The Trip is almost done: Pacific Coast Tour 2006

I'm sitting in the basement of the University of Arizona in Tuscon typing this now. I've been in Arizona for almost two weeks where it's been sunny and 80 degrees every day (except for the one day it rained). Beautiful weather. 

Yet I'm looking forward to getting back to the rainy Northwest. Maybe it's just the variety of weather, since the last two months of travel have seen generally "good" weather. Maybe it's because I miss the place bad, miss the people and the good things going on there. Get jealous of all the fun that has happened since I've left and can only experience it second-hand from reading other people's accounts. But I'm getting ahead of myself here... 

I'm not saying this trip hasn't been a blast. I biked 1,100 miles from Portland to San Luis Obispo, California. I experienced "bike fun" in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Tucson. And tonight is the creme de la creme: the annual Day of the Dead Procession here in Tucson, which everyone tells me is amazing. 

Maybe I'm just itchy. Ever since the actual "bike tour" portion of the trip ended, I've spent extended periods in cities--LA, Phoenix, and Tucson. The slower time is a great (and much needed) contrast to the three weeks that consisted of getting up, biking all day up to 70 miles, stopping to set up camp, and sleeping. 

Maybe it's because I'm relishing the slower time a bit too much. I've been sleeping 9 hours plus every day because I don't have to be anywhere, and now I'm finding it hard to get the energy to do stuff. And there's not much point in getting stuff done. This is not my home so I can only do so much stuff for Portland from a distance. And since I spent over a month in Tucson last year, it's not a new area to be explored. Just a place for me to hang out with old friends and enjoy my extended summer. I'll be back in Portland this weekend. Hope to catch you at the Midnight Mystery Ride!