One Last Day In Oregon...Well Maybe Not

Saturday, October 11, 2014

We were not on the road until 8:30 this morning as we knew we had a short riding day. But more importantly we decided to take advantage of our Motel's coffee and danishes that was not available until 8:00.

We began the ride and immediately started to climb. After 6 kilometers and a little bit of sweating Cape Sebastion was conquered. We had been dreading this climb for a couple of days but it was not really that bad. I guess our legs are getting stronger. Unfortunately on the downhill we encountered more of Oregon's lousy road patching so our speed had to be controlled...but it was still downhill...and no peddling was required.

Today was another one of those days where we were off the bikes admiring the views and taking pictures more than we were on them. The scenery was spectacular...again.

It was also our last day in Oregon...well maybe not! We have decided our bodies need a day off so we will hang around Brookings tomorrow. Brookings is only a few kilometers short of the California border. We are camping in Harris Beach State Recreation Area. The waves are crashing on the rocks. Sue loves it! We had hoped to be able to spend our day off here but upon arriving we learned that the park is closing tomorrow for 10 days for re-paving. It is too bad because the weather is to be great and the park is really nice. So tomorrow we will move into Brookings.

We just got back from riding into Brookings to the Bike shop. The mechanic said we might as well throw the bike speedometer away...again. So we purchased another one this time a 'wired' one as our luck with the 'wireless' ones is less than impressive. I will install the new one tomorrow.

Trip Distance = 53.24 km (seems like a day off). Time on the Bikes = 3 hours 57 minutes. Average Speed = 13.46 km. Maximum Speed = 54.06 km. Wildlife Sightings = Towhee, Kinglet, Song Sparrow, Great Blue Herron, Stellar Jays, Squirrel (again different than anything we have seen before).

Typical Oregon Coast View

Part Way Up One of Our Climbs

Another View From Up High

Another Typical Oregon View

The Coast In All Its Glory Re-appeared Today

Friday, October 10, 2014

At 8:10 this morning we left our 'Kozy Kabin', as KOA advertises them, for another day on the road. It would have been easy to stay another day but the 'necessity' called food would have been a problem.

Once again Oregon's coast appeared to give us an almost never ending show. After 3 days of fog we were glad to see that the fog was above us and it was reasonably clear over the water. We made slow progress at times...only partly due to the hills and talking to other tour cyclists...but it is hard to click off the kilometers when you are stopping so often to enjoy the views and snap pictures.

We rode through another commercial fishing community today. Port Orford had an active harbour but the rest of the town looked a little bit run down. We also saw some agriculture again today. Cranberries were again being grown, sheep were grazing in the hills, and we even saw some beef cattle operations today.

Our electronic 'woes' continue. Sue's speedometer again has decided it does not want to work. And after spending 15 minutes this morning trying to get it operating, I gave up. A bike shop is ahead of us in Brookings and maybe they can make the 'stupid' thing work.

We are staying in the Azalea Lodge. It is a really nice and more importantly a 'clean' little motel located in the town of Gold Beach.

Trip Distance = 62.01 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 14 minutes. Average Speed = 14.64 km. Maximum Speed = 47.80 km. Wildlife Sightings = Greater White Fronted Geese, Canada Geese, Stellar Jays, Brown Pelicans, Great Blue Heron, Chipmunk (who just about caused me to run into Sue as she braked to not hit it and I was not paying attention...still trying to get used to this riding behind Sue).

A couple of days ago we received the sad news that the couple from Montreal who were riding a tandem bike and who had already gone well over 9000 kilometers had crashed just south of Seaside. Our hearts go out to you both and get well soon Helene. We will try to stay safe.

Riding Under The Fog

A View of the Oregon Coast Hiking Trail

Interesting Ocean Side Land Use

Unidentified Wildlife Sighting

Seven Devils Road...It Lived Up To Its Name

Due to the lousy Wi fi (just like the motel) 2 pictures have since been posted that we were unable to before.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

We were on the road by 7:50...we could not wait to get out of the motel...I will just leave it at that.

North Bend is a long drawn out town. We rode for 8 kilometers before we left it behind only to enter the small community of Charleston. Charleston has a commercial fishing harbour and we saw lots of fishing vessels being unloaded. It is the first non sport fishing community we have seen on the coast.

We then turned onto 'Seven Devils Road'. It quickly became apparent how it got its name. There were 7 steep climbs adding up to well over a 1000 feet. I think ACA throws this off route section in just to torture tour cyclists...actually it is a 'scenic byway'...but wait...it was foggy again so we saw nothing except the clear cut forest at the top of the climb. Yes the Oregon Coast was shrouded in fog again today despite the prediction of the Weather Network. It also never made it above 12 degrees today. The sun seems to have abandoned us!

