Arishto came into the hiker/biker camp at 7:30 AM for a shower. He slept in the woods last night, preferring that over sleeping inside a "civilized" campground. Immediately his warmth and kindness was clear. A fellow bicycle traveler looking for the good life.

It took a moment but I realized he was Dutch! I have such an affinity for Dutch people, they are always so fun, sociable, and funny - Arishto was no different. He, like several of the other European bicycle tourists I have met so far, started in Vancouver and will ride the entire pacific coast.

Seeing Europeans come to the United States for this bicycle ride has made me appreciate the United States more for it's natural beauty. Their appreciation of the wild grandeur and distance made me admire what the west coast of America has to offer. 

Martijn Doolard, a Dutch cyclist and cinematographer, is one of the people who most influenced me to take this bicycle ride. Arishto, also read his book and watched his film, I think we were both moved by Martijn's story. In the same way a piece of literature can move one's emotional growth, we bonded over our shared excitement to explore by Martijn. Arishto is considering living on his bicycle for a time, all the best!

Again and again meeting other bicycle travelers has been a boost in morale, a well of reassurance, and of motivation. Meeting like-minded people on a solo journey may be the only thing which makes it possible, otherwise loneliness and solitude run rampant.

The ride today was brutal. I had a 15 m/s headwind with a 30 m/s gust. It was so strong that when I was cresting a cliff, I was almost pushed off my bicycle. I pedaled as hard as a could, got as low as possible, but still only moved a little bit. When the downhills came, I thought that would help, but I was nearly pushed back up the mountain! Headwinds are exhausting, they cost you an extra 30-50% of energy to overcome. I was totally and thoroughly deprecated by the time I made it to Humbug.

My friend Jake, who was also planning on coming to this campground, arrived just before dark after a similarly brutal struggle. He had two flats on his way over which cost him most of the day. We shared in our struggles.