Today I rode to work

This morning I rode to work. It is easy to forget the daily commute, to accept that travel as wasted time. But not on a bicycle. On a bicycle, time passes wisely, with purpose. As I delivered myself through the city streets and into the Presidio, my ride became a dream. Into the cypress. Into the smoothness of the early morning. My bike was wildly quiet, as if it knew not how to emit a sound. Old steel on auto pilot. A good bike knows what to do. All around mist danced softly through the trees, whispering its way slowly east. Old cypress are not phased. They are tall and straight and the mist is their blanket. For centuries on end it has covered them. Their interweaved canopy has conspired to limit vertical airflow, trapping calm, changing light, creating space. Grassy meadows below beg for a wanderer. But there is no one. Only the lone commuter, passing briefly. To the left the Pacific reaches out but fades fast into the recruiting fog. Its texture and color are smooth, grey, uninspired. Further north, just outside the bridge, a single sunray beacon falls hard on the ocean, revealing a deep green blue that knows no boundaries. As I ride onto the bridge the sky opens to reveal the texture and majesty of the headlands. I've seen it a hundred times but it still feels new. For some reason, its always new on a bicycle. I want more newness. I want more road.


...I was feeling inspired by my bike ride to work, so I thought I'd share...

Ride350 Part II - The Route

Ladies and Gentlemen, Ride350 is back in action! This September, a group of dedicated friends will again hit the road and ride 350 miles from Astoria to Gold Beach along the Oregon Coast. We will continue to raise awareness about issues related to climate change. The federal government failed to act these last few weeks but all is not lost. This movement is from the ground up!

The route [September 12-17th]:

Day 1 - Sunday 9/12 - Astoria to Kilchis River = 66 miles

Day 2 - Monday 9/13 - Kilchis River to Neskowin = 52 miles

Day 3 - Tuesday 9/14 - Neskowin to Beachside State Park = 62 miles

Day 4 - Wednesday 9/15 - Beachside State Park to Winchester Bay = 57 miles

Day 5 - Thursday 9/16 - Winchester Bay to Cape Blanco State Park = 75 miles

Day 6 - Friday 9/17 - Cape Blanco State Park to Gold Beach/Rogue River = 38 miles