Cyclemen @ Westcoast

Back home

2008-08-31T06:09:00.000-07:00

Hi!

While Johannes went back to Vancouver for a month, I am back home in Germany and enjoying the nice summer weather!

Thanks to the few who read our unregularly updated blog from time to time. I hope you enjoyed it.
For me the trip from Vancouver down to LA (it's like going from Hamburg in northern Germany down to the most southern part of Italy) and the time in Mexico without the bikes, was indeed a great pleasure. I have to get used to a more normal life again :-)

The flight back home to Stuttgart was incredible: directly over Winnenden with a view on my little village and the construction of the B14.

cheers,

Ralph

California to Mexico

2008-08-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Cyclemen, friends and family¡

In some keywords our adventures of the last three/four weeks:

Cycling behind the redwood courtain in northern California - enjoying San Francisco at Franz´s place (Cyclemen N3) - visiting relatives in California - roadtrip to Yosemite, Berekely and Carmel - Cyclemen weekend around Big Sur - surfing in Santa Barbara at Marco´s (Cyclemen N4) - one night in West Hollywood (leaving the bikes behind) - leaving the Gringos behind: Backpacking trip in Mexico for relaxing and visiting friends in Puebla - Soutenance of Carlos and a big mexican fiesta

We arrived in California from the Oregon Coast, but unfortunately we didn´t leave the fog behind us during the first days in the Sunshine State (but still no rain !).

We decided in the area behind the redwood courtain (around Eureka) to stay on our bikes and not to open a second business as pot dealers - in two counties in northern California weed is allowed for medical use, therefore some guys surprised us with their answer to our request for an accomondation: Why do you want to spend money on a bed, give us ten bugs, you get some pot and spend a great night¡

We continued cycling through the redwood forest, ate heeps of black barries (this should only be the start of the fresh fruit time), hitchhiked with our bikes (in this case we like the Americans with their pick-ups) through the blackwood forest before spending our last energy to arrive at the Golden Gate Bridge (280km in two days - wenn`s mal wieder laenger dauert... Snikers & Cola - speeds up some people from 15km/h to >30km/h :)¡

It was just nice to arrive, after two weeks along the Coast, which is in the most parts quite spectacular, in a bigger city, that didn´t only consist of a Blockbuster, a Starbucks, a McDonalds, a supermarket and a library - to exaggerate - but that has more to offer¡

The weekend in San Francisco was really relaxing after the tough cycling days

and the relaxing period was extended by a nice stay at my (ralphs) relatives near Stockton.

We made Kaesspaetzle for 14people (all kids and their kids were present) and enjoyed the kind hospitality and the fresh fruits from the trees in the morning (figs, peaches, plums, grapes, pears etc.).

Our roadtrip to Yosemite was quite a change to the cycling weeks before. Within a few hours we changed from shouting on "Car-tourists" from our bike to "Car-tourists" in a jeep, taking photos of the landscape from the car. Quite a radical change! Yosemite was nice, with a nice stay on Galcier Point, but it wasnot as spectacular as expected and in the main valley there were just to many tourists. From Yosemite we drove back to Berkely and started the Cyclemen weekend on friday from Carmel down to San Luis Opisbo.

The acutal reason to cycle along the Pacific Coast for us are our two Cyclemen friends Franz and Marco. We used to cycle in a group of four guys (Johannes, Marco, Franz, Ralph) around in Europe. Franz is currently studying in Berkely and Marco is doing an internship in Santa Barbara. Two important motivations for us to cycle along the westcoast.

A really nice explanation of the Cyclemen in German is provided by Franz: "Die Cyclemen widmen sich der Erkundung fremder Länder, Sitten und Landschaften auf dem effizientesten und ökologischsten aller möglichen Fortbewegungsmittel: dem Fahrrad. In wechselnden Gruppierungen immer wieder on Tour seit Sommer 2001 sind sie immer auf der Suche nach dem frischesten Fahrtwind, dem aussichtsreichsten Zeltplatz, dem größten Essenseinkauf und der besten Gastfreundschaft."

To read more about the cyclemen have a look on the blog of our friend Franz and read in German about our Cyclemen weekend on the Westcoast: http://franzfromfrisco.blogspot.com/

(Thursday, 14th of august).

As it`s impossible to cycle for weeks along the Westcoast with it`s nice waves without lying or standing on a surfboard, we finally got the chance to get some surfing lessons from our friend and Cylemen, Marco - the Surferboy -, in Santa Barbara. Since the Carmel (200km south of San Francisco) the landscape became drier and drier on the Coast and finally in Santa Barbara the Sunshine State lived up his reputation: palm trees, sun and a Pacific Ocean that is not to cold to have a short swim! Even if some volleyplayers shouted, as we went with our swim suits to the ocean: "These must be Europeans".

