San Francisco, CA

We have crossed our first big milestone - the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco. After 1160 miles of pedaling and three weeks of camping in some of the country's most beautiful state and county parks, we are regrouping for a few days in the city of sunsets, seafood, sourdough bread and sea lions. Here's a glimpse to our moment of glory:


But more than anything, it was the people we met on our way that left the most memorable impressions. As Tomas already mentioned, we met a lot of great riders doing much longer tours than ours, and riding much, much faster than we ever could. But there was another distinct group of people - those that just love bikers, stop to talk to them and go out of their way to help them in any way they can.

We noticed the unusual friendliness right from the start. Every time you stop for groceries or lunch, people notice your big bags and immediately a conversation ensues - where are you traveling and where from, what have you seen so far, and make sure you see this beautiful park and taste that awesome wine. It's just great how easy it is for people to approach people traveling on bikes. The helmet on your head and the panniers on your wheels are like a magic sign that you're a well meaning guy who's here to appreciate the people and the place, it sparks people's curiosity and immediately puts them at ease to talk to you. And they do. And sometimes, those casual conversations turn into real friendships and acts of unexpected, great generosity.

At the beginning of our trip, we met a family who fed us and invited us to spend the night at their home. We have been getting free repairs and discounts at most bike shops we stop at. Once, we were even given a bottle of Bourbon as a gift by a friendly sales woman at a liquor store in a small town in Oregon. And just recently, while passing through Mendocino, a middle-aged man that we talked to for a while got out of his car as he was about to drive home, and he walked back to us, and said: "You know, when I was your age and touring through Alaska, a man I met said to me: 'Tell me your story and I'll buy you dinner.' So here, you guys told me your story, take this money and get some beer and a meal. He pressed the bills in our hands and just walked back to his car. I was astonished, I've never seen anything like it before.

But similar things just keep happening. Tomas's friend Whitney and her roommates have offered to host us for nearly a week in San Francisco while we're regrouping for the next stage of our trip. And we've received lots of other similar invites from friends and friends of our friends for which we are very grateful.

I guess it is true that not just bikers among themselves, but also regular people on the street feel a special sence of comraderie for dusty, sweaty riders. It's also true that being on a bike teaches you to be more approachable and relaxed with others. The trick is to try to stay that way once your travels are over and you move on your feet again.