Wading through one of the shallower sections and wider sections of The Narrows.
This is the first leg of our camping trip in Utah where we hiked and stayed around Zion National Park. We camped on a large family owned ranch, technically located within the parks limits, which was B-E-A-U-tiful.
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The bus ride here was absolutely incredible! The vastness of the landscape, the sky scrapping mountains and driving into and through the fog. This area truly feels foreign, unique and holy. I can tell I’m going to love this place!
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I just came back from a quick weekend trip up to New York City to meet up with Gus, my buddy from college. I’ve been cooped up in my house for the past five weeks and this has been a much-needed break from the homestead. I caught an 8:15am bus up to NYC and these photos are what ensued for the next few days.
Even though I’ve been to New York City before I have never experienced New York before. Previous times I was under age/ broke, so this time was definitely a baptism in the experience of New York. I was greeted by Gus in midtown around noon and eager to explore the city. We quickly exchanged greetings, caught up and made way over to his apartment to drop my things off. The apartment was on the fifth floor of a slim pre-war building in the East Village, so old that they did not have an elevator. We climbed up five floors of stairs and finally reached his place. Gus swiftly opened the door and the room smelled like pine sol, crisp winter air and hand rolled cigarette smoke.
I took in my new surroundings, immediately dropped off my backpack, got two fresh cups of coffee in my system and then went out to snag some lunch. We ended up going to this small little Sichuan restaurant, which was absolutely incredible. This place is THE TITS. It’s some of the most delicious and authentic Chinese food I’ve had since living in China. We got a spicy medley of meat and veggies marinated and seasoned in this deliciously spicy mix along with a side of fiendishly spicy fried rice. We were profusely sweating, shedding all of our winter layers in the process while gorging on this delicious food. With full bellies and excited minds, we left the restaurant and traipsed around downtown New York.
We walked a good sixteen miles today and finally made our way back Gus’s apartment with sore feet and satiated hearts. We climbed up the five flights of stairs, crumbled on the couch and promptly passed out. After waking up from our long deserved nap, we made our way out to a spattering of bars. We drank merrily in the chilled, holiday filled bars of downtown and indulged in a couple of slices of great pizza and a few Papaya dogs. They were the perfect night cap and we geared up for the next day.
I woke up next day with my feet throbbing and looked down and saw blisters the size of eggs on both of my heels. I knew today was going to be rough. I stayed nestled up in my sleeping bag for a while until I got restless and made Gus and myself some coffee. Once we were both extremely caffeinated, we got ready and moved on outside into the chilling winter weather. The game plan was to go all around Midtown, Times Square, Central Park, Little Italy and Chinatown. We took the train to Grand Central Station, went to Times Square, tried to get on Good Morning America and snagged some breakfast at a diner that was close by. After we warmed up and had some food we were ready to start our journey uptown.
After spending the whole day walking about 14 miles, we passed out and took another much-needed nap. About an hour passes and we gently awake from our slumber. We brew some more coffee, open a few beers, and trade music suggestions back and forth. We listened to everything from folk to hip hop to jazz. Louis Prima was pumping through the speakers and I quickly picked him out as King Louie from the jungle book and still have the whole soundtrack stuck in my head. We listened and chatted for about two more hours until we got hungry again. We then wandered outside to go to a personalized hot pot joint which was interesting, considering I’ve only had communal hot pot before. I got the extremely spicy Sichuan pot and it was delicious. After leaving with full bellies we ventured out again into the cold climate to get dessert at the Milk Bar which is a pretty popular dessert place in New York, I even saw an episode of the place on Chefs Table (great show and episode if you didn’t know). I got their cereal milk ice cream with corn flakes and was in absolute bliss, it was really bomb. I ate this thing all the way home, swiftly unrolled my sleeping pad and sleeping bag and once again promptly passed out.
