Walking & Biking Across America
In and around Oregon, United States
Hello all,
I wanted to write the perfect email, to tell you precisely what I'm doing, explaining elegantly why and answering all of your questions beautifully and succinctly. None of us are perfect and I least among us, so instead you have gotten none at all. It hasn't taken this long for me to write that perfect email, it has merely taken this long for me to give up on the perfect email and just do my best.
On February 19th I am flying to NYC and after a short visit... walking back.
I am 26 1/4 and have no children or spouses or as much as a dog, so it's now or, honestly, never. Most people ask why. Why would such a clever young woman attempt such a fool hardy endeavor? Is it for a cause? Is it with a group? Why not on a bike? Why not go to Europe? Anything but the slow, lonely drudgery of the United States. I am indeed going alone, but if you read further, you're about to be invited.
I first imagined this a decade ago, though what I wanted then I don't really remember. This is what I want now. I want an adventure. I want all of the things that I cannot predict or prepare for. (In that perfect email I now wax poetical about the predictability of our daily lives-somewhere someone will die, a pet will be rescued, they will both make the news, the beer will be good, the service forgivable, the food greasy, the tree will come down, the tree will be planted, the building expanded, the man voted off the island and in a year no one will remember any of this.) I want to put myself out where I might experience the unknown. I want to test myself with difficulty and learn something about myself from the struggle.
I am moved by every story I read about families taking this same trek in the dust-bowl, gleaning corn from abandoned fields, poor Irish children gathering coal from the lanes and surviving on sugar water. The people who brought this country into being, from those who picked biscuit-root on the hillsides, those who picked cotton in fields, those who had to leave their belongings in Europe because they wouldn't fit on a boat, those who had to leave their belongings along the trail, because they wouldn’t fit on the wagon, those who had to leave their families in Mexico so that they might cross in greater safety- they survive with something to say for it. In comparison, my little trek with my bank account and health insurance and gps unit will never know even this hunger or hardship or danger, but this much at least, I must do. For me it is not a trip with a goal, but a pilgrimage. It is about the journey.
I will be un-safe. That gives many of you pain and I know that. But part of this mission is to accept my un-safety. So much effort is put into making ourselves feel safe when we surely never are, no matter what we do. I will be more safe than you, by refusing to get into a car- think of that! But more do I feel that it is not only my right, but my duty to be unsafe. This push for safety has turned to sterilization and barricades and fear and it turns us away from each other. If we see a person on the side of the road, whose instinct is to pull over and ask if they need a ride? If we see a person bleeding, whose instinct is to rush in and help?
It is not for a cause. In that pilgrimage sort of way, it is very selfish. If on my worst day when I am sunburned and covered in mosquito bites and haven't been sleeping well and the rain soaked all of my belongings and even the rice is soggy and I've had my cell phone stolen, I might just say 'screw breast cancer, and damn the starving children in Africa with AIDS, I'm going home.' But if that day came and I felt so bad, all I can say is, who will I be? Will I cut and run or will I keep on? ... that said, keep reading... (See, my perfect email was short, this email is long.)
I want to fall in love with America, step by agonizing step. Now, you don't have to love America, or even like it. That's our right, being Americans! It may not be the greatest country, some may even think that it's one of the worst, but it is mine. In the last decade I have heard, with equal pain, people claiming to love America and doing and saying horrible things in its name or to its people, and also those frustrated by the former threatening to flee to Canada. In both I see a terrible lack of understanding or willingness to understand or even appreciate what a wonderful gift we have. The worth of a nation cannot be balanced on its government or its political policies. It can only be measured by the quality of it's people and if you think you're one of the good ones and you want to go live somewhere else with all of the other good ones... I don't know. and who knows, maybe I'll hate it by the time I'm done, but at least I'll know.
And I fear, it does have to be walked. Anything else is what everyone else has done and the scale is skewed. Sure, there's Boston, and pick your Civil War battlefield, and Graceland, and Chicago and then straight on through to Rushmore and swing by Yosemite on your way to San Francisco. Yay! What a country! (See the cynic wasn't supposed to show up in the perfect email.) But you see what I'm getting at. What happened to one of the largest nations in the world?
