As I prepared to embark on this journey a few weeks ago with no set plan other than our ultimate destination, the one pillar of certainty I felt I could rely on was the presence of my traveling partner Jason. Today that certainty has crumbled beneath me.

One of my college buddies, Dmitry (who was also my travel partner in Europe), met up with Jason and me in Seattle. He plans to ride with us for a few weeks to San Francisco. None of us have ever toured in a group of three before, but we figured it would add to the adventure. Last nightour triad rolled into the foothills of Mt. Rainier, a 14,000-foot peak in central Washington. We were forced to camp below a roadside bridge in the small town of Elbe as it became too dark to ride to the campsite down the road. Today’s ride included a 5,500-foot clmb up the south side of the majestic Rainier, and the three of us decided - based on our different styles of riding and a bit of the inevitable tension when three independent-minded males convene - to meet on the other side of the mountain in the town of Packwood 70 miles away.

Riding alone gave us all a chance to explore at our leisure: waterfalls, hiking trails, groves of towering trees, and old lumber villages. With so much to see, I had to hurry on the descent to Packwood in order to arrive before sunset. As I approached town, I saw neither Jason nor Dmitry and hoped they were not far behind. But as I sat worrying curbside in front of the busiest gas station in this small town, darkness came quickly. There were no streetlights on these roads and the last 20 miles of the road passed one house and many miles of sheer cliffs. As I gazed into nothingness, I promised myself to be more patient and loyal with my two friends, finally understanding how much of what is important to me on this trip is time with each of them.

As I fought off sleep after the long day of climbing, I eventually saw a glimmer of a bicycle headlight in the distance. Dmitry had survived the darkness, and I was ecstatic to see him. But where was Jason? Dmitry hadn’t seen him since we split in the morning. As we began to imagine worst-case scenarios, my phone rang. It was Jason calling from a campsite payphone not far from where we began the day. Less than an hour earlier he had been riding towards Packwood in the dark when his tire went flat. His pump had broken a few days ago so he had no way to fix it. Fortunately, a car driving through Rainier National Park after hours spotted him and gave him a ride in the direction they were headed - back to the base of the mountain where we started. So Jason will have to fix his tire and climb the same mountain pass again tomorrow.

But at least he is safe. And at least I am learning what it is I value most on this trip.

Jason Flying a Kite in Seattle

Rainier

Posted on September 5th, 2007 by Derrick
Filed under: Uncategorized