Finally it is my last day in NYC, so we decide to go to Brooklyn for breakfast and a swift change of pace from Manhattan. It was absurdly easy to get to Brooklyn, it only took about a fifteen-minute subway ride and BAM we were there. We both wandered around through Greenpoint and Williamsburg, before we finally settled on a polish breakfast spot. I got a kielbasa, ham and cheese omelette with amazing hash browns which needed no ketchup. They passed the true hash brown test. Then we made our way back to Manhattan, I picked up my mom’s birthday present and read my Tai Pan book for the next few hours in Gus’s apartment. Right before the sun was about to go down, I packed up all my things, put on my beanie and heavy jacket, and made one last trek out into the cold. I walked all around downtown and made my way to the skyline which was extremely cool. It was kind of like going to the zoo, but this time the animals were millionaires with huge windows and no blinds. After wandering around the skyline for a while, I made my way back to the bus, waited in the cold for what seemed like an hour and then crashed on the first seat I could find as I slowly made my way home.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Week 3 (10/15/18 – 10/21/18)
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 15 (10/15/18)
Day’s Stats:
11am to 5pm (6 hours on the road)
211 miles travelled
Made it back to CA
Went on a run this morning, took it easy and it felt great
Ate breakfast at Subway which was BOMB
Rode 77 miles without a break
I finally made it back to CA! Feels good to be home. I arrived at my campsite and am next to Jake again, the guy from yesterday, what are the odds?
I have a good feeling of things to come, like waiting for a wave (of good luck and good vibes). I’m going to bed now to rest up for tomorrow. GOOD NIGHT!
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 16 (10/16/18)
Day’s Stats:
9:00am to 5:30pm (8.5 hours on the road)
256 miles travelled
Made it to the Manchester campgrounds (the nice campgrounds I have ever been to)
BEST DAY OF RIDING SO FAR
Leggett, CA; CA Coastline, felt confident, built endurance
Today was probably the best day of riding so far. I mean the CA coast can’t be beat, it’s just gorgeous. I tried to stop often and take a lot of pictures on the Pentax.
It was curious talking to my Dad, he was wondering how it felt not working for a month. It’s crazy that since college he’s never had more than two weeks off. I’ve found that in the month of not working, I am thinking more lucidly and really connecting with myself. It’s like having a much-needed summer break. It’s an opportunity to pause, reset, and then move forward. I feel much more centered, aligned, and grounded.
I am really excited to e back in SF for a few days and then head down south to SLO. I wish I could do more of SoCal, but I want to save money and that will be another trip, that I think will be better off travelled in a car.
I am excited to go home and see family. Then to travel abroad and then to work somewhere abroad. I know I will have all great experiences and just want to start really focusing on what I want and visualize it often. Just acting like its already here. Like it’s a day dream and already here, like you’re living it right now. Just thinking of all the different scenarios, all the different visuals, smells and feels.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 17 (10/17/18)
Day’s Stats:
9:00am to 2:30pm (5.5 hours on the road)
145 miles travelled
Made it back to SF!
Saw Jake on the road again
Ate health for the first time in weeks… (salad, an apple and some booch)
I made it back to SF! It feels great to be back home, but it is different. I know everything is the same but looks different because I am now different. This city is still home, but I am no longer grounded here. I am grounded elsewhere now. It feels like when I come back for a break in college in Maryland.
It’s good to be back at the house and see everyone. I’m also stoked to see Cate and get the roll of the film developed. I’m so stoked and proud I took this trip. I really want to continue to journal after this. GOOD NIGHT 😊
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 18 (10/18/18)
Day’s Stats:
Put the first week of the trip up on my blog
Worked out in the backyard
Checked in on my 401k
Bought a new suitcase
It feels good being back in the city but feel that I am a visitor here. That I am not tethered or anchoring myself here anymore and this is really a sign, I am ready to travel.
I was also thinking I would like to do something finance or logistics related in China. I was also thinking of all the improvements I will be making around the house in Maryland. How I can make it cozy and keep myself busy for a while. I could travel in short bursts, get a job, travel with Connor and Carlos, or even do a workaway in New York. Just food for thought.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 18 (10/18/18)
Day’s Stats:
12pm to 5pm (5 hours on the road)
134 miles travelled
Start of my journey down south
Realizing how much I hate crowds
I think I had too much caffeine today which made me a bit anxious (1 mocha, 1 grape 5-hour energy and one small DD’s coffee).
