May 20th. Day 20.
8:53 AM Sitting at my picnic table, in the sun, having tea and oatmeal. I'm eating my oatmeal with the remaining half of my Spork, thanks to the birds!! Being close to the restroom I can keep an eye on my cell phone while it charges.
The homeless guy is gone. I'm sorry I didn't want to hear his story but...
Dan and I chat. While we are talking his Ortleb panniers get shit on by some crows in the branches overhead! It is a big mess which he finally gets cleaned up. He packs the rest of his stuff and hits the road.
It is almost noon!
It is almost noon!
I decide to walk around the campground and come across this signage at the "Day Use" end of the park just north of where I am camping. No this, no that, no most everything!
Back in camp I call my brother. He is busy installing automatic levelers on his fifth wheel trailer. He and his wife are getting ready to leave on vacation. He will be pulling his thirty-five foot trailer with his F-250 King Cab Ford pickup powered by a V-10 Triton gas engine! We agree I will be his "carbon off-set"!!
I talk to my cousin in Southern California and get the phone number and address of his sister, my cousin, in Lincoln City , Oregon
In the evening I listen to some NPR and call this, "A Rest Day".
May 21st. Day 21
Three weeks on the road! Only a few miles to Waldport. I stop for groceries; 9 grain bread, yogurt, salami, cheese. I need gas for my stove and some cachews would be nice. I’m thinking about buying myself a Brooks saddle in Newport . Dan really likes his Brooks. My butt has been getting sore from the seat that came with my Surley. Maybe I’ll treat myself; I’ve earned it after 1,300 miles of training and almost 500 miles of Adventure!
An overcast day with no wind, yippie! The sun looks like it might burn through.
Riding along I happen to spot a credit card by the side of the road. I coast to a stop, swing back, and take a look. Yep, someone’s credit card! I'm at the entrance/exit to an Art Glass gallery. I pick the card up, ride over to the gallery, and tell the owner about it. She doesn’t know the person but says she will look into it and, “Thanks for turning it in.”. Feeling good about my good deed, I press on.
Seal Rock.
I meet a bike touring couple heading south! We talk for a while and I discover they are from the Sumner area of Washington State.
I have kids and grandkids in the Sumner area but they don't know them.
She tells me she has ridden "Ragbri" in Iowa and the "STP" (Seattle to Portland) .
“Both are big parties!!”
Another heroic bridge.
A nice biking and walking path option.
Looking down on Yaquina Bay!
In Newport I stop at the Chevron to fill my MSR bottle. Only forty-five cents worth but I give the attendant a dollar and tell him to keep the change! Magnanimous me!
Eight more blocks to the Newport Bike Shop to see about a Brooks saddle. I pull up, go to park my bike, and discover my “Click-Stand” is missing!!
Then I recall I heard a funny sound when I left the gas station. I remember I looked behind me to see what it was but a car was pulling up to the pump so I moved on. Now I know that sound was my Click-Stand falling to the ground when I left. I’m wondering if it was run over and squashed; is there even a chance it might still be there?
I decide to ride back to the Chevron to check anyway and, by golly, there it is! The attendant found it, didn’t know what it was, and put it on the bench by the office. Whew! I’m so glad I tipped the guy 55 cents! My bike karma is strong!
Back to the bike shop.
They have a lot of nice bikes and even a Calfee made out of bamboo. The first one I've seen! And, sure enough, they have Brook Saddles.
I decide to bite the bullet and buy the Brooks B-17. $105.00! Since I don't want the weight of hauling my old saddle with me I talk them into buying it. They offer me $10.00. Okay. (In hind sight I could have mailed it home.)
They install the new saddle and I take it for a test ride. The seat is very slick and I slide all over the place!! I ride back to the store and have them re-adjust it a bit. Maybe because I am wearing hiking pants over my biking shorts is the reason it feels so slippery. Maybe I should wear only bike shorts for a while until the newness wears off. I hope that helps. It sure isn't all that comfortable at this point! They tell me it takes a while to break the seat in. What ever, the black Brooks sure looks nice on my black Long Haul Trucker.
