Fast Tracks to Magic

Bonjour Tout Le Monde,

Thank you for keeping up on reading the blog updates and checking in with me over email.   The last week has consisted of long biking days inspired by a speedy bicycling duo, Renae and Jen, who I met after leaving Fort Bragg, and also, reaching a milestone destination - the intentional community called 'Magic' in Palo Alto, just south of San Francisco.

A rare photo of me on a bike snapped without me knowing while entering the artist town Mendocino just south of Fort Bragg.

Soon after the photo of me on the bike was snapped, I met the photographer Rick Hemmings, who was taking pictures of birds, like this Pelican.  

Mendocino, California, is situated in a beautiful spot on the coast, and it was in this town that I met Renae and Jen, who were biking from Crescent City in North California to San Diego at a swift pace.  Renae told me they covered around 75 miles in one day before our paths crossed.  I was excited to meet some other bicyclists, and inspired to push myself to bike more miles per day. So, we ended up biking a 65 mile day together and spent the evening in the Bodega Bay Dunes Park.  The next day, we hit the road early,  however, were inadvertently split up and haven't seen each other since, but emails have confirmed everyone's safety.  Biking together was great while it lasted.

While in Mendocino, I also met artists Janet Ashford and Jon Klein, who warmly invited me into their home. Check out these outstanding pictures Jon Klein kindly shared with me of a 72 foot Blue Whale that washed up on the shore near Mendocino.  It is suspected that the whale was fatally wounded by a boat propeller.  Jon Klein's photography website is jonkleinphoto.com.

Here's some of my own nature photography.....

Mule deer sharing the campsite with me

One of the many victims of car traffic we've witnessed while biking on the roads

Who am I?

Pelicans and Cormorants sunbathing by Tomales Bay, an oyster cornucopia 

And a few other glimpses of the recent journey:

Jolly folks I met in Elk who shared their food with me.  Malaysia, Brunei, USA, and Canada are all represented in this photo, kindly provided by YC, also from Brunei.

South San Francisco homes.  Welcome to the city!

Here are my rap dreams manifest - a video I made while camping near the Avenue of the Giants.  Credit to Lupe Fiasco, and the many other accomplished rappers, to whom I mean no disrespect in this novice venture into the rap genre.

That's all for now. I'm stationary at Magic for the time being, where I've reconnected with my friend Chris Tyler, who I met at the Bike Center in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and am working everyday as part of the work-exchange arrangement for my room and board.

Best Wishes to You,

Steve