Ten days out

March 4, 2022

Best laid-plans often go awry

With only three days until we leave our apartment here in Portland, we’re down to a short list of tasks as we prepare for departure. Our planning is somewhat more complicated this time because we aren’t leaving the country for another ten days yet. Instead, we’re preparing for nearly a week on the road after our rental agreement is up here, after which we’ll return to Portland for two nights. It’s a confusing classification puzzle: what can we pack now that goes to Europe; what can go into long-term storage now; and what will go on the road with us for a week, some of which will go to Europe and some to storage when we return to town.

We’re getting close to having a handle on all this, but I’d say the odds are high that we’ll get something wrong in all of this sorting and resorting and end up arriving in Barcelona missing something important. It definitely doesn’t help either that we’re both getting older and our minds and memories more suspect.

This morning I set out on what I assume will be the last predeparture shopping trip. I list out a half dozen items I’m looking for, and the three or four shops where I’ll hopefully acquire them:

From Ace Hardware: current adaptors for the United Kingdom. We still have one from 15 years ago, but another is needed because we have so many rechargeable devices now.
Shrink wrap from Fedex, to wrap our suitcases in Barcelona before shipping them forward.
From CVS: shaving cream and toothpaste, for shipping ahead to two midpoints of the trip along with our meds and a few other items that will need replenishment along the way.
From a bike store: a mirror to replace a recently broken one; a rack strap for one we’ve apparently lost; and four spare tubes, again for shipping forward. We’ll carry two with us and ship others ahead to replace ones we imagine might get wasted along the road.

One of the first stops is at FedEx. No, they don’t have shrink wrap, so I’ll try again at Ace Hardware which has everything. I had two reasons for stopping here though, so I ask about the packages we plan to ship forward. Each is an 8” cube weighing roughly five pounds (we’ve already gotten and partially packed these). I want to know how long we should plan for delivery to France and England, and what will it cost?

The agent consults his charts and apps and says we should plan on about a week for delivery. Very reasonable, better than expected. Then comes the sticker shock: $217, each. I’m stunned, and immediately conclude that this option is out. It’s suggested that USPS or DHL might give a better rate, and later when I’m back at the apartment I use the USPS app to get a swag estimate for that alternative. Possibly better, but still well over $100 each there.

Rachael has the excellent idea that we might do better by carrying them on the plane with us and mailing them forward from Barcelona; so I check rates on the Eurosender app. Much better, on the continent anyway: $60 to France, $120 to England. I tweak the weight and size to see if it affects rates, but it doesn’t at all. These seem to be the minimum rate. It’s barely twice this if we wanted to ship a suitcase with a bicycle in it.

So, a sequence error. We should have discovered this before stockpiling shaving cream, toothpaste, tubes, dietary supplements. We’ll take all of our medications for the whole nine months of course, but most of this surplus will go into storage and we’ll just replenish as we go.

And, we have a new life goal: to live long enough to use this stuff up so purchasing it won’t be wasted. Suddenly I feel like a survivalist stockpiling for a disaster.

Rocky reports for duty

It’s closing in on four weeks since Rachael has been outside on her bicycle. Neither of us can remember a time when she was off the bike for this long - probably not since we were working full time and in the winter the days were too short, cold and wet to bike after work. Still, she would usually get out on an occasional weekend ride. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the longest dry spell since I bought her first bike for her in 1988, not long before we got married.

So today’s finally the day. It looks like we’ll stay dry, but we’re going irregardless. Yesterday we wasted the day by waiting for a dry spell and watching the rain keep moving out. We’ve planned a ride south to Oregon City - not too long, not too hard, something easy to test the waters.

It’s cool and windy, and Rachael is feeling a bit winded biking over Tilikum Crossing; and it starts lightly sprinkling as we cross the river, so there’s the brief thought that maybe today’s not the day after all. The showers don’t last though, and she seems to feel better with every mile; and when we return to town a few hours later she continues on when I turn off to the apartment so that she can add a few more miles to her ride total for the day. Same old Rocky.

