Day 1: Pacific Coast to Portland

Cape Disappointment Washington to Portland Oregon – Warmshowers

Day one done! This morning Erik and I woke up and drove to a gas station to pick up a few Cliff bars for the start of my ride. I didn’t have a real breakfast, which turned out to be a mistake later. Initially, I wasn’t exactly sure where on the coast I wanted to start my ride, but after searching google maps last night, I found the perfect spot. At 8:30 a.m., we got to the the parking lot of a coastal bike path – “The Discovery Trail”  leading to the coast on Cape Disappointment. Once I saw the name of the beach, I knew it was perfect – and it was anything but a disappointment. Half walking / riding my bike down the bike path to the beach, I turned to Erik and said that I hoped this wouldn’t be the best part of the whole ride. We turned off the paved road and started down a deep sand pathway to the ocean. I put my bike in the water and Erik and I did a little photoshoot to document the beginning of my journey. There were a few trucks out on the sand by the cliffs. I wonder if they had any idea what they were witnessing the start of? I rode my bike out from the water and onto the beach before it was clear I was not going to be able to ride across the sand. So I walked my bike most of the way back to Erik’s car before saying goodbye and starting off on my journey. Glad it worked out that Erik and I were able to drive across the country together!

So, starting at Cape Disappointment, Washington, I traveled along the coast for a while. I crossed into the second state of my trip early in the day, getting into Oregon by way of the long Astoria-Megler Bridge. After this bridge, my navigation was trying to take me onto a converted railroad track right along the Columbia River. Unfortunately, the path was mostly uneven wood and made riding a bike over it a nightmare. So I checked my maps and decided to go alongside the path,  basically taking Highway 30 all the way to the end of my ride for day 1 – just outside Portland, Oregon. 

Along the way, I had lots of cool views of the Pacific Northwest, but I quickly realized that hills are much harder loaded up with all my gear! This was the first time I was riding with everything strapped to my bike. I realized that I had only ever tested each bag and water bottle mount separately, never all at once. It took a minute to adjust to controlling the heavy bike all loaded up. I got a taste of just how hard this trip was going to be very early on. At about 40 miles into the ride, I got to the top of one of the rolling hills and pulled off onto a small side road. I got off my bike, laid it down and just flopped on the ground. I remember thinking to myself, what am I doing here! Why is this so difficult!? All I want to do is quit! Slowly, I realized what was happening – I was bonking, and I was bonking hard! I dug around in my pack and fished out some food. I had bonked like this once before, on my first century ride when I attempted to do a full 100 mile ride without food. When you bonk, you don’t only get physically beaten, mentally, you just collapse as well. I remember thinking that there was no way I was going to be able to do 100 miles today. I even remember thinking there was no possible way I was going to make it across the country – but I couldn’t give up on day 1! Maybe I’d just have to reframe my goals – just getting to Sophie’s house in Colorado by August would be a great accomplishment. Luckily, after eating a little bit and resting there for almost an hour, I started to feel better and grow more positive. Someone drove by on the small side road asking if I needed help and I told them I was just taking a rest. Finally, I got back up on my bike and kept pushing on. Next time, I definitely need to eat way more! I think part of the problem may have been that on the drive out West Erik and I didn’t eat much, as we didn’t feel hungry just sitting in the car all day.

For the rest of the day, I powered on – taking on more hills and pushing forward. I felt much better after the rest and I felt confident I was going to be able to get to my hosts for the first night on the road. Using Warmshowers, I had set up a stay with a couple living outside of Portland. Ray offered to meet me on my route and drive me up the steep hill to his home. After a rough first day, I gladly accepted the ride. I met him just over the Sauvie Island Bridge – off the Highway and onto Sauvie Island. It was a longer ride than I initially expected, but I was so glad to cross over the bridge and see Ray waiting there for me!

Ray shuttled me to his home where I met his wife Kathleen. Ray and Kathleen (and the entire Warmshowers system) is amazing! They set me up in their guest suite and I took a shower before they took me out to eat in town. We went to a Mexican restaurant and I ordered the only logical choice on the menu – a GIANT BURRITO! They have an amazing home and I was so happy to have a nice place to stay for my first night as I adjusted to what this journey was really going to be like. Ray and Kathleen helped to put me at ease, making my post-ride experience as easy and comfortable as possible. I did my laundry and got some ice cream before going to bed! It was a really tough first day, but it ended great! If I meet more people like Ray and Kathleen this is going to be a great trip. View Photos –>

Distance: 106.85
Time: 7:56:03
Ascent: 3914
Descent: 39