6/20/05 Day 1, Bellevue to Tacoma, WA, 55 miles

I spent my sweet time weaning myself from my parents’ house, where I had been hungrily nursing for the past 7 months, and really, for the past 28 years, with occasional breaks for travels and studies. I had originally planned to leave a week earlier. It was actually a bit emotional, because I knew that this goodbye was different than all the others. This goodbye had a sense of permanence to it.

As I finally hugged my mom goodbye and took off down the street, I felt a very real switch. I was on my own... Old chapter closed... new chapter begun.

The ride itself was mostly flat and easy. I followed the Eastern shores of Lake Washington into Renton, and then followed the Interurban Trail through Kent, Auburn, and Pacific, before cruising west into Tacoma.

I made my first stop in Renton at Jet City Espresso, where I was graced with the first of what I'm sure will be many kind gestures from strangers. Paul, whose wife owns the place, bought me an Odwalla and a delicious muffin on the house. He and Norman, a regular, told me about the Interurban trail (which I hadn't even known existed) and helped me find an access point. Thanks guys!

By the time I got to my sister Renee and her husband Dan's place in Renton, my whole lower body was numb. I was greeted to my little nephew Jesse running down the street to greet me. He and my niece Heather found it hard to believe I rode all the way from Grandma's!

We had some dinner and watched the movie Hitch, which was pretty darn entertaining, but that may be the endorphins talkin... day 1, complete!

Note: The pictures below are all from day 1.

The jalopy... locked, loaded, ready to go blang**

With brother Ryan and hot neighbor mom-daughter combo Anita (blonde) and Aneka (brunette) at Crossroads mall patio, my favorite hangout for sipping coffee and contemplating the renaissance....

Mile zero...minute zero... average speed... zero

my first wildlife spotting!!! Looks delicious to my calorie starved tummy! Stew anyone?  

My first road angels, Paul and Norman at Jet City Espresso... guiding me to the Interurban 

Jesse before...

Jesse after...

The ridiculous view from Renee and Dan's place in Tacoma... a sight for sore legs...

Day zero 6/19/05 - preface

I'm biking downhill (south) from Seattle to LA. It's really a roundabout journey to graduate school for me. I'm starting a grad program in psychology at University of West Georgia in August. I'll be hopping on Amtrak from LA to Georgia.

What possessed me to do this? I can distill my motivations to two words: fear and fear. I fear staying in one place too long and I fear taking the pedals off my bike to ship it via plane. What if I could never re-attach them? What good is a bike without pedals?

Special thanks for inspiring me this trip to: Loco i bici, who I met in Nicaragua last November on his way from Quebec to frickin Argentina. He's in Peru at the moment. I bought him a 2 dollar lunch and he gave me the scoop on bike touring. His website is http://www.thebikechick.com/loco

Also big thanks to Performance bike shop in Redmond, WA, my unofficial sponsor and official second home. I bought my bike (Jamis Coda Comp) and most accessories there, all at reasonable prices and with price-less advice and good cheer along the way. We even had some spirited debate about religion and the meaning of existence! How many bike shops can claim this distinction??

Ok, enough babble for now. I'm leaving tomorrow morning. There's lots of packing yet to do. First stop: Tacoma, WA to visit my sister and her family.