After months of planning and preparation, it’s finally time to travel from Napa north to Bellingham, Washington, where I will meet the other tour participants and camp our first two nights. Rich is driving me up and will retrieve me at the end of the trip, down in San Diego. 

After spending most of yesterday afternoon packing, I woke at 5:30 AM worrying about what I might have forgotten. This, in spite of having packed using a very detailed list and checking off items along the way.  So, of course I had to get up and methodically check off the list again. On the bright side, I can confidently and quickly retrieve any item, because I know where everything is. 

In the bustle of handling last minute chores, I forgot to take a picture of us as we were getting ready to leave, but took a quick selfie of me and my bike when we stopped for lunch in Anderson, CA. 

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The heat wave that has gripped California followed us along the I-5 corridor — 104 degrees with more coming.

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Everywhere I look, the earth just seems scorched. Lakes are at their lowest points ever. And, fires are still raging on both the east and west sides of I-5. The wind has been mostly from the west, so the air quality  wasn’t too bad, but as we passed Mt. Shasta, I was shocked and saddened to see it so brown and bald, having never seen the mountain without a cap of snow. 

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Scott AndersonOh my gosh. I’ve never seen it look like this. Horrifying.
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1 year ago

Amber StarfireTo Scott AndersonI know! I was truly shocked when I saw it - and scared for the future.
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1 year ago

Ginya ginyatrier@gmail.comAmber, I'm envious and excited for you on this adventure. Love that you are blogging as I will enjoy following along. Will cover you in prayer for a safe and fabulous ride.
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1 year ago

Amber StarfireTo Ginya ginyatrier@gmail.comThank you, Ginya. I appreciate your encouragement and support!
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1 year ago

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I’m grateful we’ll  be cycling the coast, where it will be relatively cool and humid. 

We arrived at our hotel in Medford (Hampton Inn) by 4:30 PM and are spending some quiet time in our room before venturing into the heat for dinner. The hotel won’t allow bikes in the rooms — first time I’ve encountered this — so I had to lock my two-wheeled baby in an unused conference room, which makes me feel unreasonably nervous. Can you tell I like to be in control of my stuff? 

Tomorrow we continue on to Olympia, just a couple of hours from Bellingham.