So where will I go? Funny you should ask. If only it was easy to see the little line that I'm drawing across the screen right now, or any easier to attach my maps to this email... sigh. But I'll do my best with words. I'll leave New York about the first of March. (If you live in or near the city, we'll have a party down at Coney Island for my official dip my toe in the water send off and you should come.) I'm going to cut west in to NJ, then across Pennsylvania through Lancaster and Gettysburg, skimming one of the skinny parts of MD and into Virginia. I'll be heading down the west side of Shenandoah and then cutting back east to hit Roanoak, VA and joining with the Appalachian Trail and riding that into the Great Smoky Mtns. I'll then head west through Knoxville and on to Nashville, TN and cut up through Land Between the Lakes, barely clipping KY and IL and crossing the Mississippi at Cape Girardeau into Missouri. I'm veering across MO to Independence, where I hope to be on July 4th! Hooray! (Actually, even if I'm not there in time, I will actually bus to the border to catch back up by the holiday. It's great to have a grand mission, it's another to be in the Rockies in November.) From there I will be following the Oregon Trail as closely as I can through KS, NE, and to Casper WY where I'll split, heading west to upper Teton NP and through Yellowstone into MT. I'll be ducking through the bottom corner of MT (which will still take weeks :) ) through Big Hole Battlefield and then to a new sort of adventure in Idaho. I lived for several years as a little tyke in Elk City ID, which is unfortunately the end of the road. In all ways. So I'll take Forest Service roads, really going back country from about Darby MT into Elk City. Here I hit Hells Canyon and do more of the Eastern Oregon Blues Mtns. I will mosey through my old stomping grounds in the Clarno Basin and greater Wheeler Co. and head through Madras to Corvallis and over to Newport where I will probably drop exhausted into the Pacific.
So about that great charitable cause... Giving is always easier if someone holds you to it, but I won't do that for you. What I'm going to ask you to do is give of yourself. Give small and give time. My frustration with how we as Americans and we as America deal with the world comes from us trying to solve all of the problems ever. Remember that thing about pointing out the speck in your neighbors eye and ignoring the debris in your own. We do that. For just this year, while I'm gone, if you're worried about hunger, don't try to fix all of Asia's problems. Go, your very self to the closest food bank and donate. Put yourself physically into the closest trouble to you. Volunteer to help LOCAL school children with their reading. For just now, don't try to liberate the women of the whole middle east, don't try to house everyone in the gulf coast region. Volunteer at a local women's shelter, see what you can do to support the homeless in your own town. Honestly, we should all start a little closer to home even than that. Contact the family member that you haven't spoken to in ages. Read with your kids instead of watching the TV. Tell your father that you love him. Make art. Clean up your heart. Strengthen your family. A strong family can give heartily to the community. One healthy community can lend support to another. And right here in America we could begin to be a country worth loving. A country of people that have faced our problems and didn't divert them or run away from them and prevailed. A nation that might then offer help to another.
So that's the email. I hope you made it this far. I'll send more info about how to contact me and keep up with me. And don't be afraid.
-Erin
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Rodent
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1
Me and Mamie O'Rourke
The Pilot:
In which an exhausted girl from the sticks with a 34 lb. backpack finds herself in New York City; having so many options and so fe... Continue reading »
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2
A very big city
Last night, somewhere in Brooklyn, a woman asked me for directions to Metropolitain Ave.
I watched the Oscars at the house of a sort-of famou... Continue reading »
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3
on my way
Because pedestrians are not allowed on the Verazanno Narrows Bridge, I took the ferry. Arrived in Summit New Jersey. Staying with Nanny's... Continue reading » -
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mansions
Summit to Somerville New Jersey. Went to church in Summit. Headed to Watchung. Ate a large and late and fancy lunch at the only restaurant in town, ov... Continue reading » -
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wind
Walked just two hours to the other side of Somerville because I was a little tired and sore this morning. Very Windy! Continue reading » -
6
Camping at the Marriott
It was desperately cold and windy. I thought I would be blown over or have the skin peeled from my frozen face. The sun was out though and the... Continue reading »
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7
Window shopping
It snowed all day, lovely dry flakes and it was much warmer. I went just as far as the west side of Clinton and had a great day exploring and win... Continue reading » -
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onward to Pennsylvania
It was a beautiful day despite the cold. I got an early start, arrived at my lunch spot before 11 and made my 15 miles by 3. No fewer than three pe... Continue reading »
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9
hostel in Quaker country
My breakfast began with a baked pear in cream and ended with homemade cinnamon apple bread @ the B&B.
As I left Upper Black Eddy a man wo... Continue reading »
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10
on the road to Emmaus
The eastern PA landscape is littered with boulders. I think that is why so many buildings are built like stone puzzles.
I think I walked 17 m... Continue reading »
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11
my new favorite town
Week 2 blues.