I was thinking about how when people get older and get to a certain age they sometimes just settle for a relationship because it’s comfortable and convenient. How as you get older, you really feel the external societal pressure to be in a relationship and be married. But not necessarily to be in the “right” or happy relationship, but just that you are in a relationship.
Also, how lack of communication can ruin so many potential forever’s. How really being clear on what you want and what you feel, think and want. For me I get clear on these by being in nature, by being alone and by writing.
I was feeling all these weird warm, fuzzy things called emotions before dinner and knew I was in a weird caffeinated, delirious state. After I had some food and rested a bit, that really did the trick. But what really calmed me down was drinking tea. I just boiled some water and made tea, gently cupped my two chilled hands around the mud. Deeply and slowly inhaled the vapors through my nostrils and into the back of my throat. It immediately calmed me down.
The desire for freedom is a constant struggle between comfortable, predictable certainty and foreign, uncomfortable change.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 18 (10/18/18)
Day’s Stats:
9:00am to 4:30pm (7.5 hours on the road)
125 miles travelled
Visited Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls
Got into an accident 1 mile south of Lucia
Got fucked on the tow and decided to sell the bike
Alrighty, so I was coming up to a construction stop along the coastal highway when an SUV cut me off and then slammed on their brakes out of nowhere. First off just a piece of shit move to do in the first place. I could either go left in oncoming traffic, go right and try to swing around the cars and potentially go off a huge cliff, or just try braking super hard. So, I opted for braking super hard, at first this worked and then I hit a patch of gravel which caused me to lose traction with the road. This caused me to slam on the pavement at 60 mph and slide 30 ft.
I was in shock. I was devastated that my baby was banged up and it fucked up my schedule for the trip. What is even more wild is that I walked away with literally not even one scratch. Just to reiterate I slammed going highway speeds, skidded 30 ft and walked away perfectly okay and in good health. That is a god damn miracle. A fucking Christmas miracle come early. A whole team of someone’s must have been looking out for me.
I was rattled but took stock of the situation. I am alone with a busted bike on a remote highway with no cell service. What’s even more crazy is the SUV drove away and twenty cars must have driven by and no one stopped to ask if I was okay. Thankfully a nice Swedish couple stopped, asked me if I was okay and then offered to take me to the next town to call a tow.
We ended up driving to Garda, stopped at restaurant and ended up calling a tow from SLO on a payphone. Like a 1980’s payphone with quarters because there was still no cell service. I was waited two hours, the tow finally came, he did not even take me out to dinner and then he fucked me. I had to pay $470 for a 40-mile tow and I was not happy but had no choice.
This is the view that I was stuck with for two hours, there are worse places in the world to be stuck.
I am complaining because I am still bitter about the cost, but the driver was a very nice man named Craig whom I ended up selling the motorcycle to. He was a boyish looking 40-year-old man with a thick, bushy foot twelve-inch beard; a moppy teenager haircut and a wild glimmer in his eyes.
Once we got to the tow yard, my friend Christy picked me up in Cambria and then we went to her house to hang out for a few days.
I feel pretty bummed, but also extremely lucky. I think it was time for me to end to California motorcycle era and potentially avoid something way worse. This is the blaze of glory in me ending my trip and an exercise in letting go.
IN OTHER NEWS, I actually got some amazing pictures today. Like some of the best one from the entire trip. So today was not all a wash. Please find a few below for your viewing pleasure.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 8 (10/8/18)
Days Stats:
Getting settled into Astoria, OR and realizing there is nothing to do in this fucking town.
I feel like I am finally learning how to relax
Toady I feel like I am really learning how to relax and be comfortable with changing my plans. I ventured out into the bustling metropolis that is Astoria, OR and wandered around for around three hours. There is not a lot to do here.
