RIDE INTERRUPTED/ To Be Continued in 2016

When we were 2.7 miles from our hotel in North Bend, OR for the day, we stopped to photograph the bridge we were going to cross. We rode on and when we crested the hill, a truck weaved and the back of the boat trailer being pulled, clipped me. The driver stopped to tell Alice and Mary that I was down and he called 911.

My left clavicle bone that in broken into 4 pieces. I have bruised ribs, lots of road rash, and I am typing one fingered on my iPhone because the thumb on my right hand is sprained.

Alice and Mary took excellent care of me at the scene, along with a politician of local note who was on the scene immediately. Parameducs and the Coos Bay hospital staff were all excellent. Mark drove 950 miles RT yesterday to pick us all up. Mary and Alice helped with the drive home because the long distance drive/ride was difficult on his 1 month post-op knee replacement surgery.

I encouraged Alice and Mary to continue the adventure  but they decided to stop, with the idea we will all continue the journey in 2016. We really were having a great time. We travel well together. We are all hugely disappointed.

We have been traveling on a budget and Mary and Alice think I did this to get out of staying "in the worst motel ever." They thought the hospital was 5 star accommodations next to theirs. I don't think so! The next time that I stay in a dive, I will remember that it is far better than a sterile, new hospital room with 24 hour care ;)

I'm sorry to have ended our journey on this low note. We have set our minds on continuing it when we all feel ready. Until then, please drive and Bike safely.

1/4 Of The Way

1/4th of the way! We marked the spot right here where we saw dozens of sea lions frolicking and heard them barking. Thanks to two nice professional photographers shooting here, we got to see the sea lions and a giant jellyfish up close through a giant telescope. They helped with this celebratory photo, representing the event. Any third grader will undoubtedly notice, however, that the slash between the 1 and the 4 is at the wrong angle. Crazy like us! The cook at the golf course grill where we enjoyed soup yesterday, asked if we were "riding for a cause or just crazy?" Since we aren't riding for a cause, I guess we are just crazy :/

I had a message from Earl's wife, Tammy, this morning. She said she was glad that we had fun with Earl, but please send him home. Thanks for all of your support Earl. We really enjoyed your company. We are just wondering how you managed to drive the route each day and still ride as many miles as we did. Part of that was these stellar views. We just had to keep stopping. Today's ride was spectacular!

Tonight we are in Florence, OR and our host, Danny, is a friend of Mary's.  Mary's husband, Steve, used to play golf with Danny in Seattle, but Danny moved to Florence 4 years ago. He prepared an amazing meal with Indian and Asian influences. The Albacore filet was caught right here in the ocean this morning. This was followed by a fruit crisp for dessert with apples and berries straight from his yard, topped with local Tillamook ice cream. It was all served in these cute lacquered Bento boxes. 

WEEK 2

STELLAR OREGON COAST VIEWS!

LOTS OF HILLS!

GOURMET DINNER SERVED BY, EARL, OUR DOMESTIQUE!
(Prepared with the use of the mobile kitchen and cooler in the back of his car and the hotel microwave. Very creative.)

FEELING CLEVER THAT WE ESCAPED THE RAIN :)
(We dawdled over breakfast and it ended.. )

CLEANED OUR BIKES FOR TOMORROW

LOOKING FORWARD TO DRY DAYS FOR AWHILE

SEARCHING FOR A TAILWIND

Friend and Food

Look who we found on the side of the road in Seaside! Actually, my friend Earl from Portland dropped in to ride with us. Not only that, he brought wine and food and cooked a gourmet dinner and breakfast for us in Rockaway Beach.

Today we decided that we had committed to BIKING every inch but we certainly didn't care if we carried 50 extra pounds every inch. We gladly placed some of our gear in Earl's car. He joined us for the ride to Tillamook where he turned around to bike back and get his car. He bounced forward to Pacific City, our destination for today, and then rode back to meet us again. This way he spent half his miles riding his style, FAST. The other half he Dilly-Dollied along with us and I'm sure he wonders how we are ever going to reach Mexico if we keep stopping to take pictures, smell the roses, eat, fiddle with things and change tires...

