Archive for August, 2009
Sunday, August 16th, 2009
- Leave Portland, convinced in its credentials as a great city. Magarita hangover to prove it.
- Set off into the unknown of southern Oregon to get to Salt Lake City for the weekend.
- Stop at Timberline resort, where The Shining was filmed. Eerie. Especially Mike repeating “Heeeeeere’s Mickey” ad nauseam.
- Smith Rock park, an awesome sheer face of climbing – of every level. Climbers’ paradise. Mike and I squabble because we’re too hot. I, of course, get cornered by the inbred-looking local. Mike irritated.
- Drive for 3 hours. To White River Falls, a deserted set of falls where people can swim. We’d been told that it’s possible to climb up under the falls then leap out. Apparently it would “change our lives”. But we couldn’t find it and were too scared to take a guess at one. Plus, my Crocs kept coming off. Whatcha gonna do..?
- Antelope. THE CRASH. Winding road down into Madras (“Madd-rus” rather than everyone’s favourite curry), we thought we’d get a riding shot of the bike. I get out to man the camera, Mike sets off down the hairpin bends and, forgetting that he no longer had his lardy counterbalance in the sidecar, loses balance and careers off the road. I, of course, honk with laughter (as any concerned wife would, surely?).
- The damage is actually worse than it looked. Mike has, once again, got stuck on a pole (what is it with these unfortunately-placed lone poles in the wilderness?) and the bike was wedged. Thankfully, a truck with a winch was the only car we’d seen in 2 hours passed up within 2 minutes and pulled our boy out.
- Windscreen in bad state, and indicator down. But Mike was ok.
- Phew. Imagine the shit I would have been in if he hadn’t been…
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Sunday, August 16th, 2009
- Fresh faces on the Portland front. A move to the gorgeous neighbourhood of Selwood and pedal power.
- When in the land of pedicures, why not ready the hobbit hooves for public presentation?
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Team GTD, in quest for free beds, often lands in suburbs (nothing wrong with them – and thank you to all who have stumped up spare beds to the cause) – but means we don’t often see city centres without a mission. So we made like the single shot down the garbage shoot of the Death Star and went to the heart of the City.
- Central Portland interesting. Liberal, open-minded, leafy, tramps.
- Alanna pounces on footbagger (hackysack?) who happens to be US champion. He came to Portland because it is the Home of Footbagging (two guys from Portland created it) and it has the biggest Footbagging scene. Finally! Something to distinguish Portland!
- Interview Simone and Hawkins as our young love representatives. Very sweet.
- Leave them to head south to another friend (bed) on southside of city.
- Mike talks to a World War II vet about how the sidecar was really used…
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Before setting off on this trip, Team GTD swore to run as often as possible throughout.
- Trainers were duly packed. (They take up much precious room)
- 7 weeks into trip, second run takes place.
- Through Forest Park. Breath-taking. Best looking run I’ve ever done. Same can not be said of me.
- Back to house and to St Helen’s Arts and Eats festival.
- Hawkins and band play a great set.
- (preceeded by the entertainingly named: Ivan Rose Family Jamboree:
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Spend the morning with Stephanie’s husband – born in Queens, NYC, and organiser of demonstrations during the Anti-Vietnam years – now a farmer.
- Much excitement about Chicken Tractors. Check ‘em out if you don’t know what one is (a moveable coop without a floor) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tractor
- Then head to Portland to stay in St John’s (north Portland), with Hawkins (son of Dove and Hawk from Sheep Mountain, brother of Shahnti from Anchorage) and his fiancée, Simone.
- Hawkins in a band, Friday is band practice.
- Mike and I do full roast chicken dinner.
- Not sure the Yanks know what to make of it all.
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Leave Key Peninsula for Olympia. Alanna sleeps entire way.
- Pitch tent at Millersylvania State Park and head to social historian, Professor Stephanie Coontz’s house nearby
- She is totally fascinating. Perfectly articulate (for TV – trained during the peace movement in the 60s to deliver soundbites, she is an interviewer’s dream) and comes at our marriage discussion from an angle which we had not previously contemplated: that marriage for love is very very recent, and perhaps not even possible.
- She’s the author of many books, most recently: “Marriage, a history: From Obedience to Intimacy, or How Love Conquered Marriage”
- Stayed for dinner with her, her husband and her stepfather. Raucous, mirth-filled and one of the most entertaining and memorable dinners of the trip so far.
- Drunk. End up spending the night.
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Drive to Lakebay, past Gig Harbour on the Key Peninsula across from Tacoma, to interview the parents of Kyle (of Kyle and Shahnti fame in Anchorage)
- Loving couple with fascinating memories of living up in the far north west of Alaska and running a school for only Eskimo kids.
- Then on to Olympia and Stephanie Coontz
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Head to Dr Diana Wiley’s house for our first interview.
- Dr Wiley is a clinical sexologist for 25 years: www.drdianawiley.com
- Joined by world reknowned sociologist – and Oprah regular – Dr Pepper Schwartz. http://www.drpepperschwartz.com/
- Between them, the two professors discuss the role of sex in marriage, and its importance.
- Both ladies very articulate, lots of meat for the documentary.
- Team GTD very chuffed.
- Spend another night with our mates, Tee and Alicia – and a plan is hatched over a few Coronas…
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Back at Ural Global HQ in Redmond, outside Seattle.
- Head mechanic at Ural is called Sergei. Old and silent. A legend.
- Much disappointment from said-Yoda at the sag on the sidecar.
- All fingers are pointing in one direction.
- Mrs GTD vows to deny the nightly beer fests.
- Other than that, bike going like a dream.
- Stay with Tee and Alicia, a fabulous lesbian couple we met at Seattle’s gay pride last time we came through.
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
- Back in Uncle Sam’s house.
- Almost as soon as cross border, the endless malls begin again.
- Mike is beguiled to Best Buy (electronics superstore, his favourite) Comes out, once again laden, with eyes like a child on Christmas morning.
- Humble bike now equipped with a cigarette-lighter charger, which can attach to a 4 way adaptor.
- Team GTD currently depleting half of the west coast grid every evening with amount of crap which needs charging.
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