Ride Down the Oregon Coast

Always, before any trip, there is a lot of emotional tension. Doubts. Will I be able to do this? What will I forget to bring!? If only I knew. But, that’s the thing about trips—we get to experience things for the first time—and we don’t know until we start.

That’s how it was, once again, with this last ride I did.

I had to get up and out early to catch the Lane Link shuttle from Eugene to Florence. I was there in front of the Chase bank to meet it with my $5. The guy loaded my bike in front and off we went. It’s only a 2-hour drive, but not bathrooms on the shuttle, so I couldn’t think of tea or hydrating before getting on the bike as much as I’d like to. I was deposited in the Old Town part of Florence, a 2 ½ block of older wooden buildings where there are restaurants and galleries, Cute, but for later when I got back.

It started off easy. I don’t think I needed to go down to my climbing gear for the first 10 miles. I stopped at a day-use site along the National Oregon Dunes Shore and took a break to eat and use the bathroom. Then it was off again, on the 101 south. It is the Pacific Coast Scenic byway—but don’t tell the logging trucks. Traffic literally whizzed by at my elbow, but more about that later.

After the break I noticed a lot more climbing. I always knew it was coming when I saw signs for passing lane ahead. Which meant that my side of the road would split into two lanes, the far right for slower traffic. Great! I’d think, more room, but not always as the little bit of berm or shoulder I was allowed just morphed into that slow lane. RVs and trucks were right on me.

These are not grandpa’s RV, or the cute camper, but 35-42 foot oversized houses on wheels—and more! They were often towing things like: cars, trucks, other oversized trailers!@! At least loggers and other commercial truckers need a special license; these folks could drive off a lot with no experience and get on the road, down the coast!

So, yeah, it was hairy at times.

I made it to Sunset Bay State Park at around 4 in the afternoon. A nice tailwind, coming from the north helped (more on the winds later). The campground sign said full, no vacancy, but the staff seeing I was on a bike allowed me to register for the hiker/biker spot. $7. Nice! I rolled over and it was hiker/biker party time. Never have I experienced so much fellowship on a ride. (Think Stefon on SNL) This place had everything: outlets, USB recharging station, little lockers for food, close-by bathrooms, friendly volunteers checking in, hot showers down the way.

That evening I climbed to a viewing point to get sunset pics.

The next day I hiked along the coast getting more great pics of the lighthouse, reefs, wildlife on the reefs, and a garden at Shore Acres, an old mansion compound once owned by Louis Simpson. Who was he? Like most of the barons who came out here during the Gold Rush, he went into the lumber biz because—my God!—there is so much of it. He eventually ran for public office becoming the mayor of North Bend and then sought to become Oregon’s governor. But, like a lot of these stories, he fell into hard times during the Great Depression and then the mansion burned to the ground. Then his wife died of a mysterious illness. During WWII the military used the gardener’s cottage and a recently rebuilt mansion as a staging quarters. Bunkers were placed along the coast. Eventually Simpson’s second wife willed the property to the state and now it is open to the public.

Every turn on my hike elicited a WOW. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty and remoteness of the area. It is raw nature without houses or no trespassing signs. You are free to walk along and

Experience the landscape.

On my third day I woke up early and was off before 7 as I wanted to beat the afternoon winds. Actually the wind started around 11 a.m. Again there were long climbs were my legs burned. Oh! but the summits were nice! I made it back to Florence (a bit of a struggle in the end because of headwinds coming down from the north) at 1:30. I mention this as the place was packed with a lunchtime crowd, yet a local shopkeeper pointed me to a small wine place called Bodega that was cute and the food wonderful off the beaten path. I stayed for an hour enjoying a nice light meal before going off to explore the “town.” There was a lot of sitting and resting by the Suislaw River while waiting for the shuttle.

Home by 7 pm. I had the BEST time ever. So just to say, don’t listen to your doubts. Go!