Miles: 46
Day: Ride of June 4
Route: TILLAMOOK to LINCOLN CITY
Sorry no post yesterday, but we were all pretty wiped and were asleep by about 830ish.
So yesterday the ride was pretty nice. The morning weather was a little tentative and was slightly overcast and misty. However, the sun god smiled on us and the heavens opened and we got sun for the majority of the day. This was a vast improvement over the previous day's foul weather. The ride itself was relatively easy. The terrain was mostly flat and the scenery was breathtaking. We were able to ride off the main road and see more of the 'country'-side (cows and trees). We also saw a large amount of the coast, which was also very beautiful due to its undeveloped and wild appearance. We had lunch at a cafe where the food was excellent. Everything from the bread to the soup and sandwiches was AWESOME. The last riding part of the day included a very large hill, and when i say very large hill I mean a two-mile 6% grade beast. We all struggled with the task but were able to make it up without any major problems. The ride down was more enjoyable. We are currently camping at Devil's Lake National Park (another good place for scenery).
Another note: George took his first spin with the trailer today and had to ride up a couple hills. While I was stopped halfway up to take a picture, he rode by and it is worth quoting what he said, "I hate your (expletive) guts!"
Today we will be riding slightly past Newport. Stopping there to see the aquarium.
Well thats it for now...more later
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Second Day of Biking
okay so this is how it went down:
first day went great. we had overcast or sunshine most of the day ending with a slight mist. we encountered a couple of hills that were taxing but not impossible, even with a heavy trailer behind me. Without the trailer the bike is much MUCH easier to ride. We stopped at Nehalem State beach park where we pitched the tents underneath some trees, made dinner in the light rain, and promptly passed out. At this point the light mist turned into a steady downpour that would last late into the next day. George and my Dad were to have a good nights sleep and wake up rested and DRY. Liz and I on the other hand were to experience a slightly different night. It is best told in dialogue form:
Jeff: (Jeff is awaken with his left side soaking) Liz, hey can you scoot over a bit because Im soaking here against the wall.
Liz: (A little wet as well) I can't, im soaking too.
Jeff: Really? (Flashlight clicks on) Oh crap! There is a puddle of water next to both you and me.
Liz: (groans...)
Jeff: Okay, im going to go and restake our rainfly. (restaking...and return to tent)
Liz: The only dry parts were by our heads.
Jeff: Crap.
Liz: Lets just mop up what we can. (clean up continues for quite a while..........................................................................................................)
Jeff: Okay im going to get a get the campstove so we can heat this place up and get dry. (camp stove lit and somewhat drying); okay, thats as dry as its going to get. but we need to sleep and since your sleeping bag is the only dry one we are going to have to sleep in it together.
Liz: I dont think that will work.
Jeff: It will work.
Liz: How?
Jeff: OKay, im going to lay down on the bag and then you are going to lay on top of me, ill start the zipper and then you will finish zipping. (carry out plan and it surprisingly works, however...) Liz I can't breathe.
Liz: Well what should we do?
Jeff: We have to spoon. (spend much effort rotating inside very tight sleeping bag and eventually reach this position, however now my arm in pinned under Liz and I have to wake up every 20 minutes or so to coax it back to life, Morning finnally arrives)
Dad: hey guys wake up@! (Jeff relates story)
After the hectic night we rode to Tillamook, in the rain, and decided to spend the remainder of the day and the night in a Best Western to dry things out.
Hopefully the next day will prove better for riding conditions and we will be able to get far down the rode.
End Post.
first day went great. we had overcast or sunshine most of the day ending with a slight mist. we encountered a couple of hills that were taxing but not impossible, even with a heavy trailer behind me. Without the trailer the bike is much MUCH easier to ride. We stopped at Nehalem State beach park where we pitched the tents underneath some trees, made dinner in the light rain, and promptly passed out. At this point the light mist turned into a steady downpour that would last late into the next day. George and my Dad were to have a good nights sleep and wake up rested and DRY. Liz and I on the other hand were to experience a slightly different night. It is best told in dialogue form:
Jeff: (Jeff is awaken with his left side soaking) Liz, hey can you scoot over a bit because Im soaking here against the wall.
Liz: (A little wet as well) I can't, im soaking too.
Jeff: Really? (Flashlight clicks on) Oh crap! There is a puddle of water next to both you and me.
Liz: (groans...)
Jeff: Okay, im going to go and restake our rainfly. (restaking...and return to tent)
Liz: The only dry parts were by our heads.
Jeff: Crap.
Liz: Lets just mop up what we can. (clean up continues for quite a while..........................................................................................................)
Jeff: Okay im going to get a get the campstove so we can heat this place up and get dry. (camp stove lit and somewhat drying); okay, thats as dry as its going to get. but we need to sleep and since your sleeping bag is the only dry one we are going to have to sleep in it together.
