Transitioning from the bike touring lifestyle was not easy for me. Back home, after the warm welcomes and the short excited story sharing, I was left with a strong feeling of ennui. On the road, every day was a new adventure. Even if I only biked 20 miles, I still felt accomplished. I was on a journey, discovering things about myself and the world constantly. My life had become pretty tied to my touring partner and that was gone too.
Once I arrived to Seattle, I packed up the contents of my panniers and shipped my Kitty litter buckets and Luna to Montana for awhile. For nearly a year, I didn’t bike tour. Don’t get me wrong, Luna and I went on adventures, but none extreme enough to break out the panniers. I have never been one to have an addictive personality, but it felt like I had kicked a strong habit. Bike touring was this big, incredible thing attached to a life that was no longer my own.
Montana seemed to be a reasonable transition place. I knew I wanted to head west and it was a place I had grown some roots on my trip. Once there, I arranged a work exchange with Carol, an old Waldorf instructor. With Ryan’s help, I found thriving community there. I worked at a food co-op, baking pastries for 6 months. It was great to use my hands to create something real, but never was it a long term career goal. Upon accepting an offer as an Education Outside Instructor, it was time to move on. I headed for San Francisco.
I have experienced quite a bit here and met some wonderful folks in a short amount of time. My job is challenging, but at the end of the day I love it. I have yet to find my tribe here; it’s harder in the big city. There are endless opportunities here that get in the way of commitment on a human to human level. But, this was not supposed to be a downer post.
On Friday, I finished my work early, pumped up my tires, dumped the storage from my bucket panniers, quickly packed up Luna, and cycled right out of town. I headed to Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. The sun set as I reached the top of a pretty gnarly mountain road, making for a great view, but a pretty adrenaline pumping jaunt down the mountain. I reached the hiker/ biker site long after dark and set up my teeny tiny tent. Mini bike tour day 1: success.
The next day I strolled through the town of Half Moon Bay, sipping coffee, perusing an abundant farmer’s market, and reading on the beach. That evening at camp, I met a German couple touring with a one year old. We (the baby and I) instantly took to each other, sitting around the campfire, playing, and sharing food. Her parents and I shared some brews and the promise to meet up again back in San Francisco. Three eccentric British dudes showed up later that night. We laughed our way to a ritzy Italian restaurant and local saloon. When in doubt splash it out, they say.
Sunday morning, I packed up my gear, dined with my new friends, and headed back to the city. On the way out of town, I was blessed by a stoic great blue heron, something that often happened on my tour. In just three days and no more than 70 miles, I found a bit of solace and had goodbyes to be said. I guess you don’t need to quit your job and pack up your life for an adventure.