I was very loath to leave Allentown. My hotel was practically in the middle of a freeway on-ramp. I determined to take back roa... Continue reading »
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12
families playing at the park
I assembled my will power and my gear and managed to start out by 9.30. I have found that every road here has 2 or 3 names. They have a county road... Continue reading »
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13
through Reading PA
I had myself a VERY lazy day. I took a bus- A PUBLIC BUS! - into down town Reading. I was told by the folks at the motel in Kutztown th... Continue reading »
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14
finally in my tent
On the way to Lancaster it was a little damp. I got a good start on the day but took it slow. In Euphrata, I was going to crash a Burger King (I’ve... Continue reading »
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15
time out
With my ankle still sore and the snow piling up, I decided to take a break and visit David and Molly Roden (uncle and aunt) in Alexandria Virginia.... Continue reading »
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16
Major Set-back
This excursion, which seemed to take off like a shot and purr along swimmingly has now stalled for a week- and for good cause. A combination of... Continue reading » -
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Idle, but never bored.
Still encamped with my family in Alexandria, I have kept myself fairly busy. Reading a lot and watching a lot of movies, but here a... Continue reading »
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18
Brick and Blossoms
After spending three months in Alexandria I ought to write an eloquent and thorough review of the town, akin to all the others that I passed throug... Continue reading »
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19
Somewhere on that southern greyhound bus
"I wish I were somewhere on that southern greyhound bus..." - song by Mollie Lewis
Today, after 2 1/2 months of healing my stress fracture an... Continue reading »
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20
Just your everyday American adventure
Slept a little, got a few more things and mailed some. Took a cab to the trail head.
I have seen 7 hikers and one trail volunteer. On the Ap... Continue reading »
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21
keeping track of eachother
Stayed in a shelter last night with some other folks. There was water and a privy but no cell service.
If you are charting my progress, I hik... Continue reading »
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22
nobo's and sobo's
Nearing the town of Narrows. Set foot momentarily in West Virginia. I’ve been sorta following a fellow my parent’s age the last few days. His name is... Continue reading » -
23
Having fun out there.
I have come in from the AT for two nights to hit the post office, the store, the laundromat and get a shower. Everyone in town is very unders... Continue reading »
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24
Feels Like Home To Me
Left Pearisburg this morning. It was wonderful spending some time with other hikers. We played a 3 hour game of gin rummy last night. This morning it... Continue reading » -
25
Thunder and Lightning
Everyone told me I had to check out the Woods Hole hostel, so after only 10 miles from town I did; just after 2 pm. It’s an old log home where the 89... Continue reading » -
26
Not so Bland
Swung into Bland to restock on food. More oatmeal, granola bars and hot cocoa mix and even some Little Debbies (which I forswore before the trip... Continue reading » -
27
God's Thumbprint
Staying in a cute stone shelter near Burkes Garden. They call it "God's Thumbprint."
Burke’s Garden is an agricultural paradise a... Continue reading »
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28
Summer
The AT is starting to feel like a good friend. A few days of farm fields, climbing over stiles and hiking up and down hills- it all starts to... Continue reading »
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29
the Grayson Highlands
Everyone told me that this was the most beautiful part of the whole Appalachian Trail. They just may have been right. It flanks Mt. Rogers... Continue reading » -
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Friendliest Town on the Trail
It is not a lie or any form of exaggeration. Damascus is really quite small, but its citizens bend over backward for hikers.
I reached... Continue reading »
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31
Erin and Bess get baptized
Departed Damascus on my bike on the 29th. My new bike is a 'heavy commuter' made by Specialized. I named her like the state I bought he... Continue reading »
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32
Slept in the church
The hostel I was shooting for last night was closed because the owner was sick. Some nice ladies let me stay in the church in Pippa Passes (K... Continue reading »
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33
an American holiday
Hey Yall. July 3, Morning was terrible with hills but the last hour or two was just beautiful. Made it safe and sound to Irvine. Stayed in a... Continue reading »
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34
Birthplace of Lincon
Friday the 6th- It has been a beautiful day. In the morning it was even a little cool. I’ve definitely left the mountains and am in farm... Continue reading »
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35
strength and flat=more miles
The city park in Hodgenville was listed as a good place to camp in the guide but in the morning the gate was locked behind me and I lost an hour tryin... Continue reading » -
36
meanest dogs, friendliest people
Next day I zoomed through Whitesville and made it to Sebree: it was my longest day yet: 77 miles.
Here are some notes about riding and Kentu... Continue reading »
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37
Goodbye Kentucky, Hello Illinois!
