Day 26: Port Angeles - Bogachiel State Park (just past Forks), 63.91 miles

September 21st, 2009

After a bit of messing around at the tourist office and at Safeway to buy more Kraft dinners and supplies for my new favourite cyclist breakfast of peanut butter on tortillas, I met up with an English guy called Nick who, again, was cycling from Alaska to Argentina. These people and their cross-continent rides really made my ride look like an amble round the park. Damn them!

I set off, and about 10 miles out of town had that horrible feeling that every cyclist sooner or later experiences. At first, the bike didn't feel quite right, it was slightly swaying back and forth. Initially and as every cyclist does, I ignored it hoping that it would go away. However, after another couple of pedal revolutions, I knew my worst fears had been realised... My very first puncture of the trip! Fortunately, Nick came past a few minutes later and was able to lend me a pump as mine, I discovered, had died.

One large staple now removed from the back tyre - always the blasted back tyre (which is harder to fix) - I continued along my ride. I rode past Lake Crescent, a beautifully clear lake with nice wiggly roads all the way round it. The only downside of this leg of the trip was the seemingly unending hill that I had to conquer when I got to the end of the lake.

I finally got to Forks, which has made a name for itself as being the Twilight Zone. Apparently this is the place where the author of the Twilight Zone came from and she had used various places around town in her book. It seemed to me like an awful lot of hype, but perhaps I am missing the point not being a Twilight Zone fan!

I wonder how a town devoted to selling Twilight Zone paraphernalia could make any money, but then again I got the feeling that this might be where the real victims of America's economic downturn might live.

Oh, I also stayed the night at my first hiker biker site. Something the Americans have set up to cater for those without a vehicle. Congrats to the Yanks.