Bike Ride from Olympia, WA to San Diego

SouthSoundTree

SouthSoundTree

Treehouser
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Sep 1, 2010
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Olympia, WA
My employee/ friend Erik is on a bike ride for 1500 miles at the moment, having left Oly on November 2nd. He made it to Astoria, OR a few days ago. He's riding Highway 101 to Highway 1 over the next month and a half of so.

He's camping and couch surfing along the way.

If anybody has any good secret camping spots along that route, or a back yard tent spot, or couch or must-see things along there, would you let me know? I'll relay it to him. He might show up needing a freshening up, but I can vouch for him that he might be stinky at the moment, but he's a stand-up guy.

Never before had I heard of couchsurfing.com. An interesting website for travelers. He's got two confirmed spots along the route so far. A young 20-something traveler woman, and a married couple. I guess these people just want to support the traveler/ explorer lifestyle/ opportunity for others and want to meet some interesting people along the way.

He sorta hoped to find a day of work here or there, by chance.
He's packing light, so he's not carrying work clothes. I thought maybe someone might need an extra ground hand for a day or two coincidentally with his passing through, but just someplace to camp or a shower could be great.
 
Just tell him to look for the nearest OWS location and he will find plenty of tenting spots.
 
That's cool. It sounds like a great pre-family, pre-mortgage activity. I always wanted to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. Now a days I'd rather just hang in Mexico and snorkel.
 
I got room, I aint worried about strangers. I live in San Diego North county, he can crash and shower and get fed here. PM me if you you want.

no apostrophes.
 
In the mid 70's my college bud invited me along for a trip to the West Coast. We flew from NJ to Tuscon. Stayed there a bit, then drove up to Grand Canyon, from there Hoover Dam, didn't stop at Vegas. Giant Sequoias to Stockton where a mechanical tomato harvestor manufacturer was located. They were supposed to have an order all boxed up when we arrived. Kind of a Mom and Pop business. We agreed to help with the work in the shop to speed the process up. The first night we spent in a motel. The second day at the shop an employee approached and asked if we needed a place. He took us home to a cooked meal and then went out to a show with the Mrs. Told us to make ourselves at home. Nice guy. I thought way to trusting at the time.
 
Some friends of my cousins from Long Island New York once spent the night at my parent's house. I didn't know anything about it and came home in the wee hours of the morning and tripped over them in sleeping bags in our living room.
 
Sean,
Have him check out www.warmshowers.org. It is like couchsurfing.com, but is long distance cyclists who provide lodging for other long distance cyclists.
We have had cyclists from many countries (check out the link to Martin and Nadine's page at the bottom of our website: whizbark.com) in addition to US riders, and it was useful when I rode across the country.
If he decides to head East he'll have a place to stay in Delaware!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15
Jeff and Pat, Thanks. I'll pass it on.

I can understand people being leery off a stranger. Erik is stand-up.

On a recent prevailing wage job, he figured he didn't do anything extra. He didn't want to take triple pay for an honest day's work. I had to tell him repeatedly that it is how it works. He was convinced to accept the paycheck as such when I explained that I could get a big fine if I don't submit certified payroll and the intent and affidavit to pay PW.
 
He can crash in my front lawn but I doubt he will want to come this far inland
 
If he get's completely lost and winds up in Denmark, my door is open:)

I've been invited in by lots of nice people during my travelling years, so I'm still paying it back.

One thing I've noticed when hitchhiking around the US, both alone and with my wife.
The hospitality of the natives is WAY better on the west side of the continental divide.
 
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