After crossing the Columbia River by the Astoria-Megler Bridge to Oregon, I continued my journey south on the clear sunny day. I arrived at Seaside Beach where a bronze statue stood to mark the end of Lewis & Clark National Historical Trail. The statue’s bottom had six images to tell a story of their expedition. The interpretation of these images are up to people since there wasn’t any explanation. I was curious to know how they chose these 6 images and what story they intended to tell.

Storytelling is influenced by the storyteller’s identities, perspectives, biases and values. As an educator, inclusion practitioner and a filmmaker, it is important that I recognize and share stories that represent multiple perspectives and narratives that are often overlooked in the shadow of the mainstream culture. By doing so, I can support amplifying the voices of those who are unrecognized, help my students and people see themselves in the story and expose different truth that are unknown otherwise. With this awareness, I had an opportunity in the past to create a short film to share Gwich’in women’s voice and bring more stories of kinship between the land and people in the Arctic. My hope was to expand the mainstream environmental advocacy narrative to go beyond of saving the wilderness and wildlife, and to include humans, especially indigenous people part of the story.

When I saw the last two images of a woman with a baby, I thought maybe a storyteller had an awareness to include indigenous people and was trying to share the important role that Sacagawea played in the Lewis and Clark expedition. I searched the information on the website to find the description of the images and couldn’t find any so who knows.

The fog rolled in and out for the rest of the day. I enjoyed riding along Tillamook Bay, watching the sunshine coming through the fog.

The next day I took a scenic alternative bike route along Netarts Bay all the way to Pacific City. I take every opportunity to stay away from 101 and this route was incredible. I saw people on the boat crabbing and a couple of scuba divers in the water. I climbed up a big hill to Cape Lookout where I met Robert, a cyclist from New Zealand. He told me he was biking from Alaska to Argentina. We talked for a bit, wished a safe journey and I kept going following the Oregon Coast Bike Route sign. I appreciate the sign on the road that allows people to follow along. This is more inclusive to all people since it doesn’t require technology. The Oregon Department of Transportation has been developing the Pedestrian and Bicycle Program. I could see their effort reflected in signs and free information that includes route map, elevation profile, camping information and etc.

I passed Siletz Bay, Otter Rock and made it to Newport right in time for the sunset, covering 90 miles a day, two days in a row. With a light-weight bike packing setup, it is possible to ride many miles everyday, just like hiking the PCT with a light-weight pack.

I knew it was going to rain for the next few days. I chose not to ride in the rain since it is dangerous and not fun. The visibility for both drivers and cyclists decrease which increases a chance of accidents. I connected with my friend Aparna in Eugene and she kindly offered me to stay with her family.

The next day I started early before rain came and took the 6am bus from Newport to Corvallis. The bus is called Coast To Valley Express, an affordable public transit that allowed me to bring my bike on the bus just for $5! I decided to bike from Corvallis to Eugene instead of riding along the coast. The weather forecast predicted that it would be less rainy and windy inland. Typically, the prevailing wind on the West Coast is northwest so riding southbound gives cyclists an advantage of the tailwind. In contrast, this storm was coming from the south, bringing the southwest wind for the entire week, reaching up to 26 m/h gust on the coast and 6-10 m/h wind inland. Riding through the headwind is exhausting. With Aparna’s support, I was able to be flexible and adapt to choose an alternative inland route.

I learned that Oregon is the only state in our nation that has Scenic Bikeways program. This unique program features routes suggested by local riders and have been officially designated by the state. I took the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway which followed Willamette River surrounded by the agricultural lands.

When I left Corvallis, it was cloudy and by the time I approached Brownsville, it started to pour. I found a church that has a roof over the driveway, so I asked if I could wait under it till rain stops. “It’s Oregon so it could be a few hours. You can come in and wait inside,” said the front-desk person. They let me use the bathroom and offered me hot water, some snacks and a comfortable couch to rest.

In the mid afternoon, the rain stopped and I resumed my ride. Since the route went through farm land with no trees to block the wind, I was riding into the headwind for the remaining 32 miles. I was exhausted by the time I arrived at the southern end of the route. Still, I had energy to appreciate this scenic and beautiful bike route. Seeing the Willamette River in the evening light and once in Eugene, riding well-established green bike paths were my highlights for the day.

I arrived at Aparna’s home and she welcomed me with her home-made Indian food, a warm shower and bedroom. After riding into the headwind and being exhausted, there is nothing more comforting than having a place to stay and relax in the arms of a good friend. Hiking the PCT and biking the Pacific Coast Bike Route illuminates the basic human needs and helps me deeply appreciate the access to these needs. I was relieved and at ease, knowing that I could stay with Aparna for the next two nights until the rain passes.

I was also excited to take a break from riding along highway 101. I was becoming more uncomfortable and annoyed by the noise, debris on the shoulder and air pollution from cars. By taking this detour, I was able connect with Aparna and take a more scenic and quiet route – what a wonderful way to finish riding the Oregon north!