Before leaving Newport I happen upon an art supply store and buy two Micron Pens. On down the street, a used book store where I trade in, "The Thin Red Line" for Hemmingway’s “Farewell to Arms”. I seem to be on a military kick.
Eight miles more and I arrive at Beverly Beach State Park
There is quite a hill to push up to get to the hiker/biker site. Just what I enjoy most at the end of a day of riding and, of course, the showers and restrooms are "far and wee"!
I find a site with a bit of sun but it doesn’t last long.
Once I have camp established a German comes rolling in on an overloaded BMW motorcycle and sets up his tent. It starts to drizzle so we don’t talk for long.
It is a hike to the showers and back but well worth it.
Dinner over, I crawl into bed and call it a day.
May 22nd. Day 22
Breakfast; oatmeal, honey and raisins. Update my log book.
The Ranger arrives and tells the guy with the motorcycle this campsite is only for human powered travelers.
10:45 AM. Outta here! Full sunshine! I have GoalZero charging my Zune. Today I will find out if buying the Brooks saddle was a mistake.
A "witness tree"? Something to show how big trees use to be? Spotted owl nest?
12:15 8.02 miles I stop at a beautiful ocean side, Day Use, park for lunch. Some fellow ‘mericans are having lunch at the next table. When they get back in their car they leave paper plates, beer cans, empty chip bag and napkins blowing in the wind. I don’t understand people like that. Absolute slobs.
I gather up their mess and walk it half a block to the restroom trash can which, by the way, is in plain sight. Jeez!
Further along I happen upon this fun and very interesting couple. They are riding about twenty feet of tandem recumbent! Never seen one before! They are a great antidote to the trash couple and perk up my faith in my fello 'merican.
Arrive in Lincoln City. T
She says “Come ahead” and gives me her address which is near 36th Ave North .
Great! I start riding and after a few blocks I notice a street sign, 30 Ave. South!! Lincoln City
Along the way I happen upon this sign. Evidently some religious nut had been predicting the end of the world!
It takes forty five minutes of pedaling up and down hills, past strip malls, through the old town, the new town and the edge of town before I finally arrive at Dee's house! And here I thought I had arrived at the “Welcome to Lincoln City
Deloris and I have a nice visit. And yes, I am more than welcome to stay for dinner, use the shower, sleep in the guest room and have breakfast before resuming my trip. "Make yourself to home!"
Wonderful!!! They jury is still out on the Brooks Saddle.
May 23th. Day 23.
"Bye
8:45 AM. On the road after a breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and toast. The TV news was about a tornado killing 80 in Joplin , Missouri
There aren’t any state park campgrounds shown on my map for quite a ways and I’m anxious about the upcoming Memorial Day weekend and how full campgrounds will be. Always something to think about!
Well, how about that!!
10:00 AM. 7.40 miles. I’m getting very familiar with “granny gear”! Up and up the old scenic highway north of
There is no traffic and it is very green. A lot of bird calls. It seems like there is a song sparrow singing his heart out every fifty yards. Up, up, up. My butt is sore.
10:32 AM. I think I have reached the top.
11:30 AM. 16.10 miles. A nice zoom back down to 101.
I stop for lunch break and pull on my second pair of bike shorts hoping they will help me get through today’s ride! My butt is really sore.
I stop in Pacific, Oregon at the market and buy yogurt, Snickers, chocolate milk and a can of meatballs and spaghetti. I have discovered a cold pint of chocolate milk is a real, “pick me up”. I ask the clerk if there are anyplace places around here to camp. She thinks there might be a camping area over by the beach.
On the way to the beach I ride past the end of the Pacific runway!
The beach area is beautiful but it is also a zoo with many people, upscale condos, and RV parks with motor homes parked cheek by jowl. Not my cup of tea.
Onward up the hill.
Several miles north I notice a small parking area and a trail to the beach. I walk out a ways but it is very narrow through dense brush and overgrowth with no areas large enough or flat enough to pitch a tent. Just as well, it is a rather sketchy location for stealth camping.
Onward.
3:10 PM 31.51 miles.
This is turning into a long day of riding on a sore butt. According to my map it is another ten miles to Cape Lookout State Park
And then, a sign!! "Whalen Island County Campground"!
