Category Archives: Washington

A beautiful Oregon coast ride and our first break

Thursday June 18, 2015, 160 miles (257 km) – Total so far: 8,422 miles (13,554 km)

Four days 160 miles Sunday morning we slept in a little although it can be difficult due to the sun up before 5am. We cooked an excellent breakfast and took our time and didn’t leave camp until 10. The road was very hilly and steep and Nicole had her first puncture. I could not get our new portable pump to work and also could not find the backup. So we called Andee who arrived with our large floor pump. Soon we were on the road again and arrived at a KOA outside of South Bend after 50 hilly miles.

Our Monday morning commute along an oyster bay was fun and easy. After 35 miles Oregon and the Astoria Bridge were in sight. We enjoyed a picnic lunch before tackling two larges bridges. The wind was howling across the Columbia River and with the tide going out it made for some interesting waves. After the Astoria Bridge we crossed into Oregon, crossed another bridge and found a cool state park at Camp Stevens. The ladies drove to downtown Astoria to explore while I finally went through all my panniers to find stuff that I was missing. On tour sometimes it takes a few weeks to get everything sorted out.

Tuesday was a short ride to Cannon Beach, Oregon. We found an old campground 1959 then spent the afternoon walking through town and the beautiful beach. Lunch found us at Bill’s Brewery snacking on clam strips and tasting the local brew. Wednesday we camped at a beachside county park that Jocelyn had stayed at before. Two years ago she rode the TransAmerica Bike Route from Virginia Beach to San Francisco then north to Washington. Now she is riding south along the coast.

On Thursday we loaded the bikes onto the truck and drove to Portland for a visit with family and friends. We will return to the coast Monday morning to continue our trip south.

Our camp neighbor.
Our camp neighbor.

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Oyster shells piled high.
Oyster shells piled high.

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A typical northwest logging truck.
A typical northwest logging truck.
Looking over the Columbia River towards Astoria, Oregon.
Looking over the Columbia River towards Astoria, Oregon.

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A long bridge over the Columbia.
A long bridge over the Columbia.
Andee in our support truck.
Andee in our support truck.
Crossing the bridge to Oregon.
Crossing the bridge to Oregon.

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We are in Oregon.
We are in Oregon.
A squirrel got into our food. Ate a piece of fruit, then tortillas before scoring a cookie.
A squirrel got into our food. Ate a piece of fruit, then tortillas before scoring a cookie.
The evidence!
The evidence!
It is cold on the coast.
It is cold on the coast.
Mike's Bike Shop in Cannon Beach - out of business though.
Mike’s Bike Shop in Cannon Beach – out of business though.
Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Exploring the tide-pools.
Exploring the tide-pools.

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The lighthouse off Cannon Beach.
The lighthouse off Cannon Beach.

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This is called a haystack.
This is called a haystack.

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What a beautiful coastline.
What a beautiful coastline.
Our first tunnel.
Our first tunnel.

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Where's Waldo?
Where’s Waldo?

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Trees growing out of a large fallen tree.
Trees growing out of a large fallen tree.
Camping on the beach.
Camping on the beach.
We toured the Tillamook Cheese Factory.
We toured the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

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We met Bruce and Andrea in Thailand. They are hosting us in Portland in their beautiful 1908 home. A bicycle tour is all about the people you meet. They are on crazyguy at www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=14607
We met Bruce and Andrea in Thailand. They are hosting us in Portland in their beautiful 1908 home. A bicycle tour is all about the people you meet. They are on crazyguy at www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=14607