Eric, Randy and the Key West Crew

After we all got up, I took off with no gear.  I probably should have taken my pump but I had forgotten.  All I took was my side bag with all my valuables.

It was almost exact the 5 miles Lance has mentioned.  And it was definitely worth back-tracking.  My tire seemed to be doing fine so I didn't mind the unloaded 10-mile return journey.

I headed back to Kalaloch and packed up.  I said goodbye to Amy and Lance and hit the road.  About 5 miles later my trouble front tire was flat.  I pulled into a safe area and started working on her.  I replaced the new tube I had used with the patched one.  When Lance and Amy saw me at the last second, Lance yelled "STOPPING!"  And after telling them what happened, I waved them on.  It didn't take long to change the tube and I was on the road a short while later.

My mission was to get to Quinault Lake and grab a bus to Aberdeen which had a Bank of America.  I didn't know how much longer I had to go but I figured it was about 5 miles when I saw this cool vanwagon.

And then when I turned my head, I found out I was really close.  The sign was right across the street from the monster vanwagon and I might have missed it had I been looking more at the vanwagon than the road.

When I got to North Shore I took my time at a variety store after they told me the bus stops right outside their store.  After buying things to eat and drink, I decided I would go to the Amanda Park Merc. Station 2 miles down the road, since this stop was a "flag" station and I didn't want to take any chances.  The friendly Korean who helped me insisted it would stop here, so I relaxed, but then decided I had plenty of time to do the two miles.  

No sooner had I taken off that someone was yelling after me!  It was a guy on a bike.  He was saying, "Don't get away from me until I see what you're riding!"  I told him I was going to Amanda Park to catch a bus to Aberdeen and he was as well, so he led the way.  He was weaving back and forth from side to side on the road.  He would point things out and express his wishes.  "I'd buy a place and cut down all the trees so I could have a nice view, but they'd charge me $1000 a tree AND jail time."

When we got to Amanda Park, Eric and I sort of shook hands.  He had an enthusiastic approach towards me, grabbed my hand to shake but continued in to bump my chest with his in a mild body-check fashion.  And low and behold, Amy and Lance were inside APM!

When the bus arrived, the driver wanted me to fold the bike.  Eric helped me load my stuff.  I gave one lady double-cheek-kiss to Amy and a hug to Lance and we were off.  I paid Eric's bus fare for his help.  The 1 hour 35 minute bus ride to Aberdeen was $1.  That is not a typo.  

I was glad we got on the bus at Amanda Park because I would have been confused at North Shore, since it approached going North, but then dongles around and went South.  I would have been looking for something coming from the North.  On the ride, Eric, who had the gift of the gab, talked about his travels and his he should write a book.  He also told me about The Deal.  Because everybody wants a deal.  On fact, he was living The Deal.  I wish I understood what the hell he was talking about.  Sounded like a big deal.  I managed to see the lake from the bus, which was nice. I wish I could have stayed the night there and eaten at The Salmon House.  But I had bigger [salmon] to fry.

The bus was a crazy experience.  I thought everyone on the bus knew each other, and they might have to some degree.  Everyone was talking to everyone, shouting across the bus.  I ended up talking to Randy about going to Twins Harbour and he asked why,and  advised I just go to Raymond.  I asked if there was anywhere to stay in Aberdeen and he said, "You don't want to stay in Aberdeen."  That's when a girl with false teeth started explaining about prostitution, or women trying to prostitute.  A guy across the way from me joined Randy and said I shouldn't go to Twins Harbour.  "There ain't nothin'.  Nothin' but a whole lotta nothin'."  In Hoquim, Randy pointed out Lavogue Bike Shop which I thought was Aberdeen.  "That's where you want to buy your tire.  There isn't another good bike shop for 80 miles!"  I said buy to Eric but stayed on the bus as I figured I'd take care of the bank first, then my wheel. Randy was helpful in suggesting a nice place to stay in Aberdeen as well.  And there was a Walmart.  And a KFC.  And a Taco Bell.  All places he felt worth mentioning, perhaps to highlight the positive side of the city.

I made it to the Bank of America with just 15 minutes to spare, and they wouldn't have been open again until Monday, as they are closed on the weekend.  All the people there were helpful and I withdrew $100 of the $200 I had available until my Money Order cleared.

I immediately went to the hotel Randy suggested and almost immediately regretted it.  I had to put a $200 deposit on my card, which as I expected, would not run since I had withdrawn $100 on it already. After countless phone calls to net manager and the owner, we tried a combination of cash and credit but I told her I did not want my card charged.  Of course she charged my card.  I had her reverse it and asked for my cash back.  She thought I was going to get more cash to do it all by cash.  I told her I was going to go to Lake Sylvia, and she said they didn't want to lose me as a customer.  I told her she didn't, that I would stay there the next time I was visiting Aberdeen.  Eric would have agreed, they did not offer The Deal.

I went to Walmart and bought a cheap BMX tire.  Then I grabbed some KFC.  I filled my thermos with ice.  The nice boy who worked there returned it to me at my table when I felt it on the counter.  It was a good meal.  Boneless crunchy chicken!  

I only had a few hours to find Lake Sylvia.  Luckily KFC had WiFi and I remembered some of the instructions Randy gave me. When I got there, I discovered there were only two hiker/biker lots and there was a group of 5 guys occupying them.  But they were gracious and offered to squeeze me in and moved their table so I could set up.  They wouldn't take money so I bought them some firewood. They were from Key West and had all gone to high school together.  Ben, Oliver, Christian, Jason, and of course, Kieron, were all very cool guys.  Kieron was wary of the rep he seemed to be getting as the one with the biggest appetite.  He kept shining his headlamp in people's eyes so they made him go terminator.  

That eventually led to talking about Ronald Reagan.  You can guess how.  As the night went on, I observed a unique Key West Crew ritual.  The Cooking of The Clothes.  Shirts, socks and shorts were sometimes balanced carefully on the edge of the oil drum rim around the fire and on a branch strategically placed.  Most of the socks understood their balancing act, but one sock kept falling in, and it belonged to Keiron, I suspect, as when it fell off its perch he had some choice words for whoever was turning the sock.

Ben managed to burn a nice hole in his T-Shirt when he ended up liking as it looked more like a muscle shirt afterwards.  And then, it was time to eat the bacon.  Pouring the bacon grease on the fire seemed to be a new ritual for them.  Jay knows only too well the benefits.

And finally, I brushed my teeth and took a photo of my bike locked up at the bottom of the steep site.  I only hoped I could get to Hoquim on my ailing tire.