I turn off, cross a small bridge, and ride up to the camp host who is raking grass. I ask if they have hiker/biker sites. “Why sure! $5.00. There are no showers but there is running water in the restrooms.”
“Perfect! Sign me up!”
She leads me over to a beautiful campsite on a low grassy bank overlooking a large estuary. Absolutely perfect! Sunshine even!
I set up my tent and drape my sleeping bag over a large driftwood log to air. Home Sweet Home!
In the next campsite are two Vanagons; my kind of people. I walk over, introduce myself, and discover they are from Bend , Oregon Santa Cruz, has a stock Vanagon. They are members of the Wet Westies. They offer me a beer and we talk "Vanagon". Nice!!
I'm wondering why I am riding a bicycle!!
Back to camp, a quick dinner, and I'm in the sack by 7:30 PM. It starts to sprinkle right after I crawl in. Surprise! Surprise!
May 24th. Day 24.
Up at 7:30 this morning after 12 hours of sleep! I guess an old man needs his sleep!
Yippee! Sunshine, but the marine layer is starting to roll in. Hopefully it will burn off.
10:30. Packed and ready to shove off.
12:45. Top of Cape Lookout ! Pretty good climb!
They must get a lot of rain up here, there is moss growing on everything! Even on the hiking trail sign!
Over the top of Cape Lookout and down, down, down to the campground.
Northern Oregon and their Cape Arago, Cape Perpetua, Cape Foulweather, Cape Kiwanda, Cape Lookout!! Up down. Up down!
Northern Oregon and their Cape Arago, Cape Perpetua, Cape Foulweather, Cape Kiwanda, Cape Lookout!! Up down. Up down!
1:45 PM. 11. 93 miles. Cape Lookout Campground
Cape Lookout is a rather strange place but hey, a short day of riding. Good enough.
Cape Lookout is a rather strange place but hey, a short day of riding. Good enough.
I set up camp and, of course, discover the showers are located at the opposite end of the campground! This time I use my bike and ride to the showers!
I get there, undress, and am ready to turn on the water. I pull aside the shower curtain and discover the shower nozzle aimed right at me!! Every other state park shower nozzle has been located either on the right or the left side of the stall. Not this one. There is no way I can reach in and, 1. see if the shower works and, 2.see if the water is hot enough without getting sprayed!!
Why would State Parks build such a nice new facility with such a stupid shower design? Most amazing!
Why would State Parks build such a nice new facility with such a stupid shower design? Most amazing!
Back at camp I call Jeff. We decide to aim for this Friday at the Astoria Regional Airport
I call my friend Suzanne. She informs me, "Lolli might come down to Astoria to see you"!!
Whoot! Whoot!
May 25th. Day 25.
A new day but it doesn't look good.
Riding along Neharts Bay I spot this house. Not only is this house located out in the country beside a beautiful bay, it also has barbed wire, concertina wire, security cameras, motion sensor lights and a guard shack!! Maybe they won the lottery!
The rain starts in earnest and I suit up. The question is, should I take the road around the point or should I take the short-cut up and over?
I decide on the short cut and after a long granny gear grind up I clear the top and experience my closest call yet on my bike! I am zooming down the hill towards Tillamook on a narrow blacktop two lane road with loose gravel shoulders, my glasses rain spattered and foggy when a Kenworth dump truck comes barreling down on me from behind and puts on his Jake Brake! Of course a car is coming the other way.
I try to give him all the room I can and accidentally slip off the blacktop into the gravel at about twenty miles per hour! I can't see if there are culverts or road side sign in my way, all I can do is try and stay upright and regain the blacktop as soon as the dump truck, and accompanying spray, get past. Fortunately there were no culverts or signs. I make it. Just another ol' flip of the coin!!
It absolutely pours as I ride through Tillamook.
I happen to notice and photograph this sign. "Boquist", must be pre-Bloomquist!
I am in my yellow mood and it ain't good.
In Garibaldi I stop because of a sign advertising hot apple pie ala mode. They are a new business and do not have plates yet so I have to eat my "hot apple pie ala mode" out of a foam hamburger container with a plastic fork. Not worth the $5.00.
