pavedwave longboarding

TheEskimoMan891 · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 2 Location: the Couve, Wa

After having skated 200 miles in the past 3 days I am left feeling unaccomplished.

It was really nothing, you wake up, hope on your board, and just get in the zone and push your own pace. When your a little tired or your foot hurts, you sit and breathe for a second as the cars and trucks fly by. Look at the scenery around you and hop back on.

I ended up skating from Bend up to the Dalles which was absolutely amazing. I would push my board on a 3 foot wide shoulder along highway 97 and 197 for 120 miles and it was just so surreal. Later on in the second day I was on this streatch of road where I could see 5 miles of road infront of me and 5 miles ahead of me and in the distance I could see the Three Sisters, Bachelor, Hood and Adams. The whole Oregon wall of the Cascades. Flat grasslands full of brush and wild flowers surrounded me on my left and on my right. It was just me. Alone on this stretch of highway facing the world. There was no buildings, no one rushing to work, no one walking their dog or yelling at their kids for playing in the street. It was just me, the road and the openess of the high desert of Oregon. It was a very euphoric feeling and It made me feel loved and I loved whatever it was back.

But we can't forget the downs
Skating through the desert, is horribly boring. The land is a desolate wasteland of dry brush and dead grass and every 5 miles there's a set of bones left there by a once living animal unforunatley killed by a fast moving vehicle. Bones after bones after bones. Hot sun, push push push, sweaty in the hot sun. "Shit it's hot." You start saying thank you everytime you pass a dead animal saying because you are more than grateful that it was the animal and it's not you. and it very well could have easily been you laying there on the graveyard of the side of the road.

When it came to part 2 of the route I was left stranded. A 2 inch bike lane along highway 14 sent me packing my bags and making my way home. Looking into the face of defeat I decided that I would make up the mileage the next day at home skating around the greater portland metro area. Key word is "greater" in that sentence.

I've been told that it's things like this that define who you are. What you do when put somewhere you haven't been before. How you react to things you didn't expect. Unfortunately the only thing I learned about myself was that I burn very easily when exposed to the UV rays given off by that larger burning mass millions of miles away.

I can only hope that my lesson I had expected to learn on this trip will be later exposed in life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDutMpd1Csk

gboom · Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 57 Location: Vancouver WA

Eskimoman

Well, thanks for sharing the experience with us. If nothing else, I was entertained with your write-up and the video, and it got me thinking about a bunch of stuff. Well, done.

Is that your mom in the beginning of the video?...I love seeing her waving good-bye. My mom would't even let me have a moped when I was growing up.

How did that go down anyway....

"mom, I feel like skating 200 miles in 3 days"

"ok, bring an extra pair of skivvies."

Thanks again for sharing.
_________________
Ride your skateboard, save gas, sleep well.

pavedwave · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 1120 Location: seattle wa usa

I love coming back to a story like yours after riding in similar conditions. The last stretch into Portland was 95 degrees, and the two days on the Vancouver BC ride were in the mid 90's as well. It made me flash back to this picture of you on that loooong flat road.

I'm curious how you stayed cool and dealt with it? Just slowed your pace? Did you keep the bandana soaked? I was wearing a bandana under a helmet and soaking it constantly, and instead of wearing an athletic "wicking" shirt, I wore 100% cotton, and just kept dousing it with cold water whenever available, staying wet throughout the day. A little heavier, but worth it.

Also, did any cops pass you on the freeway?

That highway looks smokin hot. I'm thinking about doing some rides over the Cascade range, maybe this winter when the weather turns to crap on this side, yet stays dry in the desert over there.

Great story man...

TheEskimoMan891 · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 2 Location: the Couve, Wa

it's been a while but

Yeah I had one cop pass me the entire trip and I guess he was too busy doing nothing that he didn;t even really notice me I think.

The bandana was constantly soaked.
Sometimes I didn't wear underwear underneath my shorts. and someitmes no shirt with lots of sweatproof sunscreen.

I'm considering a Portland to LA trip James.
I'll keep you posted on that.