I’m camping in the city park of Sisters, OR. It’s more of a city campground than the usual city park I’m accustomed to sleeping in (this one charges $). Graciously though, the campground host allowed me to stay for free after hearing about my lost wallet.
I’ve still have been unable to get cash, which will become a problem when I get to the coast. The parks are very affordable there ($4 hiker/biker), however they’re cash only. I tried to buy travelers checks (essentially buy a check with a credit card then cash it) at a grocery store and a Wells Fargo, but apparently they’re ancient history in the places I’ve looked. The bank teller said I could use my credit card at an ATM, but when I called Citibank, they said I needed a pin they gave me, a pin they cannot give over the phone, and a pin I do not have. I’ll be in Eugene tomorrow night. It is imperative that I turn my credit into cash, even if I have to get creative.
I’m about 170 miles from Florence. Only the ascent to Mckinzie Pass stands in my way, 15 miles uphill, 22 miles down. I’ll take a longer day into Eugene, 93 miles, and then probably finish up Tuesday. I can’t wait to see the Ocean. As you can imagine, I’ve had plenty of time to fantasize about the finish line.
From Florence, I’m figuring it’ll take about five days to get to Seattle. The coast is rocky though and can be very steep; that might tack on another day. As of right now, I’m thinking I’ll squeeze an off day in on the beach somewhere, or maybe in Eugene, and I’ve got to figure another vacation day in Seattle. When I get out there, I need to find a bike shop to ship my ride back. There’s also the issue of getting on a plane without a photo ID. I’ll keep writing until I get back to Cleveland. There are still enough loose ends to keep things interesting. And after all, I’m here to write about the experience, not the course.
