...cracking the code

September 15, 2021

Introduction

My journey began May 23, 2021 from Washington, DC. Starting from a familiar trail along the C&O Canal Tow Path I joined the Great Allegheny Pass Trail (GAP) leading to Pittsburgh, PA. From there my goal was to join the ACA Northern Tier Route in Erie, PA and start making my way west.

Up to this point I have documented my travels on Strava, however more recently I have felt a desire to journal along side a more dedicated community of touring cyclists.

This journal will continue where I left off, which is from West Glacier, MT, where I paused on August 13, 2021 to take a job at a KOA Resort. From there I will continue to make my way West, travelling by train to Seattle, WA where I will rejoin the road towards Olympia, WA > Cannon Beach, OR South on the Oregon Coast > Florence, OR, > Eugene, OR > Ashland, OR > Redding, CA > Chico, CA where I will be taking another job until Mid November.

My short term goal has been to complete my journey from East to West, and dip my wheels in the Pacific Ocean. My longer term goal is to crack the code and de-mystify, at least for myself, what it takes to work and live safely on the road and become an increasingly self sufficient and/or at least resourceful traveller. I hope whoever finds this journal finds it helpful or at least entertaining.

Today's ride: 2,500 miles (4,023 km)
Total: 2,500 miles (4,023 km)

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Andrea BrownGood luck to you! I think a lot of people are interested in unlocking that code of travel/work and this journal will be very informative for them. Welcome to CycleBlaze!
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3 years ago

Rachael AndersonWhat a great adventure! Enjoy the outdoors while you can! We retired in 2018 sold our place and have been doing cycle touring in Europe and the US 9 months of the year and returning to Portland, OR in between.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonOK, I’ll bite. What’s the background on the title?
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3 years ago

Ken YatesTo Scott AndersonIf you are referring to the title of the post, it simply refers to my desire to keep moving, experiencing new places, people and things, and doing so self-sufficiently. In short, I want to work and I want to travel. Cacking the code is all about figuring out how to do both without it having to take on the character of a vacation. I'm 43, not particularly young, but not old either. Retirement doesn't seem to be much to look forward to personally and I don't want to stay in one place, at this time. Vacations are too far and between and always bitter sweet when you have to return to the grind. So I'm going to see what I can do, and from what I can see so far is that there are some unique opportunities (seasonal work on farms, campgrounds, park systems, resorts) and working in one of those environments is a pretty clever way to immerse yourself in an area for a brief period of time, have room and board, get paid for it and meet other working travelers. Otherwise some of these places would be incredibly out of reach.
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3 years ago

Jean-Marc StrydomWelcome to CycleBlaze Ken and congratulations on turning you back on the trap of the standard working life.

Leigh and I took a similar decision to Scott and Rachel Anderson and have been able to live, work and travel as homeless people since March 2016.

We're in IT so all we need is an internet connection, seldom a problem these days, so being able to work is not an issue.

You seem young and fit enough (and I am sure sufficiently adaptable) to slot into any work opportunity you might find along the way. I suspect networking with other travelers will make finding job opportunities easier.

Good luck and enjoy it!
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Ken YatesNot the title of the post, which I understood and feel in admiration of. I wondered about the title of the journal itself though: Dérive Column. Over my head.
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3 years ago

Ken YatesTo Scott AndersonA dérive is an unplanned journey through a landscape, usually urban, on which the subtle aesthetic contours of the surrounding architecture and geography subconsciously direct the travelers, with the ultimate goal of encountering an entirely new and authentic experience.

The "column" aspect of the name refers to Buenaventura Durruti, a leader in the Spanish Civil War against the fascists. His column, one of the largest during the war, was also particularly internationalist, representing anti-fascist socialist and anarchist fighters from all over the globe.

Dérive is what I strive to become more comfortable with in my travels and the Column is in hopes to find like minded fellow travelers who want to live and support one another as a unit, near and far, and promote people's liberation.
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3 years ago

Ken YatesTo Scott AndersonThat definition of "dérive" was pulled from Wikipedia but it's a concept practiced by the Situationist Internationale, and conceived by one of their members Guy Debord when he was in the Letterists Internationale that came before the SI. Really excellent people's sociology / philosophy for these modern times.
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3 years ago