We’ve now been in Oregon for just over 6 months. I think it goes without saying that when you pick everything up, move 3,000 miles, start a new job, etc, etc, etc. Your routine can tend to get a bit screwed up.

Recently things are starting to click though. Especially on the navigation front. You tend to learn the main roads when you move some place, then gradually learn the shortcuts. For me personally, the learning curve tends to be accelerated due to cycling. At Plymouth State I knew the area better in the first four months of my freshman year than some seniors.

With the chaos of this cross country move and settling into work, new apartment and all that goes along with that, I felt like my learning curve was a bit slower that when I just moved 20-30 miles. However, this past week it feels like things are starting to click.

I went out on a mellow paced group ride yesterday and learned a few more back roads in North Plains. Today I got out for a ride that took me south of route 10 (AKA Farmington) from Beaverton and Hillsboro. The roads were pretty low traffic, lots of farms, pretty crazy FLAT.

I’m starting to learn the south part of Washington County and the valley.  I feel pretty good about Skyline and the hills all the way out to it’s end.  I definitely feel pretty good about the main trails in Forest Park.  I have a decent understanding of the riding north of 26 all the way out to Cornelius.  Now it is time to expand out towards the Tillamook State Forest and some of the logging and dirt roads.  I should be able to develop a good mix of rides by mid summer.

One of today’s lessons seemed to  be that no matter how it looks in Beaverton and the more populated areas of Hillsboro, the further you get away from “civilization” the thicker the fog gets.

Not much else to report.  It felt good to actually ride two days in a row.  I don’t think that has happened since at least daylight savings started.

Thanks for reading,

-Pete