my first ever road post, and my first ever post from my new phone. having a web browser and keyboard in my pocket is kind of a strange feeling, and has a a balance of both good and bad; it’s a handy tool, but also a substantial source of distraction.

regardless, we’re currently at ainsworth state park on the oregon side of the columbia gorge. yesterday we woke up stupidly early at jace’s house in portland, loaded up our bicycles with gear, and headed out. we took the max blue line out to gresham – damn light rail is such a good mas transit experience. from there we headed west, dropped down to cross the sandy river, and then started our climb up the historic columbia river highway. the fog and clouds broke somewhere after crown point, and suddenly we were basking in the clear sunny skies of centralish oregon. we ended up going all the way to cascade locks, which included riding on the shoulder if the interstate and traversing some steep stairs as well as a six mile section of abandoned highway, restored for bicycles alone. once there we deservedly and lazily laid about in the grass and watched barges go by. and then ate the most delicious food (as it always is) from a little hamburger and ice cream stand. bacon cheeseburger and chocolate peanut butter shake for the win!

with an eye to our schedule, we came back downriver to ainsworth, once again traversing the freeway and stairs. we showed up just in time to get the already paid for site of some folks leaving early, in a full campground. win!

today we ride back over highway 30 into portland, harass jace further, clean up and ride downtown to see spamalot. i’m excited!

i don’t normally think of myself as a man who is “workin’ for the weekend”, but the past few weeks this summer has definitely felt that way.

last weekend was intended to be a whirlwind adventure, sadly it opened with a whimper rather than a bang. instead of being able to take the train down and attend the “copious drinking” portion of my 10 year high school reunion, i instead found myself standing incredulous at the train station discovering that the amtrak cascades had all just been cancelled. with that portion of the plan removed, i went straightahead onto preparations for the 2007 black bbq, and joyously biked down to big time brewery to pick up a pair of pony kegs in my trailer. that is always good for some positive attention, and as i piled ice atop the kegs at the ghetto safeway even passing fratboys looked on in awe. the bbq was executed flawlessly, and this year i didn’t even have to learn any new lessons about mixing of intoxicants, and the resultant unmixing of stomach contents.

i did get a ride down to portland with the crew as they left, however. my mother, bless her heart, made me a delicious birthday cake in anticipation of my arrival that weekend, and i fortunately arrived before it had gone to waste. i took advantage of the weekend to show off my shiny new camping gear, pick up a shiny new macbook for the carolines and take a whirlwind visit to the fairgrounds with big jon and rosie. in less than two hours i consumed a peach milkshake, an elephant ear, kettle korn, and a corndog. and that on top of my birthday cake lunch!

the extremely brief visit to the fair was excellent, the sights and smells and tastes all at once restoring neurons that dwindle ever-so-slightly more with each passing year. i can still remember the old fairground layout, with our trailer down the dusty gravel road from the cow barns, and the smell of dried grass and fresh chipseal as i played gijoes and filled out voltron and gobot coloring books. visiting this place each year brings those memories back to the surface, firing tiny charges of electricity through the neurons and hopefully keeping them active and close at hand for when i want a fond memory to reminisce on.

this past weekend i went with .83 up to monte cristo for some bicycle camping and general outdoor hooligannery. we hiked to poodle dog pass and silver lake. i met some interesting folks, slept under the stars in my hammock, and took some photos that you might enjoy. as for now, my legs are tired, and this blog post has gotten long.