you all feel satisfied with my synopsis of the most recent events and will continue to read, as I'm sure the adventure is only beginning. As for the name RIDE A DAMN BIKE...well...it still applies...you SHOULD ride a damn bike and went I land anywhere for any real amount of time, rest assured, I will be riding my damn bike again. I love bicycling and the lifestyle that goes along with it...so the name shall remain.