I did watch the movie “In Bruges” which perfectly summed up my experience in Astoria. It’s based on the writer’s experience of vacationing in Bruges and the two main characters in his movie are the two conflicting parts of himself during his stay in Bruges. Brendan Gleeson really likes the quaint and quite nature of the town, the picturesque town squares and architecture and all the touristy things to do. While Colin Ferrell wants to get drunk, do any drugs that he can find and try to bang anything in sight because he is so bored.
I also had a weird feeling to text Zach, who is the guy I bought my motorcycle from last year. I told him what I was doing with the bike and he was so stoked, he also proceeded to tell me that he just took a six-month sabbatical in South America. He worked in a motorcycle shop, a surf shop and on a farm in South America using this network called workaway. Workaway is a network of people all over the world where you work gigs in exchange for food and accommodation, it is a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture and extend your travels. It’s funny how things serendipitously pop into your life. This is exactly what I have been looking for to extend my travels and really get to know different cultures in all the countries I want to travel. SO STOKED.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 9 (10/9/18)
Days Stats:
First non-rainy day in three whole days (This is a BIG DEAL)
I rode my bike into Washington State today to explore some parks
I am feeling more comfortable with change and uncertainty
I feel way more relaxed, okay with uncertainty, comfortable with not going all the time and not working towards some wild goal. I feel much more in shape, relaxed and myself.
I went to Cape Disappointment today and was actually disappointed, it was over hyped and a terrible name. However, I did see a white owl with brown spots which is pretty fucking cool. After being disappointed, I came back to the motel and worked out. I’m relearning how important it is to have a slow, consistent, incremental approach to training and I feel like it bleeds over into other aspects of my life. I don’t have to go all out all the time, I just have to show up and get incrementally better every day. Whether that is slowly eating better, stretching more or training more. I am starting to work smarter and not harder.
Also, I went to Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, which was gorgeous. I went there for the sunset, parked my park in front of someone’s house and wandered down a little-known public beach stairwell to the beach. I wandered around and got bathed in heavenly sunlight which I have not seen or felt in days. After having a good time at the beach, I wandered over into town and got some amazing pizza and then cruised back to my motel back in Astoria. Cannon Beach is the only place in Oregon that I would not mind spending more than a week there.
West Coast Motorcycle Project
Day 10 - 10/10/18
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 10 (10/10/18)
Days Stats:
11:30am to 4:30pm (5 hours on the road)
173 miles traveled
Officially crossed into Washington State
Officially like Washington and Seattle over Portland and Oregon
Today was a very relaxed day riding. I felt like something was initially wrong with my chain, but I just needed to properly warm up my bike. Funny how things take time and can’t be rushed.
I met up with Jacob, who is a buddy from college today, and it was great seeing him! I haven’t seen him in two years, but I feel we picked right back up where we left off. Also, my Airbnb host is Chinese and was so surprised that I knew Chinese. Once she knew I was cool, she was very welcoming. She let me store my motorcycle in the garage and even rearranged multiple boxes, so it would fit and have plenty of room. I’m stoked I am going to practice my Chinese and be able to get around town easily and see all of Seattle.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 11 (10/11/18)
Days Stats:
Spent an ungodly amount of time at Pike’s Place Market
Unpopular Opinion: I think the gum wall is gross and WAY over hyped.
Went to Pike’s Place Market, the gum wall, the first Starbucks, Starbucks reserve roastery, the space needle, and the other touristy Seattle places today.
I bummed around Seattle today and walked all over this town, my feet were extremely sore.
I decided to cancel the LA portion of my trip because it would cost a lot of money, time, and there would probably be tons of traffic. Also, I could be in SF having a great time with everyone for Halloween.
Additionally, I am getting ungodly stoked for my travels abroad! I will be using Workaway to extend my stays and meeting people while travelling and just have amazing experiences. SO STOKED.
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 12 (10/12/18)
Days Stats:
This is my last day up north
I saw two movies in theaters today and it was great (Free Solo and First Man)
Itching to be back out on the road
Almost got conned in a Ponzi scheme
Today marks my last day up north and in Seattle, tomorrow I will make my way down south to San Francisco.
