It’s Day 2! I woke up feeling nervous. I had spent the night praying, praying for resilience and guidance for the next step. It was the second morning, and I somehow ended up 52 kilometers back from where I started, sleeping in a stranger's backyard, and surrounded by a cult. I had one goal in mind: to get to San Francisco; I’m not sure why I was so determined. Maybe it was because I was committed to fundraising for clean water in Africa, or maybe I was trying to prove something to myself.
I had decided to backtrack the 52 kilometers to where the ferry had dropped me off and head south towards the Hood Canal after a failed attempt at going West. Savannah decided to take the coastal route, but since I was worried about running low on supplies, I went inland. I woke up, packed my tent, hugged Savannah, and wished us both the best of luck. The night before, I had some trouble putting my tent pegs into the ground. Savannah generously gave me one of hers. I still have that peg, and I call it the anchor of my tent; it will always remind me of a key moment on a trip I didn’t know would change my world.
So off we went. I cycled back down the hill; the hill I had so painfully cycled up the night before.
I got a bit lost heading back down. So on the side of the road, I spotted a Park Ranger and asked him for directions back to Sequim. Honestly, this guy was not too helpful… He looked more lost than I was. So as any man does, I kept on pedaling into the unknown. After 2 hours and 52 kilometers, I made it back to Port Angeles. Back to square one, with no chance to catch a breath, I went into New Day Eatery and ordered their Swiss Mushroom Burger. Let me tell you, it was a good burger.
From there, I put my earphones back in and pedalled for 2 hours to Sequim; the entire day felt non-stop. From the moment I woke up at 7 am, it was go-go-go. Along the way to Sequim, I got a chance to bike past the local lavender farms. Learning from my mistakes, I decided to head to a local bike shop and ask for directions to my next campsite in Quilcene. I was given two route suggestions; one was across the mountain, pointed out the window, and the other was on the 101. Two not-so-great options. I bought a taillight from the shop, grabbed a map, and decided to go on the 101. The 101 on the Olympic Peninsula is not a fun ride. It’s a freeway. No bike lane, and good luck trying to bike past a turnoff on the freeway. Along the way, I stopped at Fat Smitty’s for another burger at Discovery Bay; the burger paled in comparison to New Day Eatery’s, but I was happy to take any break I could get.
My Beautiful bike in front of Fat Smitty's
I decided to change my objective for the day. I was beat; I had little left in the tank, but more than anything, I was emotionally drained; I was tired, and honestly, all I could think about was my loved ones. I felt so alone. I was an 18-year-old kid, all by myself in the middle of another country. I decided to bike a bit more to Leland Park for the night. I slipped 10 dollars into an envelope to pay my hiker/biker fee. I set up my tent, and I just sat on the bench; there was no signal, no one I could talk to. It's been such a tough start to the trip.
Food Ratings:
New Day Eatery Swiss Mushroom Burger 8.9/10
Turkey Panini 8/10
Lavender Lemonade 8.6/10
Fat Smitty’s Burger 7.8/10
Burger Tracker: 3