A perfectly lovely day, but hot. Got a good start this morning before the other bikers at the church even woke up. They must be on a schedule where... Continue reading »
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38
taking time for Harry Potter
Yesterday I was tired and hot and a little lonely. In the evening though I found a nice little deserted campground that was free to bikers. Another... Continue reading »
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39
I'm feeling like Tom and Huck
Got a nice big hotel breakfast and hit the road. It was fairly flat for most of the day and intermittent clouds kept off the sun. Somewhere in the... Continue reading »
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40
the accent got away from me
A really nice day. Not too hot, and there were even a few flat spots. So far Missouri is just beautiful. I rode through wineries most of the aftern... Continue reading »
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41
Blessed are the good people of Belgrade
Today I got a pretty early start and arrived in Belgrade at 10:15 and decided to wait around until church at 11. It was a very friendly congregation a... Continue reading » -
42
legs of steel
This is my right leg. Today, with the assistance of my left leg, it propelled me about 60 miles through the Ozarks of Missouri. Despite repeated 50... Continue reading »
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43
taking a break
On Monday night I received a message from a dear friend from college whom I have not seen in a few years. She lives in Chicago and agreed that we shou... Continue reading » -
44
back tracking
My glimpses of St. Louis were much shorter and less significant than I had hoped, and yet I found myself stuck there longer than I had hoped. The A... Continue reading »
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45
windy indeed
The best and most precious woman ever, my good friend, lives in Chicago and I got to see her beautiful face. Forgive me, Chicago, but your other tr... Continue reading »
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46
back in the saddle again
On Sunday I enjoyed a wonderfully normal domestic American day. Some family friends I haven’t seen in 20 yrs live near Jeff City and they picked up... Continue reading »
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47
'Away- I'm bound away across the wide Missouri.'
I think I have finally reached the real mid-west. The hills require down-shifting but not panting and I haven’t had a sweet tea in over a week. If... Continue reading »
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48
Oregon Trail
I think I’ve seen every corner of this metropolis. From the sprawling million dollar subdivisions in the SE, via some remaining farm land, straight up... Continue reading » -
49
'So long, Ma, I’m Oregon bound.'
I’m now following the Oregon Trail through Kansas. Apparently these plains were once just expanses of grass where now they are farms and forests. F... Continue reading »
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50
Topeka
Following the Oregon Trail and will be for a long time, so I'll stop mentioning it. Topeka is lovely. I rode around down town and stopp... Continue reading »
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51
rain, gravel, frogs
Leaving the campground by the lake, the sky was dismal, but the real bummer was discovering that the roads I had planned to take to St Mary’s were loo... Continue reading » -
52
We're not in Kansas anymore.
I'm not in Oz but Nebraska.
Let me tell you the best news first. Nebraska is flat. Wonderfully, gloriously, mercifully flat. I can see so mu... Continue reading »
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53
Flash flood warning
It rained and there were thunderstorms over night, but it seemed that most of that had passed and I pedaled off in anticipation of a very long but... Continue reading »
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54
the plains
In Kansas the cows were all afraid of me. Where everywhere else the cows might look up at me, unamused, the Kansas cows would jump up and actually run... Continue reading » -
55
In which I find I am not alone on the island.
Heavy head winds. Such is life. I was surprised to find the convenience store I stopped at packed with people. A long line of high schoolers pickin... Continue reading »
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56
potluck - no luck needed
I swung through the town of Cozad on Sunday morning – to find a little church to crash. Right next to the Presbyterian church was a park where people... Continue reading » -
57
one more time zone behind me
Topography! Near the town of Sutherland I encountered 2 exciting new things: Mountain time, and topography! After a week of complete flatness, Western... Continue reading » -
58
county fair
In Bridgeport, Neil and I camped by a little man-made lake and even took a swim. I thought it would be fun to swim out to the island in the mi... Continue reading »
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59
Register Cliff
This morning we crossed into Wyoming. I’m in the west! The plants have begun to change now too. There is sage and rabbit brush, yucca, ponderosa and e... Continue reading » -
60
horns and thorns
Converse County claims to have the highest pronghorn population in the country, and we saw a few herds today so I believe it. No good pix though- sorr... Continue reading » -
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good days - bad days
In the cool Douglas morning, I got my mail and Neil put his bike into a box and left on a greyhound back to Ogallala. It was so good to have him along... Continue reading » -
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63
prairie dog towns
I had another flat leaving Casper. No biggie, but c'mon. They said there was nothing out here and they were right. Most of the dots on the map are not... Continue reading » -
64
'Still you don't expect to be bright and bon vivant so far away from home.'
This has been my longest day so far- 84 miles. I started pretty early from Riverton, but all day the going was quite slow. I’ve left the vaguely uphil... Continue reading » -
65
'And I find myself on the mountainside, where the rivers change direction across the Great Divide.'
