From Port Angeles, Christina recommended me to follow the Olympic Discovery Trail to Forks to avoid riding on the highway 101. This trail begins at Victoria Seaport in Port Townsend and ends at La Push on the Pacific Ocean, a well-built bike path to explore the Pacific Northwest.

I absolutely loved the trail – so remote and quiet for the most of the way, passing through rivers and rainforest. On the first day, I crossed the Elwha River and passed the north shore of Lake Crescent then to Sol Doc River. When I entered the rainforest, I was the only person in the woods and I did not see anyone. Since I was moving toward the ocean, it was mostly flat and gentle down hill which made the ride easy and fun.

The next day, I first stopped at Forks to get groceries and ran some errands. When I was at the grocery store, people were so welcoming and kind to me. They read my body language and asked me, “are you looking for a bathroom? It’s over there.” “Do you need water? You can fill up your water bottle there” before I asked anyone. I appreciated how aware people were and how they made space for me. Then I rode the part of Olympic National Park that stretches along the coast where I haven’t been before. I was mesmerized by the sunlight coming through the fog, creating mysterious light that shined through the trees. I was in awe the most way, feeling grateful that I had a chance to visit this beautiful part of the Pacific Northwest.

When I left the park, I entered the Quinault peoples’ land. They have a land which touches the ocean and is covered with the rainforest. I saw a sign that says “preserve” at the front yard of someone’s home. I’ve been noticing a lot of indigenous peoples presence here in the Pacific Northwest – not only I saw people but also many reminders – from the government signs that have both English and indigenous names of places and signs that taught me whose tribal land I was on to indigenous art and educational displays. The more we see them, the more we know that they’re still here.

The next day, I started in Olympic National Forest. The road took me to some steep hills and down to Aberdeen Bridge then to Raymond and South Bend. I rode until the sunset along the edge of Willapa Bay. I covered 103.4 miles with plenty breaks in the day. The next day, I crossed the Astoria Bridge in the morning, finishing the Washington section of my ride. I love my Salsa bike – she is so smooth, responsive, fast and good looking. As I was riding, I kept thinking of a name for her. I’ll have to take some time to come up with a name that suits her.

Riding on highway 101 was beautiful, scary and intense. The majority of the Pacific Coast Bike Route is on the highway 101 or 1. I spent the last 4 months in the wilderness on the PCT which allowed me to go inward for the majority of the day. In contrast, riding requires me to go outward all day long since I have to pay full attention at all time to stay safe. I was annoyed and irritated with the amount of traffic, noise and exhaust from the vehicles. I was frustrated and scared when some cars drove less than 3 feet from me. I was terrified when semi trucks with huge logs didn’t slow down as they passed close by me, stirring dust and wood debris that clouded visibility.

I wanted to stay in the shoulder of the road as far as possible from the road and it was impossible since the shoulder was full of debris such as broken glasses, rocks, wood, metals, diapers, plastic bottles and random obstacles. I don’t want to get flat so I maneuvered my bike to avoid these obstacles. If I ride on the road or the closest to the road on the shoulder, there was less debris so it was easier to ride. When I heard vehicles, I moved over into the shoulder, avoiding obstacles. My body could handle the ride, but I was mentally exhausted from paying full attention to the cars and obstacles on the shoulder. Sometimes there was no shoulder so I had to ride on the road. I wish there was a dedicated Pacific Coast bike path all the way from Canada to Mexico. For now, there has to be a regular shoulder cleaning practice to make it safer for cyclists and drivers.

Some years ago, I read an article that used riding a bicycle on the shoulder as a metaphor to explain the experience of people with marginalized identities. Riding the 101 in Washington reminded me of the article. Cars and bicycles are supposed to have equal access to the road but in reality, it’s not equal. The system is set up for the drivers to enjoy more privilege than cyclists. The roads usually have better conditions than the shoulder. They can drive without maneuvering obstacles which allow them to get to their destination without much effort. In comparison, the shoulder is full of debris which are obstacles for the smooth ride. So you either go into the road or constantly deal with these obstacles. If you go on the road, you’re not welcomed and accepted. You may be yelled at or the worst case, you’ll be hit by the car. If you stay on the shoulder, you’re exhausted, irritated and frustrated with the obstacles. It is constant. You may get flat. You may be injured from running over the debris. It would take much longer to reach your destination which can be your aspiration, career or simply it could be getting appropriate health care or going to school. Some of us may never get there. These obstacles can represent things like microaggressions, bullying, harassment, lack of resources and support. In order to increase the safety and access for cyclists, building the shoulder is not enough. We need to put constant effort to keep the shoulder clear. In real world example, it is not enough to create space for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. We need to remove obstacles that prevent them from participating in such a space.

If you know how to ride a bicycle and have access to one, you may already have a real life experience to understand this analogy. If not, you can imagine and think of this metaphor as an example to guess what it is like to navigate the world of systemic oppression.

Oregon coast section has a few detours to avoid the highway 101. With that knowledge, I am at ease and still looking forward to continuing my journey south. Cheers!