To celebrate finally being back on the road again we head down to Eleni’s Philoxenia, a Greek restaurant we’ve favored for over a decade. Eleni finally retired about two years ago and we’ve been afraid that the place would close or go downhill but in fact it’s if anything even better under its new owners. Looking around the walls at its photos and murals from Crete, I’m reminded of how much I’d love to see Greece again before we stop traveling. We’d better hurry - the Balkans are seriously lumpy terrain.

Threatening skies ahead as we cross the Willamette.

The view south is questionable too. Anything might happen today.

Across the bridge I find Rachael taking shelter for a minute, checking out how she’s feeling and taking stock of the light sprinkles precipitating. They stop, she’s fine, we go on.

Along Ross Island - another small raft of alder catkins, like I saw along the Columbia Slough last week.

The pedestrian bridge across the Clackamas River. I’m stopped here waiting for Rachael to cross so I can get a shot of her. I’m too late though - she’s already crossed, and it takes me a few minutes to figure it out. I’m a half mile behind by the time I start up again.

We’ve seen Willamette Falls and the Oregon City arch bridge before, but I was really struck by the light on the spray this afternoon.

In the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Biking outdoors is SO much more interesting than riding the Schwinn in the basement.

Branzino! Rachael could do this herself of course, but it’s much more entertaining having a demonstration of the proper technique.

Today’s other special: kouneli wrapped in filo dough.

Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 2,355 miles (3,790 km)

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Bob DistelbergBack when we still owned our store and would occasionally ship to Europe, we found that USPS was by far the best choice, both in terms of cost and ease of filling out the required paperwork. Who would have ever thought that?
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2 years ago

Zelda MekGood to hear that Rachel is ready to roll and packing has commenced!

Donate the extra stuff to a local organization and buy more in Europe? Even the fav US products are available on Amazon, if not locally. We have found bike parts to be same price or cheaper in Germany. The UK is having crazy inflation/shortages so load up in France or Spain.

We are dragging around work gear and looked at shipping back yet costs are too high. In another few weeks we may feel differently.
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2 years ago

Carolyn van HoeveI'm feeling decidedly jealous Rachael that you're out and back on your bike again but happy you've made such a great recovery. For a bit there I felt like had a comrade in arms on the exercise bike. Unfortunately I'll be chained to mine for months to come. We set out on a cycle tour in Queenstown in January and I came off my bike on the first day in the first hour, dislocating and fracturing my shoulder. Admittedly not entirely my fault, the person in front of me braked suddenly going downhill on gravel. Anyway long recovery ahead (and a regaining of confidence). Thankfully I have your upcoming trip to live vicariously through. Very exciting! I'll look forward to it
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Carolyn van HoeveOh, Carolyn. I’m so sorry to hear this. What terrible luck!m. And right at the start of a tour, too. Things like this are why Rachael and I are so reluctant to ride in groups.

Did you have any other injuries beyond your shoulder, not that that isn’t quite bad enough? Good luck with a swift and sure recovery!
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Carolyn van HoeveI’m so sorry to hear about your accident! And to have it happen at the start of the trip. I hope you recover quickly!
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2 years ago

Bruce LellmanIn the old days (not that long ago actually) I took all sorts of extras along on my trips to Asia because they simply didn't sell a lot of stuff that I needed. Mostly it was toiletries, batteries, etc. - things I'd use and need more of. Now, however, I can buy anything I need just about anywhere in Asia which greatly reduces the weight of what I'm lugging around. I imagine you will be able to buy anything you need in Europe including medications and/or vitamins. The world has shrunk.
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2 years ago

Graham FinchThe final countdown!
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2 years ago

Jen RahnOK .. I gotta ask. What brand of toothpaste do you buy?

And have you always taken your own toothpaste and shaving cream on international tours?

Glad you inquired about the shipping price and that you'll be able to store it for your return to Portlandia!!
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2 years ago

Bruce LellmanEven in cheap hotels in SE Asia each guest house or hotel room includes shampoo, conditioner, lotion, Q-tips and at least two toothbrushes. Inside the toothbrush wrapper is a tiny tube of toothpaste. A person could do an entire trip without ever using the same toothbrush twice!
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2 years ago