As we wanted to visit friends from my studies in France in Mexico and discover a different culture, we left our bikes behind in Los Angeles, had a nice evening stroll with a friend in West Hollywood/Beverly Hills (where I could leave my bike-thanks-;we posted Hannes`s bike in a really small box to northern Washington (PS.: UPS managed to brake the frame on the transport !!!)) and started off for Mexico! Our initial idea for the bike trip was to cycle from Mexico City to San Francisco, instead of Vancouver-LA, but it`s just to hot in northern Mexico in the summer time. So at least a short visit of the capital, the colonial heartland of Mexico and friends in Puebla.

By entering Mexico many things changed.

Not only that we left the bikes, but also that there were no more (supermarket) chains, an incredible choice of fruits, lots of culture (> years), a new language (which often cut conversations to the elementary) and mentality and hiebs of other alterations which made life an adventure again...

After the first 3 Days in Mexico City and a lot of brain workout

(trying to remember just some of the >50 really strange names of Mexican goods) and a museum-marathon which highlight were the Frida Carlo house & pictures,

we didn`t participate in the Mexico City Marathon but left for Guanajuato.

We spent our day strolling around the narrow streets of the city, enjoying the fabulous views on this huge system of small colorfull houses, and the central American way of life.

Because of our quite tough schedule we left the same evening for San Miguel de Allende - the city where the mummies walk around (the Mexicans joke about the high part of white American (=US) population in San "Mikel").
It turned out to be quite the most touristy place we visited, so we didn t spent too much time between the souvenir shops of the city but relaxed a whole day in the hot springs near the city.

This recreation was quite necessary - because there were 3 days of fiesta coming up to us in Puebla...
We stayed at 2 friends of Ralph and especially because one of them finished his diploma there was a lot to celebrate, huge amounts of even more incredible food, and too much Tequila for me (but as you might know that doesn t mean much... :)

We were still half asleep when Carlos brought us to the bus-station
and 8:30 Saturday morning our bus to the airport left Puebla.

Now things went very quick - after an about 3h30 flight (which we almost entirely slept) we arrived in Houston.

Here we separated what had started 42 days earlier in Sidney when I got of the ferry and started to search him hiding in the port before I got the SMS that he was late...
Ralph continued 3 days in LA before going home and I took the plane to Vancouver where I am doing an internship for one more month before returning.

Tough expected it s a strange feeling to be on your own again after such a long time,
in which you had a good friend beside you 24h a day, 7 days a week.

I just wanted to say thank you for those days, that you made the possible, enriched them and shared them with me.

sunshinestate

2008-08-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

*uploaded new pictures*

after a really good time at the westcoast, at Franz in Frisco, the Ripkens and the Yosemite,
we had a fabulous weekend together (all 4 cyclemen!!! this reunion was one of the main reasons for us to come to the W-coast and also our accomodation with the hot-pots with sea-view was one of many things making it worth coming here ;-).
After that we finally arrived in Goleta (at Marcos) who s going to gave us some surfing lessons - great fun (quote Marco: "amazing, incredible, oh my good")

Lukily these storries about the Japanese current are true ant the sea really is warmer down here!

swimming olé!

all the best to you and good luck to the ones writing examens back home
or otherwhise nice hollidays

Johannes

Beach cycling along the Oregon coast as tour guides

2008-07-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

Hi Cyclemen and friends!

Just to give you a better overview of our trip, I give you a short resume of our route:
Ralph started a month ago in Vancouver, Canada, cycled around Vancouver Island, the Gulf Island and met Johannes 10 days later in Victoria to continue the Cyclemen Bike trip together. We cycled around the San Juan Islands in the United States, headed down to Seattle, did a loop around Mt. Rainier and slept pretty close in the "almost dead landscape" around Mt. St. Helens before spending a weekend in Portland (laid-back bike city) where we met two Canadians friends from Vancouver. Right now we're in Newport on the rough, but sunny Oregon Coast (sun for almost 4weeks now :-)) and heading for San Francisco!

Apart from some "blackforest riding days (similar landscape to the Black Forest in Germany), the landscape was especially around Mt. St. Helens just awesome - big earthquake and eruption of the vulcano in 1980 and all the trees in a 10km radius around are dead, a lot of ash and logging trees swimming in the lake. The road up to viewpoint on 1200m was closed for cars, due to washouts so we stayed (apart from some colibris and other birds) alone in this strange, but pretty place for a night. The sunset in west and the moonrise in the east and four vulcanos around. We were just impressed. After a couple of passes the force in our legs is coming back - a nice feeling!

