End of month one: arrival in San Francisco

OK, I realize I'm way behind, but I am still alive and well, and have been having a great time. I left Seattle one month ago, and just rolled into San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge this afternoon. I checked into a hostel, left my gear behind, and spent the rest of the afternoon randomly roaming the city streets on my bike, wandering without any real direction, having fun cycling in urban traffic again on an unloaded bike, wishing I was on a fixed gear.

Ended up riding down Lombard Street (you know, the curvy one), although given all the SLOW cars, I was barely creeping -- I think I'll have to do it again late at night to be able to zoom down it on the bike with out all the congestion. Also rode through part of China Town, through Union Square, along the Embarcadero, and wound my way through a variety of other neighborhoods. I doubt I could ever retrace my route.

Anyway, the plan is to stay in the city a week or so to explore and figure out what I want to do and where I want to go from here. Continue south by bicycle? Hop on a plane/train to San Diego and cross into Mexico? Fly to New Zealand, as all the cyclists I've met who have been there have been encouraging me to do? Not sure yet.

I also plan to try to write up some notes about the last couple of weeks (the rest of the Oregon coast, the redwoods, Highway 1 in California, etc.), now that I have easy access to power and the internet.

Tonight will also be my first night in a real bed for a month, I've been camping the whole time. Should be interesting. More later.

Oregon Coast, Florence to Brookings

2006-Oct-06 to 2006-Oct-11

1401.8 km total

10/06: Sunset Bay
Raining in the morning as I packed up, but it had stopped by the time I got on the road. Stopped for lunch in Reedsport, for an ice cream in North Bend, where I also watched a fisherman battling for many minutes with a large salmon he had hooked. Turns out it was hooked in the tail though, and he had to let it go. Next stop was in Charleston for an early oyster burger dinner near the docks, practicing my Spanish with the young woman working there, originally from Ecuador. Also picked up a some breakfast foods, then cycled out to Sunset Bay to set up camp. After getting set up, I headed out to explore the Cape Arago area, biking down a trail to the beach, exploring the tide pools and rocks, viewing the sea lions on the rocks, spotting a whale not far offshore as I rode back, the sun sinking into the sea.

10/07: Bullard Beach
Odd experience last night. I awoke about 0030 to hear something running directly towards my hammock, fast. I heard a hoarse panting sound and loud footfalls, and a series of several high pitched squeaks, and saw a blur pass directly under the hammock as I sat up to see what was going on. Then heard and saw the blur pass back under the hammock on the way back down the slope. Not sure what was going on, but my best guess was a coyote or dog chasing a rabbit or other small mammal.

A short ride today, not all that scenic until I got to Bandon, mostly being logged forest, lots of ups and downs. Sunny and warm inland, but cool and fairly strong winds on the coast. I rode out to the lighthouse for a brief look, then into Bandon, where I had a good sandwich at a bakery in old town, talking to a couple with their kids, who had cycled New Zealand. The fellow was eagerly trying to convince me to head to New Zealand, where he had cycled a couple of times in the past.

After lunch, headed to the beach to look at the large rocks and seastacks, and to wade in the cold water. Headed back into town for a very good crab sandwich before heading back to camp. Talked briefly to an older woman who was walking the coast with her husband and daughter, and who had previously cycled the coast, many years back. She said she still remembered the route I'd done today (Seven Devils road), and didn't have fond memories of it either.

10/08: Humbug Mt. SP
Talked to several people as I was packing up today: the woman from last night, a guy from Ballard (asking about the hammock), and a couple of other campers, also interested in the hammock and the bike.

On the way out of town, stopped at a viewpoint to look at the rocks again, and ran into an older couple I had talked to briefly at the bakery yesterday.

Stopped for lunch at a small market in Langlois, and had perhaps the best hot dogs I've ever had. I'm usually fairly indifferent towards hot dogs, but these were very plump, and delicious, much thicker than the normal variety, with a very tasty homemade mustard and pickles. Also picked up some locally made huckleberry jam.

Stopped in Port Orford for dinner: crab cakes, and a big slice o' "Frosty Mocha" pie, all good. While stopped for dinner, a gust of wind knocked over my bike, and I noticed the front wheel had been knocked loose. Further investigation revealed that the threads for the security skewer (which I'd used to replace the standard quick-release skewers) had been totally stripped. Luckily, I had a nut that happened to have the same thread pattern as the skewer, and was able to rig up a temporary repair with it and some washers. Otherwise, I probably would have been stranded without a rideable bike. Delayed by the bike problem, I arrived at the campground just as the sun was setting. Created a new drink, with what I had on hand after setting up camp: lemon-lime gatorade, a dollop of huckleberry jam, and a shot of rum. Drinkable, but not great.


