Joe is driving the van today and helping with breakfast since Pam and he had cooking duty last night. Here he is at ‘0 dark thirty’, by headlamp, ’ slicing strawberries for us to put on our oat meal. Such service!!!
Ryan is a taskmaster and doesn’t allow any breakfast or lunch prep until 6:55am. However, coffee is served earlier via French presses. Dave, Gina, Ann and me are allows in line trying to ‘push’ the five minutes ‘plunge time . . . but he is strict . . . FIVE MINUTES EXACTLY!!!
. . . ahh, finally that first cup. YUM!!!
These folks were set up right outside of the bathroom. A tent inside a tent. Must not like bugs, although at this time of year there a virtually none!!!
Soon we were on the road and although the scale of this photo does not do a good job of representing the 300 foot headwall of timber in front of us as we exited the campground, we all wondered how we were going to get over it. But we did!!!!
Once again, Oregon DOT looking out for us!!!
More fantastic views as we skirted the coast in the morning light.
Shadows are harsh at this time of the morning . . .
But as the sun rises the colorama comes alive!!!
Lots of geologic activity along the coast and there are many slide areas. Usually there are signs warning drivers and bikers . . . but as a cyclist one ALWAYS needs to be aware.
Coastal communities seem to have a fascination with BigFoot and dinosaurs . . . here is one of several dinosaurs parks we’ve seen along the way. Nothing moving here . . .
. . . except this poochie who was back and forth in the window like a duck in a shooting gallery!!!
Hope Joe saw this and stopped by Ray’s for the meat bonanza (whatever that is). Could be some good eatin’ for our carnivores!!!
Along the way today we met Gerald who is biking from Canada to South America. Safe travels!!!
. . . mile after mile of coastline.
I was curious about the type and size of house that must be up the hill from here, with having such an elaborate, and expensive, entry gate . . .
. . . I looked back and saw part of it but their must be more hidden out of view.
Several more miles of beach and . . .
. . . we arrived in Gold Beach, a town of several thousand. There was an Apostolic Church, on the main drag, that was really rockin’, as I road by.
Click above to hear sample!!!
Great local art on the municipal building!!!
Not sure what this deteriorating tug was all about but there must be more to the story. Not really ‘sea worthy’!!!
What a coastline . . .
. . . and if you have an RV, you can just pullover anywhere it is safe and enjoy a nice picnic lunch and some sunshine!!!
Soon we crossed the highest bridge in Oregon . . .
. . . here it was a LONGGGGGGG way down . . .
. . . looked like a giant erector set (for those old enough to remember what that was).
. . . but it had a good shoulder, no 18 inch elevated sidewalk and a chest high guard rail. Bicyclists were not going to fall over this one in high winds!!!
When you are biking along at 13 miles an hour you have time to take in visually what is presented to you. Here was a local ‘art display’ presenting what, maybe a message about modern transportation, waste of natural resources, returning to the rock of the earth . . . or maybe it was just some hiker or kids having fun. A rock on every post!!!
Communication both data and cellphone coverage have REALLY been a problem for us along the way. The state parks we stay in do not have wifi and cellphone coverage is almost non-existent. Thus, a hard time keeping this journal up to date. Tomorrow is our rest day and as Anne and I rolled into Brookings, OR and Harris State Park, our home for the next two night, there were three cell phone towers right out side the park. Shouldn’t be a problem here!!!
Since check-in was still two hours away, Anne and I went downtown to look for the laundry and scope out the other necessities one needs for a rest day and met Patti. Very friendly and she gave us the 411 about everything Brookings had to offer!!