I still try to get used to the size of this country (the States and Canada), compared to Europe. You just don't realise how small Europe is, when you're over there. And it's weired to see drive-In post boxes, banks etc. Policy: Try to get out of your car as rarely as possible. Quite strange so, because the majority of the people in the Northwest seem to have a heathly lifestyle and spend a lot of time outdoor. They are proud to be laid back and active. But even though, they drive their big pick up cars ;-)

The hospitality and friendliness of the people we met so far was just incredible!! It would take to much time to list all of them here... I got invited by a nice, soccer - familly from Victoria (or Scotland) on their campsite (where they spend each summer of over 20years) on French Beach and had the chance to taste the Smores (marshmellows with a chocolate biscuit), we both got invited on a beach to a birthday party with really nice food and people (but the questions are unfortunaltey always the same in the beginning: we are you coming from, where are you going etc.) and by Ben/Deborah to spend a night a their place (cycled just around France for a month) and via Servas by a nice familly in Portland!

The library internet time is over - so have a nice summer

We continue on our way to Frisco

Ralph

Portland or End of Washington

2008-07-20T00:56:00.000-07:00

After some really lonely days in the mountains we arrived in Portland
the last big city before the coast !!!
For the next days 2 Canadian guys (a word Americans seem to use for everything) will join us.
We had a wonderful stay at our hosts in Portland - really incredibly friendly people,
who organized us a perfect city tour :)
Thanks once again !

I also uploaded the latest pictures - unfortunately you have to click the "preview-pictures" shown at the side of the Blog to enter the web album (otherwise you ll just see the old pictures)
I'll fix it soon.

So far - hope to hear from you

Johannes

Sleepy in seattle ?

2008-07-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

finally we managed to upload the pictures of the 1. week

right now we are really enjoying ourselves (and the hospitality of some American cyclists)
in Seattle
and head next week towards Mount Rainier - so it s probably going to take some time till the next update...

so far all the best to you

Johannes

what s in the black bag man ?

2008-07-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

After having crossed vancouver the second time by bike
(and having had my first glitch)
I catched the ferry to Sidney, where I finally met Ralph.
It's our first cycle tour together for the last 3 years, so I am really enjoying his company.
Me too, by the way (ralph).

And as usual he managed to cheer up the both of us.
passing from Vancouver to st. Juan Island and later to Orca Island we had to pass the custom several times
and each border we passed he got asked the same question
"What's in the big black bag man ?"
concerning his black haul bag on the back of his bike
(I still don't know what the heck is in there but he never had to open it :)

several beautiful sunsets and a 2 pairs of tired legs later,
we crossed Mont. Constitution,
spent the last night in a super stylish, old school, 60ties silver steeg (caravan)

and are now on Whidbey Island and heading for Seattle

(pictres will be uploaded soon...)

Vancouver

2008-07-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

Nach diversen Zollkontrollen sehr interessierter Beamter (ich durfte denn meine halbe Tourenplanung darlegen) ging es nach Vancouver.
Extrem geniale Stadt - direkt am Meer und die Berge direkt dahinter!
Hier gab es auch mein erstes all american breakfast
und die Kanadier ahben mich durch ihre extreme Freundlichkeit immer wieder ueberrascht!
Hauptaechlich hab ich die Tage in Vacouver allerdings mit Famulatursuchen und Schalfen verbracht,
so dass ich mich mittlerweile wesentlich besser im kanadischen Studiensystem auskenne,
abends aber totmuede um 9 nachhause kam und mal wieder direkt ins Bett gefallen bin.

take off

2008-07-07T01:49:00.000-07:00

OK das Radel ist fertig gepackt,
die ersten 2 Nächte im Hilton gebucht
(mein erster Host heißt so - ist leider "nur" Lehrer)
und zwischen dem Regen hier kommt auch mal kurz die Sonne durch

kann losgehen...

WELCOME TO CANADA

2008-07-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Hallo ihr froehlichen Reisenden, Balkonienurlauber, Schaffer und Drahteselliebhaber!

- for all not german speakers: we will write although in English and French on this blog, so have a look on it in a week or so -

Dank Hannes gibt es jetzt auch einen Blog unserer Radltour von Vancouver nach Los Angeles. Merci! Ich habe meine ersten 10Tage in Kanada in der Sonne, auf dem Rad und auf ner verrueckten Fete genossen.