10/09 to 10/11: Brookings, Harris Beach SP

A relatively long day, but not bad. Nice weather with a fair amount of ups and downs, good views of the coast and rocks. Stopped for a picnic lunch on a cliff at Otter Pt., overlooking the water. Not much further, I saw a place advertising elk burgers, and decided to eat again, also having a HUGE chocolate shake. I was completely stuffed when I left, with a long climb over Cape Sebastian just out of town. Ended up having to pause for a while to let the food settle.

Near Pistol River, I saw a sign for Carpenterville, but as there was no indication of distance, I didn't investigate.

Arrived at the state park (Harris Beach) in Brookings about 1700, and quickly rode into town to check it out after setting up camp and talking to Richard, a "bike nomad", who has beeen roaming from place to place with no permanent home for 13 years. Brookings seemed decent, and I decided to stay a few nights to rest a bit and take care of various errands.

Spent the next couple of days in Brookings, doing maintenance on the bike, laundry (there were actually laundry facilites at the park itself), and just enjoying being in one spot for more than a single night. The second night, I had the hiker/biker area completely to myself, but the third night there were 5 other cyclists in camp: a Swiss couple, an englishman named Dick traveling solo, and another couple that I never got a chance to talk to.

Florence

.0000318 Mm today, 1.0157 Mm so far

I was feeling lazy again this morning, so stayed in bed doing a couple units of Spanish, not getting underway until around 1200.

Just past Heceta Head, I hit the 2nd and last tunnel on the route in Oregon, with no sidewalk this time, with an uphill grade, but luckily it was fairly short and traffic was light.

Just past the tunnel, I stopped at a pullout, within sight of the Sea Lion Caves entrance, to peer down the cliff to the rocks below and watch a big bunch of sea lions sunning on the rocks and swimming in the sea. I'd heard the racket nearly as soon as I'd exited the tunnel. While stopped, a Chinese couple talked to me, the husband evidently interested in bike touring, the wife calling my trip "heroic". I though that was overstating things a bit.

I rode past the Sea Lion Caves without stopping, since I'd been there before and hadn't been all that impressed.

Later in the day, stopped at Darlingtonia Wayside, to take a look at California Pitcher Plants, AKA Cobra Lilies, AKA Cobra Orchids, a type of carnivorous plant. There was a big group of them in the marsh off the viewing platform, and I had the idea it would be fun to make up some placards: something along the lines of a graphic of a hand holding a hot dog, one of the flowers with big teeth chomping down on a finger, and text saying something like "Warning: don't feed the plants".

Of course, these particular plants didn't really move, but lured insects into to chambers where they got confused. Unable to find the exit, they are eventually trapped by spiky hairs and digested.

Nearing Florence, I achieved the second of two milestones for the day. The first was passing onto the second half of the Oregon Coast Bicycle Route map I'd been using, which happened just past the tunnel. The second was reaching the 1 megameter (1000 km) point of the trip, which happened across from a garden center just before Florence.

Riding into Florence, the famous sand dunes were immediately apparent, towering behind a large supermarket just off 101. I spent some time in Florence, stopping at a giant RiteAid to replace my lost soap, my lost bandana, and picking up a nifty beard trimming device, which was sort of a comb with embedded razor blades, a manual version of those electric hair clippers, but much more compact.

Next I headed to the old town, exploring the couple of streets of shops, and having a late lunch at Mo's on the water: blackened halibut, clam chowder, and garlic mashed potatoes, all pretty good. I went across the street for ice cream, then sat on a bench checking email, before continuing south a bit to Honeyman State Park.

While paying the camp fee, another cyclist, David on a Bianchi Volpe, pulled up. We chatted a bit, but I wanted to get a bit settle so I could see a bit of the dunes before dark, so said I'd come find him later.

I walked out to the dunes, which stretched a couple of miles to the ocean, and trudged up the steep, sandy slope to the crest of the nearest one, then along it a ways to a scenic spot with a view of the ocean and nearby lake, staying there to watch the sun set and the nearly full moon rise, with a couple of dune buggies buzzing in the distance.