Near the end of the day we rode through an agricultural area. The major crop south of Bandon is cranberries. Some of the fields were flooded ready for harvesting while others were being harvested. I guess that is the reason we saw an Ocean Spray processing plant in the edge of Bandon. The area around Langlois is known for sheep grazing. The pastures were up the sides of hills...for a while we thought we had made a wrong turn and ended up in Scotland!

We learned a new term today while talking to the ACA tour guide just before the start of the climb up Seven Devils Road. He said he was the 'sweeper' today. It means that he left later than everyone else and then makes sure everyone gets to their destination. Sue and I were definitely the 'sweepers' today. We brought up the 'rear' of a pack of tour cyclists today...18 in total. I guess that says something about how slow we really are!

We have rented a cabin in the KOA Campground located between Langlois and Port Orford. It is a cute little cabin and it even has a small electric heater which we are putting to use.

Trip Distance = 78.57 km. Time on the Bikes = 5 hours 10 minutes. Average Speed = 15.20 km. Maximum Speed = 45.56 km. Wildlife Sightings = Canada Geese, Stellar Jays.

Charleston Harbour

Seven Devils Road Conquered

"Whenever I see someone biking faster than me, I assume they are not biking as far"... this theory works in my mind!!!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

After another quiet night we were on the road by 8:00. It was foggy and overcast. That did not improve.

Today we saw sand dunes! Not the shabby little things you see at Grand Bend or Sauble Beach but 200 to 300 foot high sand dunes. Most of the day we rode along beside these things...at least we think we did as the fog was thick at times making concentration on the road...in front and behind...important. The U.S. has preserved this area...sort of. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is 36 kilometers long. The reason for the 'sort of' is that the area is over run by ATV/Dune Buggy businesses. You can 'pay to play' or 'rent to play'! So I am not so sure how well preserved these dunes really are. The areas' economy is definitely based on these activities.

We also got to experience riding through some of the Oregon Coast forests. While taking a short 4 kilometer 'off route' road we wound through some 'pristine' forest. It was also the day for cyclists 'blowing' past us as we rode. The guy from Ottawa we met a few days ago we saw again today. Two other guys 'blew' past us and said hello as we were caught in their 'jet stream'. And a 4th stopped to talk to us just before our 'walk' across the Coos Bay Bridge. He is on a mission. He was from Canmore Alberta and wants to be in San Francisco in 10 days. And I cannot forget the 12 ACA riders who passed us again...yes we were ahead of them...only because I make Sue get on the road earlier than their tour guide does.

We are staying in the Parkside Motel in North Bend. It has laundry and that is its only redeeming quality.

Trip Distance = 70.05 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 39 minutes. Average Speed = 15.05 km. Maximum Speed = 49.60 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Egrets, Chipmunks (but different than ours), Kingfisher.

P.S. Today, we passed the 1000 kilometer mark for our ride.

Oregon Forest

Coos Bay Bridge...The Long Walk

Sand Dunes We Rode Past Today

Fog, Fog, and More Fog

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

We were on the road by 7:50. After a 1 kilometer ride we went for a walk...and it had nothing to do with a hill for a change. It was foggy and the bridge leading out of Newport across Yaquima Bay was not inviting to bicycles. So we walked the bikes on the narrow elevated sidewalk the full 1.5 kilometers across. It was not even a comfortable walk.

The day started out foggy and it never lifted except for a few minutes as we grocery shopped in Yachats. The rest of the time our flashing lights were given a workout. Any vistas today unfortunately were shrouded in a thick mist. We know the entire day should have provided great views simply by the number of automobile 'turnouts' that we passed. It was also the day for bridges but again they were all hidden from us. When Oregon built Highway 101 they spent an awful lot of time on bridge design and building. They are marvelous looking structures and most were built 90 years ago. They are still being used today.

We also faced some climbing again today...maybe I should say a fair bit of climbing...did I mention that Oregon is not flat?

The American Cycling Association (does not seem to be a day when I do not mention this organization) has a west coast tour where the cyclists just ride and a van/trailer brings their gear and their food. We knew at some point they would overtake us as they were leaving Bellingham a couple of days after we went through. We played tag with 3 of them and while we were stopped together we realized that one of them was riding a wooden bike. It was a beauty! I think he must shine it every night. I am sure these guys with their carbon fibre road bikes will leave us in their dust tomorrow.

We are camping in Honeyman State Park which is located just south of Florence. We have a very private site...in fact it took both of us to push each bike up the hill to get to our site.

Overall it was a long day...and a bit disappointing because we missed so many great views. However, we have had such good weather in Oregon until today that we have to consider ourselves lucky.