There is not much left of Garibaldi except this smoke stack and a few stores and galleries trying hard for visitors.
HWY 101 through Nehalem Bay has a surprisingly tough uphill climb at the north end. I have to get off and push!
Finally, Nehalem State Park! It is located two and a half miles off Hwy 101 and, of course, it has one of those tough up hill climbs and then down to get to the park. 39.28 miles! This has been one long shitty day.
Interlude
Lolli arrives and brings beautiful weather with her!! What am I sniveling about, this is perfect!
We stay an extra day in Seaside Oregon walking the boardwalk, exploring the town and dining out.
Finally we check out of the hostel, load my bike and five panniers into the back of Lolli's Subaru Outback, and (by golly, it all fits) hit the road for Lolli's mom's house in Shoreline, WA.
Wow!! I can't believe how fast, smooth, and effortless traveling by car is! It has been almost one month since I rode in a car.
We stop in Olympia at our friends Ed and Suzanne for the night. Ed introduces me to the network of "Rails to Trails" around the Olympia area. Very nice.
Note: My Long Haul Trucker is "wicked fast" unloaded!!
Arriving in Shoreline I mow the lawn and help around the house for several days but also get to explore the "InterUrban" bike trails of North Seattle. This photo is of the new bike and pedestrian bridge over "Aurora", old highway 99.
I ride to Fremont (27.6 miles round trip) where this rocket marks the center of the Universe! Fremont is bike friendly but very hilly.
A few days later Lolli, mom and I move to my mother-in-law's cabin on Elger Bay, Camano Island.
Kick back and let my butt heal, my palms heal, my gear dry out. Perfect!
After a few local rides near the cabin I decide to load the bike and see if I can ride from Camano Island to my brothers house on Whidbey Island. (That's Whidbey in the background.)
It is a beautiful ride up the Skagit Valley north of Stanwood.
Hook a left towards Anacortes and another left over the Deception Pass Bridge onto Whidbey Island.
Fifty miles from Elger Bay I camp for the night at Deception Pass State Park. What a rip!! 12 dollars for a hiker/biker camp site located up a steep and overgrown trail in the woods with no view but plenty of noise from jets taking off from the Whidbey Naval Air Station!! Oh yeah, fifty cents for a three minute shower "token"!! And..., it starts to drizzle!
Up in the morning and onward. I have my first crash of the trip in Oak Harbor! I see a large grocery store, turn in and head for the store through the parking lot. I'm watching an approaching car and fail to notice the huge speed bump right in front of me!! Bam! Up I go and while flying I discover I have forgotten to turn the lock on my handlebar pannier so it too flies up into the air and lands on the blacktop right in front of me where I immediately run into it and fall over! One knee is bleeding, my palms are scraped and my camera, cell phone, toothbrush and notebook are scattered before me. The driver stops and asks if I am alright. I'm in deep denial of course; if I don't acknowledge what just happened, maybe it didn't.
I sort myself out, get my stuff gathered together before shoppers drive over it and limp into the store for a banana and some yogurt. Sheesh! All I wanted was some lunch!!
Almost to Coupeville I notice these cows. A few of them notice me. I have never seen "Hampshire" cows before. Hampshire pigs, no problem, but Hampshire cows?
I have a nice visit and great barbecue with my brother and his wife. Stay the night in a comfortable bed. Use a very nice shower. The next day we compare our camping vehicles!! They are getting ready to go on vacation too.
Next morning they haul me and my gear back to Elger Bay where our friend Suzanne has arrived for a visit. She lives in Vancouver, Washington and has offered to take me back to "The Trail" where I will "Officially" resume "Ronnie's 70th Adventure". I have been googling around, found, and printed maps of the Historic Highway 30 route alongside the Columbia River from Troutdale, Oregon to the Dalles. This is good because I only have Adventure Cycling Maps from California to Washington.
Now at Suzanne's in Vancouver, WA. It has been a wonderful break. Lots of good food, good company, soft beds, and hot showers. I could get use to this but no, dammit! It is time to move on.
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