Moonrise over the dunes at Honeyman SP, near Florence


Then I headed back to camp and found David's site (given that the campground wasn't crowded, we'd been told we could stay in normal tent sites for the hiker/biker price), and we talked for a while. He was from Redmond, a Metro bus driver, just doing the coast from Astoria to Florence. He was catching a ride to Eugene the next day, to take the train back to Seattle.

After talking with him for awhile, I took a shower and headed to bed.

Heceta Head

71.1 km today, 983.5 total

Set off about 1030 this morning, lounging in bed
studying Spanish and listening to music. It was a
slow easy day, with many brief stops at various
beaches and parks to admire seastacks, tidepools, and
ocean vistas.

I stopped at a small grocery across from Seal Rock
State Park for "3 hotdogs for $1.75" and a soda, then
headed across the to the park for views of the many
large rocks projecting from the sea, and a dead seal on the beach.
Also stopped in Waldport to mail home the couple of
Adventure cycling maps I'd brought along, since they
were for regions I'd already covered, and also got
some groceries, ice cream, check my email, and to stop
at the liquor store to fill the empty flask I'd been
carrying along. I decided on rum, since it's
recommended by 9 out of 10 pirates, and it also
reminds me of my time traipsing about the tropics on
my bike in Belize. It also serves a dual purpose.
First it gives me something to offer as drink if I
ever end up camping with others (although other
cyclists have been scarce so far), and also has a high
enough alcohol content to double as stove fuel, if I
run out of the other, less expensive but non-drinkable
stuff.

I arrived at the campground, Carl G. Washburne State
Park, a bit before 1700, and headed off to Heceta Head
lighthouse, staying there until sunset, talking to a
photographer from Sequim, who showed me the "famous
photography spot" up the hill behind the lighthouse
plus a couple from the Bay Area, and another older
pair from Pennsylvania.


Heceta Head


Returned to campground as darkness fell, cooking
dinner and discovering I'd apparently left my soap at
the last campground, so had a soapless shower. Better
than nothing I suppose.

I then spent some time in a vacant utility site, to
charge my electronic devices, admiring the moonbeams
shining throught the mist between the trees, the moon
almost full and quite bright.

Newport

81.8 km today, 912.4 total

It was another cloudy, grey day, and I kept expecting rain. On the road early (for me), before 0800, but soon stopped for a hot chocolate. Took a few more brief stops at pullouts along the coast, then lingered for 2 and half hours or so at Depoe Bay, to watch the whales from shore and have lunch.

There were good views of several whales from the parking lot right off the highway, looking down into the bay from atop the rocks. At one point a grey whale was swimming only about 20 m away! It took a while to get the knack of spotting them (usually looking for a spout was the best way), but I quickly picked up the technique, and know there were at least 3 in the bay, since at one point I saw 3 spouts simultaneously in separate locations. Probably several more though, given the frequency of sightings. Usually, you'd just see the spout and a bit of their back, but sometimes a tail would show if they were diving deep.

I hung around a while, hoping another would approach closely, talking to some of the other people hanging about, then headed across the street for lunch.

Watched for a few minutes after lunch, but then decided to keep going, along Otter Rock Road, off 101, which was a pleasant road with scenic views. I stopped at Cape Foulweather, the Devil's Punchbowl, Yaquina Head Lighthouse and others, admiring the views. I kept running into two couples from Miami, driving the coast, and talked to them for a while. They were actually glad that they had missed the warm, sunny weather, since it gave them a change from Miami weather, and a chance to bundle up in warmer clothes.

Continued into Newport, cycling through town wandering about for a while. When stopped at the bridge looking at the map and pondering whether to continue or not, a couple of women cyclists passed headed south, not saying hi, or hitting the "Bikes on Bridge" warning flashing signs. I rode back and activated the lights for them, and then after a few minutes decided to cross myself and set up camp at South Beach and showered.


Newport Harbor


Then I headed back into town to do some laundry, practicing my Spanish with some Mexican fellows at the laundromat, then riding back in a brief, light rain shower after dark, stopping at a convenience store on the way for some snacks, and a bottle of local beer.

Lincoln City

75.4 km today, 830.6 km total

Started the day late with probably the longest climb of the trip so far, up and over Cape Lookout. Slow going, but a fun descent down the other side.

At the bottom, an unexpected sight: a large area of smooth sand, without much vegetation, other than a few stands of pine trees here and there. That answered my question about the origin of the name of the small town of Sandlake just down the road that I'd seen on the map yesterday. I stopped at a small grocery for a lunch of microwaved burritos, as I was hungry and there didn't seem to be any other options, sitting on the porch, talking to the proprietors.


