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Long Beach Adventures: Day 1
Having packed the night before, Gerick and I got up around 8ish (I slept for a wonder!) and took off around 10 to head north and then west for Long Beach, Washington, where we'd meet a friend of his from work and participate in their annual Razor Clam festival.
The drive was beautiful, puffy thick clouds eventually giving way to gorgeous sunshine in the upper 60s. It had been a long while since I had taken the route. Since my early 20s I think. I noted on the drive that when we got close to our destination, the trees were even more full of lichen (looking like light green hanging moss) than even most Pacific Northwestern forests. Many trees and even some bushes were so covered by it that they seemed as if they were being inundated by some eerie Lovecraftian creation. But 'twas only lichen– not even a plant per se, but rather colonies of algae and fungi that can only exist in VERY unpolluted air with the types in question. So, yes, the air smelled fresh and clean and a little like the ocean, but the area looked a bit freakish at times in the forested areas.
We had a modest lunch and hit an couple of antique stores before checking into our hotel. It wasn't as posh as promised. In fact, it seemed to make a theme out of their austere LACK of posh. Its like they tried to make sparse chic by calling it “green.” I wasn't impressed, but the room was comfortable enough and they offered free bikes to ride, so that was a plus.
Of course, after a brief walk to the beach and ocean, I wanted to go back and get a bike to ride, but it took a litter persuasion for Gerick. He finally relented and we were lucky to get 2 of the last bikes left (other than kids bikes.) All the bikes in the lobby had been converted into 1-speeds with pedal brakes like the bikes I rode as a kid, so that was weird, but okay. We were soon rolling along the “Discovery Trail” which is a paved meandering path atop the beachgrass-covered dunes paralleling the miles long beach. I was soon struggling, and Gerick realized my bike was not in great shape, so he gallantly switched bikes with me and I had an easier time of it. But there were many small hills and dips and I was back to struggling again. I couldn't believe how much harder it was to ride a damned bike now as opposed to my youth! We rode 2 miles before I surrendered to my limits and turned back. By the time we had turned the bikes in and made it back to our room, I was still gasping and rather nauseated, coughing and wondering if I was going to pass out.
It took me a few minutes to recover, and by that time a nap seemed in order. We finished up our day later with a walk along the boardwalk, a dinner at the hotel restaurant, and then hanging on the beach to watch the sunset. It was very pretty, and I was obviously recovered from my previous strenuous exercise by that time!
Source: http://lucretiasheart.livejournal.com/1031926.html