Liz: I dont think that will work.
Jeff: It will work.
Liz: How?
Jeff: OKay, im going to lay down on the bag and then you are going to lay on top of me, ill start the zipper and then you will finish zipping. (carry out plan and it surprisingly works, however...) Liz I can't breathe.
Liz: Well what should we do?
Jeff: We have to spoon. (spend much effort rotating inside very tight sleeping bag and eventually reach this position, however now my arm in pinned under Liz and I have to wake up every 20 minutes or so to coax it back to life, Morning finnally arrives)
Dad: hey guys wake up@! (Jeff relates story)
After the hectic night we rode to Tillamook, in the rain, and decided to spend the remainder of the day and the night in a Best Western to dry things out.
Hopefully the next day will prove better for riding conditions and we will be able to get far down the rode.
End Post.
Bikes yo!
So to follow up on George's previous post, yes, Jeff and I definitely did not wake up in the driest of states. Our rain fly wasn't exactly staked out properly and considering the tight quarters we were rubbing up against the side of the tent; essentially we got soaked and it occurred to us at about 230 in the morning. Consequently, we spent an hour and a half trying to dry things out with the camp stove.
Regardless, I'd say the trip is going well and honestly really fun. It's been nice to see the scenery from the bikes and have the option to stop at look whenever we want. The coast is truly spectacular and the greenery has been nothing short of breathtaking even in the gray, rainy weather.
Speaking of the weather though, we've stopped early for the day at a hotel to dry out our things so one we can stay warm and two keep the water log from weighing down the load too much. The break is definitely nice as I can feel my legs are a little tired, but hopefully a good night's rest will cure that along with endless food : )
Oh and last thing Tillamook Cheese is delicious espescially in free sample form.
Regardless, I'd say the trip is going well and honestly really fun. It's been nice to see the scenery from the bikes and have the option to stop at look whenever we want. The coast is truly spectacular and the greenery has been nothing short of breathtaking even in the gray, rainy weather.
Speaking of the weather though, we've stopped early for the day at a hotel to dry out our things so one we can stay warm and two keep the water log from weighing down the load too much. The break is definitely nice as I can feel my legs are a little tired, but hopefully a good night's rest will cure that along with endless food : )
Oh and last thing Tillamook Cheese is delicious espescially in free sample form.
Day 2: Nehalem to Tillamook, OR
Miles: 26
Weather: Still Raining.
Route: From Nehalem Bay State Park to Tillamook, CA
First of all, let me just say riding through rain and wind is a horrible feeling to endure. Mike and I woke up relatively dry although Liz and Jeff can't say the same, but I'll leave it to them to talk about that.
The ride today was pretty short, though relatively flat. All the time, it still blew since we were all really beat by the time we got to Tillamook. The combination of rain-soaked clothes, lack of sleep, and other factors really got to us.
Tillamook Cheese Factory was pretty cool though. There's few things better than getting to taste a bunch of fine cheeses and having some of the most deliciously sweet and creamy ice cream after a few hours of hard riding. One of them is a warm and more importantly, dry, motel room after being damp for a day and a half. And then, I hopped into a hot sauna that totally relaxes each and every muscle. That's just heavenly.
And that is where I'll end this post: reading a book (Shadow of the Hegemon - Orson Scott Card), in a hotel lobby, after having some great dinner of chicken, salad and wine.
It's been a pretty good day.
Weather: Still Raining.
Route: From Nehalem Bay State Park to Tillamook, CA
First of all, let me just say riding through rain and wind is a horrible feeling to endure. Mike and I woke up relatively dry although Liz and Jeff can't say the same, but I'll leave it to them to talk about that.
The ride today was pretty short, though relatively flat. All the time, it still blew since we were all really beat by the time we got to Tillamook. The combination of rain-soaked clothes, lack of sleep, and other factors really got to us.
Tillamook Cheese Factory was pretty cool though. There's few things better than getting to taste a bunch of fine cheeses and having some of the most deliciously sweet and creamy ice cream after a few hours of hard riding. One of them is a warm and more importantly, dry, motel room after being damp for a day and a half. And then, I hopped into a hot sauna that totally relaxes each and every muscle. That's just heavenly.
And that is where I'll end this post: reading a book (Shadow of the Hegemon - Orson Scott Card), in a hotel lobby, after having some great dinner of chicken, salad and wine.
It's been a pretty good day.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Day 1 - Astoria to Nehalem, OR
Miles: 41
Weather: Rainy
Route: Astoria, OR to Nehalem State Park, OR
Alright, so today was actually the first real day of biking. We camped last night up in Astoria, the northernmost point of Oregon and began our ride there. For most of the first half it was nice weather and flat terrain. That first hill though, was intense. 600 feet or so doesn't sound like a lot at all, but when I had the packs on the back wheel, I definitely felt it. Thank god we have low gears, so I can just set it to that and chug my way through slowly.
