Portland

I am in Portland with a feeling of serenity and peace. My trip here seems filled with serendipity and and God. I messed my scheduling up so bad coming here, I somehow forgot about two days. I will now spend them in sunny beautiful crazy lovely Portland.

I was trying to find someone to host me for my birthday weekend and was meeting no luck. But I sent one message out to a guy named Oceah, who was great and messages back. He would be away for the weekend, but he thought he could find me a host who would ensure I had a great birthday! Also, as I managed to get my dates all crazy, he could host me the first night I was in Portland.

I got my Portland places to stay hooked up, just as I arrived into Longview, WA, which is the next town over. Anita, Mark and Scalani were great. Anita made this huge vegetable rice dish for me, which was like heaven on earth, my body has just been craving all the vitamin goodness. We also talked for hours. They have fabulous world views, we're really interested in mine and had great things to share with me. Anita works for the police where her co-workers are appalled that she invites strangers to stay at her house. She also has a business in healing and making pillows. Mark fixes and installs robots that operate in factories. I got to learn about how sneakers are made, and how they custom make the ones for athletes. We also had a good chat about 3D printers and art. Scalani is an animal warrior and loves them to death.

I have been cycling the number 30, which is also known as the Lewis and Clark route. Of course I wonder what Native Americans made these trains centuries prior to the explorers showing up. My cycle into Longview had head winds and a few good climbs, one of the summits told me it was 665 feet, the other two climbs didn't tell me.

Yesterday I was also on the 30, but it was fairly flat and I had tail winds a good portion of the way. It was also sunny and simply gorgeous outside. I felt God sending me to places I needed to be. I also saw the creator in nature talking to me and teaching me things.

I did have an interesting mishap. I managed to snap the bolt that was holding my seat together about 20 miles from town. I managed to sit onto of my upside down seat that was bungeed to my cape and then onto my rap trap. I thought of hitch hiking, but the world was smiling, I was having fun so what the heck. I got into town and to a close bike store by the directions of a fellow cyclist just as the not having a seat seat was becoming less fun. Unfortunately the bike store didn't have the bolt for me. They did send me to an auto parts store and I have a 79 cent fix that mostly keeps my seat on. I plan to head to a community bike store this morning.

So far I'm having a great time in Portland. O each fixed us up some expert sandwiches, we went out to this tea/beer place where I met my weekends hosts(they seem awsome and they are taking me to a double birthday party sat. Night, so I am getting a birthday party!) and then we went back and I made cookies. It's time to start exploring.