Saturday 26 May 2012

Goodbye wet Washington, hello sunshine of Oregon

Well, I am in another library, this time just north of a town called Tilamook, famed for its cheese apparently. The computer is not reading my SD card so can't get any pictures up so I will keep it shortish as it will just be my words.

After leaving Westport I had another day in the rain cycling further south although there were occasional breaks in the rain. The riding was easy with 40 miles without hardly a hill in sight as I paralleled the coast along mud flats and crossed over sloughs which were so green. I arrive in a very small town called Bay Center and chercked in to a campsite. As it was another mainly wet day I treated myself to a log cabin (picture bike outside cabin..!)

 I strolled down to the beach and saw my first sunset over the ocean which really lifted the spirits It then started hammering it down again so they were soon back to being dampened. I was very greatful for the log cabin when the sound of the rain was keeping me up all night.

I awoke to SUNSHINE! so set off with a spring in my step towards Ilwaco, again very easy flat riding and 40 miles vanished. I headed up to a cape and saw the first lighthouse of the trip and then headed onwards to a town just before the state border called Chinook. Super firendly hosts who insisted on feeding me beer and had a good long chat.

It was sad to be leaving Washington the following day but Astoria and Oregon awaited. The Astoria bvridge is 4.1 miles long and thanks to raodworks I had most of it all to myself which was amazing, one hariy part when a logging truck wnet past inches away but otherwise fine. In Astoria I headed up to the column at the top (imagine amazing view pictures) great views for 30+ miles in all directions. It was the steepest bit of road I have ever been on though and was cursing the weight in the panniers.

Had a great coffee and breakfast at a hipsters veggie cafe and got given a different route to the town of Seaside. The Lewis Clark Rd is the best road I have ever cycled on, no traffic,winding road, deer, kingfisher and eagles for 30 miles. (Imagine great picture here...)

Well my time's up on the computer, I hope to get the pictures up soon,

Cheers,
Sam

1 comment:

  1. i hope the photos live up to my imagination now! i also hope that the weather improves for you - it has been 26 degrees here since you left! do you have a route map somewhere that we can look at? keep safe and cycle carefully
    bec
    xxxxxxxxxxx

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