The second half was not nearly as nice. The rain started around 2 or so, and it's still going as of 9pm when I write this. My windbreaker was waterproof, so that definitely kept my upper body dry. Even so, my legs were cold and definitely venting heat. We also hit two more hills, together called the Neahkahnie (Nee-ahh-ka-ha-nee) Mountains. Apparently it means Fire Mountain, and let me just say, despite the wind/rain chill factor, my muscles still burned. Nothing like ice and fire together to make this feel like an adventure.
Not surprisingly, there were none of the insulated tents available for us, so we pitched our tents under two trees. I'm glad our rainflies have held up so far, and I'm praying that they will continue to do so tonight.
We've revised our plans a bit, and may be at Gold Beach by next Monday night, instead of Tuesday. Tomorrow, we'll sample some great cheese at the Tillamook Cheese Factory,, and with any luck, make it at least to Pacific City. If all goes according to plan, it will be another fun rainy day, though only with one hill and 50 miles.
Weather: Rainy
Route: Astoria, OR to Nehalem State Park, OR
Alright, so today was actually the first real day of biking. We camped last night up in Astoria, the northernmost point of Oregon and began our ride there. For most of the first half it was nice weather and flat terrain. That first hill though, was intense. 600 feet or so doesn't sound like a lot at all, but when I had the packs on the back wheel, I definitely felt it. Thank god we have low gears, so I can just set it to that and chug my way through slowly.
The second half was not nearly as nice. The rain started around 2 or so, and it's still going as of 9pm when I write this. My windbreaker was waterproof, so that definitely kept my upper body dry. Even so, my legs were cold and definitely venting heat. We also hit two more hills, together called the Neahkahnie (Nee-ahh-ka-ha-nee) Mountains. Apparently it means Fire Mountain, and let me just say, despite the wind/rain chill factor, my muscles still burned. Nothing like ice and fire together to make this feel like an adventure.
Not surprisingly, there were none of the insulated tents available for us, so we pitched our tents under two trees. I'm glad our rainflies have held up so far, and I'm praying that they will continue to do so tonight.
We've revised our plans a bit, and may be at Gold Beach by next Monday night, instead of Tuesday. Tomorrow, we'll sample some great cheese at the Tillamook Cheese Factory,, and with any luck, make it at least to Pacific City. If all goes according to plan, it will be another fun rainy day, though only with one hill and 50 miles.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
5/29 (Lost Count of Days)
Jeff:
Today we didn't do any riding and chose to go and check out La Jolla Cove on the kayaks. We saw the Garibaldi (read gold fish for Liz) and seals. Other than that we got the stuff ready and made dinner for the parents (read Liz was the chef and George the labor). We also worked on our tans and I took L and G to a genuine surf shop to get some decent sandals. I think they like them... Tonight we are leaving to drive to Berkeley and hopefully will not encounter any problems.
Other than that the time in SD has been relaxing, productive, and I'm bummed that we couldn't be here longer.
Today we didn't do any riding and chose to go and check out La Jolla Cove on the kayaks. We saw the Garibaldi (read gold fish for Liz) and seals. Other than that we got the stuff ready and made dinner for the parents (read Liz was the chef and George the labor). We also worked on our tans and I took L and G to a genuine surf shop to get some decent sandals. I think they like them... Tonight we are leaving to drive to Berkeley and hopefully will not encounter any problems.
Other than that the time in SD has been relaxing, productive, and I'm bummed that we couldn't be here longer.
Point Loma
Distance: ~33 miles
Route: Google Maps
So yesterday was a fun day, like Jeff planned, we rode down to point loma, which was actually a pretty tough ride. Mainly, we had to scale two (in my opinion) extremely steep hills. I had to put the bike into lowest gear and just pedal quick to get up that thing. Unfortunately, when I'm going at such a slow pace, my balance on the bike is less than ideal. I don't know how I'm going to handle the bags that would kill balance even more.
Had a fun fall off my bike yesterday. As I pulled into a red light, my feet clips would just not unclip, and I basically fell over as I lost control, feeling like an idiot. Thing to remember: when I fall, fall RIGHT, away from traffic.
Route: Google Maps
So yesterday was a fun day, like Jeff planned, we rode down to point loma, which was actually a pretty tough ride. Mainly, we had to scale two (in my opinion) extremely steep hills. I had to put the bike into lowest gear and just pedal quick to get up that thing. Unfortunately, when I'm going at such a slow pace, my balance on the bike is less than ideal. I don't know how I'm going to handle the bags that would kill balance even more.
Had a fun fall off my bike yesterday. As I pulled into a red light, my feet clips would just not unclip, and I basically fell over as I lost control, feeling like an idiot. Thing to remember: when I fall, fall RIGHT, away from traffic.
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