Trip Distance = 89.23 km. Time on the Bikes = 6 hours 8 minutes (and our butts feel like it). Average Speed = 14.52 km. Maximum Speed = 46.03 km. Wildlife Sightings = Brown Pelicans, Stellar Jays, Small Chipmunk/Squirrel (not identified yet).

Yaquima Bridge

Haceta Lighthouse South of Yachats

A Pleasure to Climb

Monday, October 6, 2014

We had a quiet night in the park last night 'rocked' to sleep by the sound of the ocean...okay it might have been the climbing!

We were on the road by 8:00...before the other tour cyclists I might add. We met a guy from Ottawa who left Vancouver about the same time as us. He had already been to Victoria, Seattle and Portland (do not understand why he likes cities) while we had come straight from Maple Ridge. I think he is faster! We also saw two other cyclists come in just before dark so we were not talking to them.

Our ride today was a nice easy (short) ride along the coast. And as today's blog title suggests, we actually enjoyed the major climb of the day...there is a first for everything. Both the ACA and Oregon Bike Route took us off 101 and since yesterday's experience of ignoring them was a bad decision, we decided to follow their advice and are we glad we did. The climb was great...yes you probably have never heard these words from us before or will you again...the climb was great! It was called the Otter Crest Loop. It was a 4 kilometer climb which started by crossing a really neat old bridge. Most of it was 'one way' with a bike lane and a vehicle lane. The views on the whole climb were spectacular. And then there was the descent. I am not sure I have had more fun on a bicycle than letting it ride going downhill around the curves at 40 to 45 kilometers per hour for 4 1/2 kilometers.

We arrived at our destination by 11:30. We had heard about the bike shop here called Bike Newport. They have a biker lounge with showers, laundry, and Wi fi. And oh yes as per usual I needed their services for my bike as I had developed a vibration when I was climbing in low gears. Sue's bike was also not shifting well. While they were doing the bike maintenance and replacing our chains, we took advantage of heir laundry facilities.

We are staying in the Shilo Inn in Newport. Our room has a 'million dollar' view of the ocean. I have taken Sue out for her 'birthday dinner'...finally...at a restaurant that also has the 'million dollar' view.

F.Y.I. Oregon continues to 'stun' us with its sand beaches. Newport's is 8 kilometers long. We will be put to sleep again with the sound of the crashing waves,

Life is good! Sorry Pat but I just had to plagiarize again. We are sitting here 'sipping wine' as the sun goes down over the ocean.

Trip Distance = 46.66 km. Time on the Bikes = 3 hours 9 minutes. Average Speed = 14.81 km. Maximum Speed = 45.05 km. Wildlife Sightings = Numerous whale sightings, Raccoons in the campground last night, Greater White Fronted Goose (finally confirmed as we got binoculars on them), Stellar Jays, Great Egret, Great Blue Herons.

McCullough Bridge on Old Highway 101

View From Motel in Newport

As We Sipped Wine Sitting in our Motel Room

Beautiful Weather...Great Scenery

Sunday, October 5, 2014

It could easily be argued that our stay in Cape Lookout State Park was the best of our trip so far. We had a site at the far end of the park more or less by our selves. There was no road near by, no train tracks running past, just the sound of the crashing waves. And to top the evening off we sat out on a log on the beach and watched a spectacular sunset over the ocean.

We were on the road by 8:00. We knew we were in for two climbs today. Our legs were not even warmed up when the first climb of the day began. It was 3 1/2 kilometers long and according to ACA a climb of over 750 feet. We were warmed up by the time we made it to the top. An hour into our ride and we were only 7 kilometers into the day. It was a good thing the next 40 kilometers were reasonably flat because we knew an even tougher climb was ahead. We enjoyed great views of the ocean for most of the ride with the exception of the final climb of the day. It was up and over a headland from Neskowin to Lincoln City. Both the ACA and the Oregon State Bike Route took you off Highway 101 for this section but we decided we knew better and chose the shortest route by staying on the highway. Maybe we should have followed their suggestion. Later we noticed the contour lines on our map showed a 1000 foot line right where we went. It was also in only 2 1/2 kilometers. But boy was the 'blast' down the other side exhilarating.

We are set up in the town of Lincoln City in the Devils Lake State Park. It is a State Park right in the middle of town. Lincoln City is a resort town based on the beaches and is spread out for kilometers along the ocean.

We are a little bit tired but again we can here the crashing waves from our site.

Trip Distance = 61.14 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 40 minutes. Average Speed = 13.10 km. (that is a result of the 2 climbs) Maximum Speed = 48.26 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Western Gull, Red Shafted Flicker, Canada Geese, Stellar Jays.

Sunset at Cape Lookout State Park

Looking Down at Cape Lookout Beach Part Way Up Climb

Sand Dunes Recreation Area Near Sandlake