February 2: Partying La Pachanga Style
What better way to celebrate finishing the first draft of my second book than to party, La Pachanga style? Today’s ride took me south in the sun to stock up on much needed fresh baked bread at my favorite bakery and then north again via backroads to the La Pachanga (“party”) food truck for some of the best tacos in the country.
I’ve been hard at work the last several months pulling together my next book, tentatively titled, “Living at Full Throttle – What Would You Do if Fear was not Your First Thought?” It’s been wonderful to put some thoughts on paper about how dealing with difficulties on the road has helped me learn to live life more fully, even in the face of fearful situations. I’ve enjoyed reliving some of the more dramatic motorcycle moments over the last few years as well as recounting some life-changing interactions with others.
But I have to say, it’s been harder than I thought to give up so much riding time on the weekends!
I was grateful to have hit the “save” button on my first draft two days ago and to have several hours today to get out on the bike.
Excited to be getting out finally, the first order of business was to head down to the Creswell Bakery to load up on six loaves of multigrain sourdough bread and fortify myself with a breakfast sandwich before enjoying some of the backroads in the area. Heading south this morning, I breathed in the crisp winter air, basked in the warm sun, delighted in the bright blue sky, and gazed out at the fields and farmlands around me.
After a wonderful pit stop in Creswell, I headed west on Camas – Swale Road on tight twisties through the evergreen trees and then dropped down into rolling farmland as I passed Veneta and continued north on Territorial Highway. I chortled with glee as I pulled on the throttle, luxuriating in the rumble of the road and the power of the bike as I swooped around curves and past pastures, orchards, and vineyards.
After weeks of rain, ice, and snow every minute on the bike in the sun seemed like a gift. Heading north on highway 99 I passed gently rolling hills, grazing cattle, vast green fields, honey-colored crops, and even a glorious purple rainbow arched over the road in front of me.
Arriving in Aloha, I ordered the barbequeso taco dinner plate from La Pachanga, recently named one of Yelp’s Top 12 Taco Spots in the US. The tacos are bursting with both flavor and texture as the meat is slowly cooked for 6-8 hours with a homemade adobo marinade and the corn tortillas are seasoned with a special sauce and pan fried. The tacos are served with rich consume, perfect for dipping the tacos in. As I savored every bite of crispy taco, creamy melted mozzarella cheese, and tender beef, I couldn’t help but think about how very lucky I was!