Climbing climbing climbing! Slow and steady. I can’t tell you how it feels to be back in amongst the mountains. If I could just capture the smell of t... Continue reading » -
66
Grand Tetons
What a wonderful glorious day! I started the day by flying. Still coming down off of the mountain, just cruising downhill on these straight stretch... Continue reading »
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67
'The girl does what she wants to do.'
Just having a vacation here. Wound my way up the Lewis river canyon watching the osprey and red-tails cruise on the breeze. Stopped to watch a moose o... Continue reading » -
68
I'm in Montana now
Before I hit town, I stopped by the Madison River- with a bunch of other folks- and watched a herd of elk mosey along the shore. They made the strange... Continue reading » -
69
"happy, happy, happy by myself"
Following the Madison River Northwest from Yellowstone. It is so cold. I’m bundled up like it's March in New Jersey. Stopped at a little cafe for l... Continue reading »
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70
A Western Movie
Leaving Ennis I had to go over a pretty good pass over the Gravelly mountains. A lady took some pictures of me. I wasn’t sure it was of me until I... Continue reading »
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71
Lewis and Clark Country
Short day in miles but I began with a flat tire and had ludicrous head wind. more later. Continue reading » -
72
'They will see us waving from such great heights.'
Passing through long valleys with wheat and cattle. I had to go over 2 major passes, but I try to keep in mind that every foot up is a credit earne... Continue reading »
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73
detour
'There’s a long black cloud hanging in the sky honey.'
Another crisp cold morning, but even at that hour a thick layer of smoke hung in the f... Continue reading »
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74
August Frost
The Bitterroot Valley. The morning ride along the river was frigid but beautiful. I woke to my tent and panniers covered with frost! Having a... Continue reading »
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75
Fond memories.
On my arrival in Missoula, I met up with an old friend who showed me around town, got me oriented and settled in a hotel. I had... Continue reading »
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76
'You can't make new old friends.'
On my way through Lolo I visited with another old friend that I went to first grade with. She's married and has a young daughter and the whol... Continue reading »
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77
'Geezers need excitement. Common sense. Simple common sense.'
I swerved and swayed along the river all day. I'm not even sure which one it is anymore. I think it was the Lochsa and the... Continue reading »
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78
'It's my home, my old home! I've just come across the smell of it, and it's close by here. And I MUST go to it, I must!'
Those lines are from Wind in the Willows, when Mole is forced to pass by his old home and leave it behind. Today I rode up the rode into Gran... Continue reading »
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79
“Do not hasten to bid me adieu.”
The storm clouds came to rain and a little lighting show. It's so nice to wake up indoors to a cool cloudy day of riding. I had a climb to get out... Continue reading »
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80
'Letting the days go by- water flowing underground.'
I had a lovely river ride toward New Meadows. Met with my Scottish friend again and we rode together for a while. He... Continue reading »
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81
'Starting to change somewhere out in America.'
One last big mountain to climb into Hells Canyon! I'm no longer either amused or shocked by big climbs, head winds, small to non... Continue reading »
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82
'And I'm there looking up at the sky.'
I woke up early in the dark in Halfway and saw a little crescent moon hovering bright on the horizon with Venus just as bright near by... Continue reading »
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83
'I'm careening down! Winding the canyons now!'
I had three 5,000 ft passes to get over between Baker City and John Day. They were really only 1000-1500 ft climbs each tim... Continue reading »
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84
'There must be something more to us than you and me.'
Had a lovely flat ride to Dayville. Sat in the park and looked at my maps. A young couple on a tandem with a dog in a trailer stopped as well and s... Continue reading »
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85
'Take me home to the place where I belong.'
I dawdled in Fossil for a little while, looking in familiar shops before riding to camp. Along the way, I blew kisses to all of the canyons I have... Continue reading »
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86
'It's a long way back to the place where we started from.'
There were some serious hills to climb for me to get out of the John Day River basin and drop into the Deschutes basin. The day was sunny and clear... Continue reading »
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87
'and the soles of your shoes are all worn down- the time for sleep is now'
Cold and cloudy all day. A few hills to keep me warm, but mostly I pressed through to Redmond so I could find a place to stop and thaw out. Found a cu... Continue reading » -
88
'I've stopped my rambling.'
Freezing cold this morning-literally. I rode out of town (Sisters) with socks on my hands over my riding gloves. The sun was out between the trees,... Continue reading »
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89
"It's been so long since I've seen the ocean... I guess I should."
Never has anyone woken to a slug, just a few inches above their head on their mosquito netting, and been as elated about it as I. ... Continue reading »
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90
'Gee, but it's great to be back home!'
What a bizarre feeling. Packing things into my panniers. I put things in different places today- after how organized I have... Continue reading »
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