I WAS READY TO POUND DOWN A COLD CHOCOLATE MILK, DAMN IT...I MEAN, DARN IT! Like with my motorcycle trip to Mexico and Central America, people always want to know the hairiest and scariest story. With my motorcycle trip, I am always happy to report it was amazingly wonderful...as if one angel was passing me off to another angel and that, unlike the popular propaganda, the people of Mexico & Central America were very sweet, kind and humble! I only had to deal with a Frenchman who peed on my motorcycle seat...long story that you can find in my blog. borderblender.tumblr This trip has been similar in many regards, but quite different in many regards. I have amazing stories that illustrate peoples wonderful kindness and stories I have written about. But I have just one story that happened yesterday I have to share, which surprised me and was almost comical. I had just ridden up a very steep mountain pass in the Redwoods and saw a log cabin on my left side tucked in the Redwoods called Confusion Mountain Store. As I pulled in there was a couple saying goodbye to the shop manager or owner. The couple were probably in their late 60s and were moving very slowly and hadnt even left the handrail. So I pulled up and as I was dismounting the shop owner, well call him, said to me, Slow down! You almost took these people out! And then I heard the lady say, No you were fine! I said, Pardon me? The shop owner said, You were looking ahead and spaced out! My immediate reply was, Sir, I have ridden ALL the way from Alaska, I have 100% awareness of trucks and cars going by me at 60-80 mph, Im not about or even close to taking these kind folks out! Now do you have a bathroom? And after the bathroom, Im looking for some chocolate milk! I couldnt help but laugh to myself, as I made my way to the bathroom! I could have at least sounded a bit more intimidating and demanded a beer, but no...I actually was demanding a chocolate milk! I bet that had him shaking in his boots! As I came out of the outdoor bathroom and back inside the cabin, the shop owner said he didnt carry chocolate milk! So I settled for a nice hard, stiff ice cream sandwich and kindly thanked him and walked out. I think that guy must still be wondering what the hell just happened? Okay so for the crazy, hairy story(ies) of my trip. Besides the rain everyday for the first two weeks up in Alaska, the Yukon and BC., which isnt hairy...just a constant downer, depressing, melt the enthusiasm out of ones soul. And besides sleeping in the woods with one hand on the pepper spray and both ears open and one eye open, as you hear EVERY crack in the woods, I came out completely whole! Now all of that put aside, here is my one crazy and hairy experience. I was about to cross this bridge before Eureka, Ca called Humbolt Bay Bridge. Bridges are always very hairy to cross, because of the surface, the wind and traffic. There was this very narrow18 inch high sidewalk, which was sort of okay for walkers, but the side rail was quite low and the water below was quite far! So I decided to stay my coarse on the traffic lane. As I was crossing, I could see from my helmet mirror, a very large motor home barreling down behind me. So I snapped my right foot out of my clip less peddle and came to a complete stop and hugged the high sidewalk. The motor home passed and then a logging truck with maybe a few feet to spare, but that few feet seemed like inches to me! So I made a quick change in my strategy. I quickly hoisted my 80 lbs bike onto the high and very narrow sidewalk. The wind was coming across my left and then gusts from my right. As I remounted my bike I looked down to my right and far below was the bay and the, so called, rail came up to my thigh as I rode. If a gust of wind had taken me to the right, there was nothing there to catch me. If a gust of wind had taken me to the left, the high drop off would have landed me in the traffic lane and probably not upright. To make matters even worse, there were these temporary metal construction supports from the railing side every six feet. I had to be careful that my rear panniers didnt catch one of these, because that would have taken me off of my lazor guided path of precision. As I rode over this bridge, I fought with absolute focus! Every fiber, every sensor in my body was called onto duty with promised overtime and double pay! The sensory overload took me back to laying in my tent in the Yukon, in the middle of the night after hearing footsteps in the woods. Only this time the visual was water 300 feet below on one side and logging trucks and motor homes on the other side, with gusting winds in the mix! I made it across safely, but feeling like I had calculated the wrong call. In hindsight I should have stuck to my original plan, but ridden more in the lane and just let the traffic deal with a dude making his way from Alaska to the Mexican boarder! Needless to say, I was ready to down a cold chocolate milk!
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 11:33:36 +0000
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