Riding Upright

I feel as if my life has been tossed into the air by some unknown force and, as it comes floating back around me, it resembles what it was but not entirely. I guess what I mean is that I don't have a firm grasp of anything that's happening right now. I just got back from a three night camping/biking trip with Em and it is such a rude awakening to be back here in Seattle, working a new job, dealing with insurance companies, passively looking for a place to live, actively worrying about my graduate school plans.

I spent three nights on Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands. The trip was amazing. As with any adventure with Em, I was wholly unprepared in the traditional sense but ready for everything. I just got my bike fixed and hadn't spent much time on it since the accident, so I was a wee bit apprehensive. We parked in Anacortes (up and down a huge hill from the ferry), strapped everything to our bikes with the ten-plus bungee cords I brought, and biked, wove, and wobbled to the ferry. I had a large hangover from a small binge in Bellingham the night before, and barely made it up the hill from the ferry on Lopez.

The first day we biked around Lopez, with a short stop-over in Lopez Village to avoid the short rain shower. The island is wonderful for cycling: the roads are nicely paved and maintained, there aren't many cars, and drivers are careful and cautious around bikers. We did a 30+ mile loop, stopping at several parks. Nothing was hectic, everything was serene and beautiful. It was so relaxing to be in the woods with almost no one around.

The next day, Em and I took the ferry to San Juan Island and biked to the American Camp park. As it was a hot, late summer day, the logical decision was to go skinny dipping. Ideally, it would have been a quick dip in and out but the water was absolutely frigid so we had to slowly inch our way to an acceptable depth. When the water was just covering our knees, Em looked behind us to see if anyone was nearby. A middle-aged man with a ponytail was standing on the bluff taking our picture. Now, we both came to the conclusion that he was just some aging hippie trying to capture a picturesque moment with two attractive women skinny dipping against a breathtaking scene. However, the next time I turned around (maybe waist-deep in the water), he was directly behind us on the shore telling us to turn around so he could take a picture. Em firmly told him to leave; when he continued and threatened to take our clothes, she yelled at him. It was great--even greater, he listened. Creep. That annoyance aside, we submerged and quickly slogged back to the beach.

The next day was, unfortunately, the last day of the trip. We took a scenic ride around Lopez to a different park, Spencer Spit State Park, dawdled, then realized we would barely make it in time to catch the ferry. After an epic race back, we barely caught the ferry (per usual), found Em's car unticketed in Anacortes, drove back to Bellingham. Em is leaving Bellingham forever; with her, she takes my only reason to visit. I said goodbye to Bellingham for what will be the last time in a long time, I'm sure. It's sad. The end of an era even more than when I left, perhaps.

It was difficult to come back to reality but I'm making it. Things will surely begin to fall into place soon.