A look back at my 2022 touring season

The Bantam at Crown Point, during the Midweek Gorge group camping trip, 15 Oct 2022. Camera: Ricohflex Dia Film: Kodak Gold 200 As the first real rains of autumn hit the Northwest, and the chances of getting "one last camping trip in" diminish, now is a good time for me to look back and reflect...

Another islands tour ahead, and how the rest of the touring season will pan out

Emee on the ferry, from our 2019 San Juans Trip After my first bike overnight trip to the cabins at Stub Stewart in February, I was getting the itch for more bike camping. I even wondered if 2022 could be similar to my 2012, where I had lots of overnights and tours. But besides a...

Champoeg post-report: A de-briefing on my first (tent) bike camping trip of 2022

St. Louis Church, 7 April 2022. Olympus 35 RD/Kodak TMAX 400 My first tent bike camping trip of 2022, to Champoeg State Park, happened just about two weeks ago. (My first bike overnight was in February with Emee to Stub.) Even after bike camping and touring for the better part of two decades, the first...

Will my 2022 be like my 2012?

Myself and my loaded Surly Long Haul Trucker, ready to depart for my PDX-Oly-Astoria Tour. 30 May 2012 It's nearing the end of February. I've already done one bike camping trip, and am itching to do something soon. And like the last few years, my "work life" will be mixed between part-time stuff with Emee...

Oregon Coast Bike Tour 2021: Reflections

Emee and I overlooking Yaquina Bay, Newport, 14 August 2021. Olympus XA2/Kentmere 400 It's a little over three weeks since Emee and I wrapped up our Oregon Coast Tour 2021. This is a good amount of time to reflect on this trip. If I was going to give it a star rating, I'd say 3...

Reflecting on Touring during these interesting days

https://youtu.be/ny81vcxTZQk The legendary British Tourist Ian Hibell on British TV ca. 1975. I love his kit! Those Carradice Bags are supposed to be custom nylon ones he got made. Unfortunately Ian was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Greece in 2008. It's a common practice for those who are into bicycle touring to think a...

Is touring season over?

I probably mentioned this before, but one of my favorite aspects about working at the hostel is running into touring cyclists. Unfortunately this year the number of touring cyclists that have stayed there has been abnormally low. Now it's not because there are less touring cyclists, but because the hostel (and most lodging facilities in Portland)...

It’s been three years since the Big Tour…

I'm not always one for making a big deal about anniversaries. Half the time I even forget about them. But with summer now in effect, it made me realize that my big Cross-Continent Tour was three years ago. How time flies. Some days it feels like I just got off that tour, on others it...