The First Leg: Part V

Wednesday 6 May, 6:20am, Portland, OR -- Brett wakes. Brushes teeth. Rides first bike back to car in morning rain, with second bike over shoulder. Feels herculean. Leans bikes against Volvo. Sees crumble glass on pavement out of corner of his eye. Walks around to passenger's side of the car. Front window is broken in. "Oh my," he thinks. Looks inside for a second. It takes a moment to fully register. Realizes everything from the front seat is gone except tent and sleeping bag & pad.

6:50am, Portland, OR -- Tow truck arrives as Brett is pacing the parking lot furious, unstrung. Tow truck mechanic laughs nervously. "Oh, Jeez. That just happen?" Brett runs back to hostel to bring last bike back to car. Locks it up with the other two on rack. Looks franticly in bushes and down street for panniers, box of books, tupperware, duffel.

7:45am, Portland, OR -- Arrives at V-Shop. Tow truck tips car back down onto the road. Tow truck leaves. V-Shop owner arrives. "Oh, Jeez. That just happen?"

8:15am, Portland, OR -- V-Shop mechanics gather around to hear story. Lend Brett a vacuum to clean out crumbly glass. Mechanics raise car up on lift, start investigating ratcheting noise. They tell Brett he can store bikes and rack in the back of the shop. Give him non-emergency Portland police phone number. Brett plugs in phone and starts calling friends and family.

9am, Portland, OR -- Brett leaves mechanics to their work. Walks down to local grocery store. Sits in middle of aisle and plugs phone into floor outlet. Reports break-in to police. Starts thinking about alternative summer options. Screw the tour, bum around the Pacific Northwest? Screw the tour, fly home to VA and go on long rides around the Shenandoah Valley? Screw the tour, get a plane ticket to Europe? Do the tour?

10am, Portland, OR -- Friends and Family start calling Brett with offers to ship gear and send money. Dad suggests new route options from Pullman, WA. Brett begins to imagine he might still be able to ride cross-country. V-Shop calls. Can repair badly burned-out u-joint on drive shaft and replace window for a pretty penny. Will be done by Thursday night.

11am, Portland, OR -- Brett & bike ride back to hostel on bus. Brett arranges a second night's stay with grinning hostel employee Happy. Begins to like Happy. Limitedly. Brett rides back to Wells Fargo parking lot and makes loops around local neighborhood looking for gear. Checks dumpsters. Goes back to hostel for long nap. Elsewhere, friends & family begin making arrangements.

7pm, Portland, OR -- Brett wakes and goes down the street to buy a cheap beer and look at maps. Spills beer on only pair of jeans he has to wear. Bartender gives him another one, even cheaper. Talks to Dad about new route options.