Vancouver ist eine geniale Stadt um diese Tour zu beginnen: direkt am Meer, die schneebedeckten Berge gleich an der Stadt, Straende zum beachen und schwimmen und eine total aktive&verrueckte Radlerszene. Hier bist du echtmal Out, wenn du mit dem Auto faehrst (Die Aussage einer Radlerin "I would never date s.b. who is not a biker" spricht doch Baende, auch wenn die Kanadier froehlich in ihrem Pickup durch die Stadt duesen). Es ist also etwas widerspruechlich und die Umstellung braucht Zeit.

Der Start meiner/unserer Tour haette nicht besser sein koennen: ein Critical Mass Bike Ride am Freitagabend, d.h. 3000Radler mit Pauken und Trompeten uebernehmen die Macht auf der Strasse und die netten Autofahrer muessen einfach stehen bleiben, da die kritische Masse erreicht ist. Schaut einfach mal unter:http://vancouvercm.blogspot.com/ nach. Ihr koennt euch vorstellen, dass ich mich in Vancouver nach wenigen Stunden pudelwohl fuehlte!

Bei meinem zukuenftigen Kommilitonen Jesse (ein Kanadier aus Vancouver, ziemlich selten hier) und seiner Freundin hatte ich eine perfekte Unterkunft und v.a. super nette "Locals" um Vancouver zu erleben.

Die erste Party in Kanada war ziemlich verrueckt: worklastparty: kameraverbot, ne super karnevalsband, jeder wie bei uns an Fasching total spacy verkleidet, bodypainting und weed ohne Ende. Kanadier kiffen wohl noch mehr als Franzosen und es ist relativ legal hier. Du kannst am Strand deinen Joint rauchen, aber Alkohl auf offener Strasse zu drinken ist strikt verboten. Gewoehnungsbeduerftig!

Nach einigen Tagen habe ich es doch noch geschafft Vancouver Richtung Vancouver Island zu verlassen, bevor Hannes dort ankommt (wir treffen uns naechste Woche um gemeinsam nach Sueden zu radeln - juhu, Cyclemen dieser Welt vereinigt euch: Franz, Marco, fuellt die Kuehlschraenke, wir KOMMEN!). Meine Tour ueber ungeteerte Strassen mit Waldlastern und viel Staub musste ich leider noch vor Beginn wieder abblassen, da die Strasse schwer zu befahren gewesen waeren und die Loggingtrucks nicht ungefaehrlich schnell durch den Wald duesen. Dank der vielen Pickups konnte ich innerhalb kurze Zeit wieder 130km zurrecktrampen um ein paar Tage auf Salt Spring Island zu "chillen". Hier habe ich die letzten beiden Tage bei einer super netten Servas-Host-Family uebernachtet (servas.org) und wurde gestern Abend von der Tante von Philipp Hoss aus Kusterdingen (Teili Slowenien Radtour 2005) geschwind zum Essen eingeladen.

Die Leute hier an der Westkueste sind besonders stolz darauf "laid back" zu sein, d.h. gerade genuegend zu verdienen um gediegend ueber die Runden zu kommen. Die Berichte des Servas-Host-Vaters Lewis bestaetigen dies total: er hat bis 30 immer 4Monate studiert, 4Monate auf nem Oelfeld in Nordkanada gearbeitet und ist 4Monate gereist (war quasi schon ueberall, ausser Europa). Er hat mich schon fuer die naechste Radtour begeistert: auf nach China! Nur zur Info: inzwischen ist Lewis 50 und hat drei Kinder und ein nettes Haus mitten im Wald.

Die Kanadier der Ostkueste bestreiten dieses Phaenomen natuerlich heftigst - ich habe bei einer Wanderung gestern ne Weile mit einem Paar aus Toronto gesprochen und die beiden waren natuerlich anderer Meinung :-)

Die Landschaft erinnert hier auf Vancouver Island sehr an Schweden, nur die bunten Holzhaeuser fehlen. Sprich, ich freue mich schon auf mehr Abwechslung weiter suedlich und am Ende in Mexiko.

Die naechsten Tage geht's an die Suedwestekueste von Vancouverisland und nach Victoria, bevor es Mitte der Woche mit Johannes weiter auf die San Juan Islands in den Staaten geht.

Viele Gruesse aus der Hippiekommune vor der Toren von Vancouver

Ralph

letzter Tag zuhause

2008-07-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

die Vorbereitungen laufen - die Taschen werden immer voller und ich bin gespannt wie ich die Gewichtsvorgaben für den Flug (2x 23kg inclusive Fahrrad) halten werde
- aber am Ende leistet meist doch die Personenwaage das nötige "Feintuning"...