Yes, I had the dubious honor of getting the first flat of the trip. Not only was it flat, but the tire itself had a big slash in it. Of course my foldable tire was lounging peacefully in Earl's car. Alice saved the day by giving me her new foldable tire to use. It was Alice's excellent suggestion that we each bring an extra tire on the trip. Thank you Alice!

Oregon has some tunnels on the route. There is a system where the cyclist pushes a button to activate a signal to drivers that cyclists are in the tunnel. This was the first tunnel and I admit to being a bit nervous. I dislike tunnels because I generally can't see well in them. This was extremely well lit and the cars that passed were careful and courteous. Good system Oregon. I gave it one thumb up. It would have been two this up for a separated bike lane.

After only six hours in Pacific City, we have already eaten in three separate restaurants. Right after showers, we went to a brew pub where we had bowls of clam chowder and local beers. This was followed by a trip to the laundromat and while we waited for the laundry, we had hot tea and cookies. This became a planning session for tomorrow. We settled on a destination and booked a room. We took about an hour rest before we walked down the street to a recommended bar for ling cod caught right out in the bay today and pork ribs that had simmered on site all day. The food was wonderful!

It's time to head to bed so we can get up for our first breakfast!

Travel Safely

Today's ride was 56 miles to Rockaway Beach on the Oregon Coast. We hit some rain the last two hours so arrived a bit bedraggled. There is lots more to tell but I'm saving it for tomorrow.

All of our loving family and friends  have expressed concern for our safety and we don't take that lightly. We wear bright clothes, use lights and ride as carefully as we can. The reality is that most accidents happen close to home. Unfortunately, my brother just had a car accident on his way to work and is in the hospital. My thoughts are with him and I hope he recovers quickly. Sending love and best wishes to you, Leo.

Everyone please drive and cycle safely. We appreciate your concerns and wish safe travels to all of you as well.

OREGON!!!

One state down, two to go! We crossed the 4 mile bridge to Astoria, Oregon today. Happily, the traffic was light, drivers polite and the cross winds were pretty tame.

We toured Astoria on foot. This cross cut of a fir tree was over 600 years old. The trash cans are decorated like cans of tuna and salmon. There were a lot of intriguing homes and well preserved old buildings to admire.

We ended the day with dinner at a local brew pub. Nice and quiet with great food. 

Pampered Peddlers in South Bend

Our morning began with espresso, bagels, cream cheese and conversation with the young barista's Mom who came to watch her daughter work. We didn't roll out of Elma until 10 am. when we headed directly into our first strong headwind. Fortunately, I was feeling more comfortable today with the unwieldy load on my bike since it was a day for drafting. On the first three days, I had just wanted to be "in my bubble." I was uncomfortable with the way my beast of a bike was handling and I didn't want anyone near if I did something unexpected. Today, though, was a day for team effort as we took turns leading, the charge into the wind.

Next stop was at my friend Sue"s "Just  Beachy" store of eclectic vintage collectibles in Raymond, WA. In the foreground of the shop is one of the many metal sculptures which line the highway in the Raymond/South Beach areas. We continued on to South Beach to her amazing Victorian home which sits on a bluff overlooking the Willapa River. A 13% grade hill of several blocks stood between us and her home but we managed to haul ourselves up. 

Of course we stopped for wine to bring to dinner. There was no room in the panniers so I found an alternative location to carry the bottle. 

Sue really knows how to make cyclists feel at home. We arrived to appetizers of fresh fruits, cheeses, crackers and cider. After showers we moved on to Pasta Primavera and salad. Dessert was Klondike Bars with fresh raspberries and Irish Cream. It was a wonderful evening of food and friendship!