Sandlake

After eating, I continued on, enjoying a scenic ride, eventually joining back up with 101 for a while, then turning off again to follow a section of the old highway 101.

For a change, it had been overcast and cooler. And for whatever reason, perhaps partially because of the change of weather, my spirits were a bit lower than normal, and I seemed to be dragging.

The old highway went past farms and such for a while, then entered unbroken forest, the road getting more curvy, and the traffic falling off to nearly nothing. I was alone in the scenic forest, slowly ascending. At one point I stopped for about a 10 minute break, and for the first 5 minutes or so, I couldn't hear any sound of civilization, only the birds, the wind, and the rushing water of a nearby creek. Then I heard the distant rumble of a jet flying over, but still not a single car during the entire time.

My spirits improved, realizing I was on another section of very scenic, nearly perfect cycling road, and I started up again, still climbing. Finally I reached the top, and enjoyed a long but quick plummet along the curvy road, having to watch carefully for potholes and cracks as I flew along, since the road hadn't been all that well maintained.

Back on 101, nearing Lincoln City, a sign announced the location of the 45th parrallel, halfway between the North Pole and the equator. Speaking of signs near Lincoln City,

Matt's Bicycle Touring Haiku #2:

A sign: "Rent a Wife."
Then, "Rent a Hubby". Where? Why?
Deposit required?

Both were on "Adopt a Highway" litter control signs, and the "Rent a Wife" sign did specify "cleaning service." But "Rent a Hubby" provided no further indication as to what services a rented hubby might be expected to provide. I was half expecting to see "Rent a Kid" too, but didn't. I was reminded of the Bette Midler sign near L.A., always wondering if I might see her out there picking up litter along the freeway. Unsurprisingly, I never did.

I rode into Lincoln City on the often shoulderless and high traffic section of 101, and followed the signs to Devil's Lake State Park, which was pretty much in the middle of town. A sign announced that the park was closed for a couple of days for repaving, but there were several other people camped there, including the campground host. I talked to him, and he confirmed that the campground was indeed closed, but said he thought I could stay, seeing as how I was on a bicycle and the hiker/biker area wouldn't be part of the repaving. In fact, the area was right next to a residential street near the entrance to the park, and I felt like I was setting up camp in a city park, just a few meters from the road.

I cooked up some dinner, then rode a km or so looking for a grocery or convenience store, finally finding a decent sized grocery, where I bought a beverage and some snacks. There were a few isolated rain drops as I returned to camp, and I expected to see the rain finally begin, but it never did.

Earlier in the day, I'd been considering taking a rest day here in Lincoln City, but given the campground situation combined with the fact I didn't find the rest of the town all that appealing, I decided I'd keep moving. So I went to bed early, planning to be on the road again fairly early the next morning.

Cape Lookout (for Mosquito) State Park

87.5 km today, 755.1 km total

Today is the 9th anniversary of my first day of work at APL, and officially I'm still on paid vacation for a couple more days.

I spent most of today off 101, on backroads. First, headed inland to follow a river valley dotted with farms, getting back onto 101 near Bay City. I stopped there for lunch on a pier, having an oyster burger, which was pretty good, but didn't match the oysters I'd had in Willapa Bay.
Continued on 101 to Tillamook, where I braved the hordes of tourists at the cheese factory to get a double ice cream cone, and to learn they can store up to 50 million pounds of cheese at any given time.

Also stopped at a grocery to stock up on food, and passed the first woman touring cyclist I've seen this trip. I waved and said hi, but she didn't look like she wanted to stop and chat.

I followed the Three Capes Scenic route from Tillamook, enduring a long climb over Cape Meares, stopping to see the lighthouse and the octopus tree, and some nice views of the coast, with a fun descent. Continued through Oceanside and Netarts, two small towns that looked nice and not too touristy.

I camped for the night at Cape Lookout State Park, which didn't look at all familiar, even though I know that I've been here before as a kid, since we ended up calling it Cape Lookout for Mosquito State Park. But there weren't any bugs this time, although there was a wedding party on the beach, where I was walking, watching the sunset.


Sunset at Cape Lookout State Park

Cooked dinner in camp, then rode into the main campground (the hiker/biker sites were quite a ways away), startling a buck along the road, and took a short shower, as the hot water didn't last long.