So Much For Prevailing Winds

Waking up to see the sunrise is not something I generally set out to do. But today I saw the sunrise. Granted, the sun rises a bit later when there are mountains between you and the sun. Still, I was watched the sun come up over the mountains. And it was a pretty nice sight.

As has become somewhat of the norm since arriving in Oregon, when I first woke up I didn’t really know where I would be going today – other than south. I hadn’t even really consulted my map until just before I hit the road. Planning can be so overrated at times. And it’s not like cycling the coast is rocket science. I mean, you look at the map. You find a place 100 km away. And you pick the next closest campground. Pretty easy. And, in my case, so long as the ocean is on my right I know I’m heading the right way.

Based on that very technical criteria, the goal for the day was another Hiker/Biker site at South Beach State Park. About 110 km away. It ended up being a much tougher 110 km than I expected.

The lack of WiFi at the campsite meant I couldn’t check the weather forecast today. That wasn’t really a big deal because I generally don’t check the forecast even when it’s available. However, not checking today meant that I was more than a little surprised at the headwind I faced for much of today’s ride. So much for prevailing winds.

The ride was also made tougher by a couple of somewhat significant climbs. The most notable of the climbs occurred shortly after leaving the campground. Nothing like an 8% climb to start your ride.

Today was also one of those awkward temperature days. I started the day wearing a jacket as there was a noticeable chill in the air. As a result, I was sweating quite a bit when I was climbing the 8% hill first thing this morning. I worked up such a sweat that I had to remove the jacket about halfway up the hill even though I knew that I’d probably have to put it on again later. I did.

Today’s weather reminded me of Newfoundland. It was sunny and cool. Then it was sunny and hot. Then it was foggy – watching the fog blow in off the ocean was actually pretty cool. It was also very cool from a temperature standpoint. At least I made it to Lincoln City (about 20 km) before the jacket became necessary again.

My first stop of the day came in Pacific City. There was a small grocery store there where pretty much everything was severely overpriced. However, the bagels and peanut butter that I had for breakfast had long since been burned off so I needed something. I ended up getting two beef burritos for $0.99/each and an apple. I let you come to your own conclusion as to how good the $0.99 burritos were (or weren’t). Either way, they were calories.

In addition to the varied weather conditions today, the scenery was also quite varied. The beginning of my ride was essentially forest but it wasn’t long before I was back at the coast enjoying some beautiful ocean views. There was even a hang gliding launch site. I don’t know if it’s still used as there was no activity as I cycled past. I actually just stopped for the view before noticing a memorial to a pioneering pilot. The coastal views continued for a while before the coast was gone and I was suddenly surrounded by dunes. It was a very quick and unexpected transition.

Despite the diverse and beautiful scenery, today’s ride was not a particularly pleasant one. As I said, the views were great but the winds took their toll as the day wore on and it was noticeably chilly. I was in no way disappointed when I arrived at South Beach State Park and was able to call it a day.

Oh, but before my arrival at the State Park there was another stop at Subway. This time in Lincoln City. I’m not sure if it was the owner, but I caught one person off-guard when she saw me taking photos of her store. I explained that I’ve taken a picture of every store I’ve been to on this year’s ride. She found that really interesting – although, apparently not interesting enough to offer me a free cookie. Fortunately, I still have a surplus from Jeremy’s donation and so I bought another three cookies. Thanks yet again to Jeremy from the Subway in Raymond, WA.

Since my arrival at the campground, I’ve eaten the last of my subs and cookies and my limited food stash is running particularly low. One of tomorrow’s priorities will definitely have to be groceries. Until then, I’ll wrap this up before my battery dies completely.

Today’s totals:
Distance travelled: 109.35 km
Ride time: 6:04:26
Average speed: 18.00 km/h
Maximum speed: 54.44 km/h