I have enjoyed this trip and learned a lot. I have learned that I enjoy being out of cities and being in nature, that happiness is real when shared, the value of solitude, and the joy of community.
I am mentally gearing up for my ride south and am nervous/ excited to be back on the road. I am nervous because I want everything to go well and excited because I miss the life on the road. I will just need lots of 5 Hour Energies and burritos.
Also, I was taking a water taxi to Bremerton, WA to kill some time during the afternoon and met this guy who tried to sell me on his Ponzi scheme. I was in line for this water taxi and started chatting up this guy who works in IT at Starbucks HQ, he told me about how he knew people who worked in China and travelling in general. Once we were exiting the water taxi, he asked if I wanted to grab a beer and I literally had nothing to do and no plans, so I acquiesced to his request.
We sat down at a local brewery and started chatting about financial independence, travelling and ways to get passive income. This guy then started telling me about his online business, his “network of people, and how he got into network marketing. So, his “business” is where you buy all your daily necessities (toilet paper, tooth paste, towels, etc…) through your own online store which is sourced through a small network of preselected retailers. Everything you buy you get a kick back from buying from these guys. My first question is why I would buy from some jerkoffs online when I could buy it from a grocery store or Amazon, and he didn’t really have a good response. Then he drew a diagram to explain his point further and he literally drew a pyramid with one or two people at the top and the more people you sign up or get buying through your store the more money you make. He then got kind of offended when I called this a pyramid scheme and then I said he literally drew a pyramid. I promptly left right after and returned to Seattle where I would not be bothered by weirdos.
West Coast Motorcycle Project
Day 13 - 10/13/18
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 13 (10/13/18)
Days Stats:
11:15am to 4:30pm (5 hours on the road)
205 miles traveled
Start of my journey back south
Narrowly avoided the Shining campsite
Today is the first day of my trip back south and it feels so good. What I like about the bike and camping is that I am truly focused and engaged in whatever task is at hand. I am aware of my body. I am aware of my breath. Sometimes I have glimpses of pure centeredness when I am completely present, those feel sublime.
I am realizing I can have this feeling anytime and anywhere, I just need to practice. Now it is easy for me to do because I have less distractions, responsibilities and obligations.
Also, the feeling of self-sufficiency helps this whole process. I have everything I need on my bike, nothing more and nothing less. I carry everything I need with me. It is a feeling of lightness, not only in luggage but also in state of mind. I feel this overwhelming wave of freedom, I can go and come whenever I please.
This ride has been an exercise in freedom. I feel so free and so alive when I ride and camp. Every morning when I pack up camp and cruise, I feel like I am liberating myself a little bit. It’s a reminder that nothing is permanent. It’s a reminder that if I need to move, then I just need to move. Often making change is very easy but preparing yourself to make the decision to change can take a lifetime if not a few lifetimes.
It’s a reminder to live simply, live purely, live presently, and purposefully.
West Coast Motorcycle Project
Day 14 - 10/14/18
West Coast Motorcycle Project: Day 14 (10/14/18)
Days Stats:
10am to 3pm (5 hours on the road)
134 miles traveled
Took it slower today, so I could take in the coast
Really loving the outdoors
I had a nice relaxing day riding. I leisurely woke up, got packed, showered and then went on my way. I had a breakfast of a protein bar dipped in peanut butter and a breakfast burrito. Then for lunch I had Pig N’ Pancake which was amazing! I got a veggie omelette, three blueberry pancakes, and a coffee for $13.50. I was in love.
After a solid days’ worth of riding, I pulled up into camp, got my tent set up and took a nap. After I got up, I met Jake, who is the guy from the other tent site in this campground. After we chatted for a bit, I took a walk along the coast and made my way to the beach while talking to my dad. After my little stroll, I returned to the campground to have a crackling bonfire and talked with Jake for about two hours about a myriad of different topics. It was nice talking to another human for more than a minute and I promptly passed out and went to bed.
