Day 12--FUEL FOR THE MOTOR

September 16, 2000
Fort Stevens SP to Nehalem SP

We struck camp and got off by 8:30 this morning, sans coffee because there were no stores nearby.

The day before yesterday on the way to the park we stopped at what appeared to be the sole "store" in the area. Jess went in and I stayed with the bikes . . . and took a pic of a sign on the side of the bldg which read: "ICE COLD ICE." Hmmm. When Jess came out she insisted that I go in and see the proprietress, whom she described as a woman "wearing a wig as big as your rear pannier." A can of beans that Jess found on the shelf was from 1969.

We stopped in Seaside for coffee and to mail the photos I've had developed, forgetting that the PO is closed on Saturday. Drats. I'll mail them Monday.

Breathtakingly beautiful coast today. Jess and I

Internet photo of Nahalem Bay where we would camp; I took a photo from this vantage point also but this one shows the area much better than mine

stopped for lunch at Hug Point SP. This spot is surfer's heaven. The waves are big and beautifully green. The campsites are mostly occupied by surfers. They use a wheelbarrow to get their gear to the campsites, which are a third of a mile down the twisting trail to the beach.

From top left clockwise: The store selling ICE COLD ICE; the first tunnel we've come across on Hwy 101; surfers at Hug Point; The wheelbarrow that surfers use to get their gear down the trail to the ocean

We rode through a tunnel today and it was not nearly as bad as I’d imagined. Short and at the beginning of a long climb, but lighted and not too much traffic. You push a button before entering to activate blinking lights that let motorists know that cyclists are in the tunnel.

When we got to the top, we stopped for a breather and to look at the magnificent views. Two Korean men approached curious about our gear. I was eating a peanut butter sandwich and said "Fuel for the motor." Thought the one guy who spoke English would never stop laughing. In fact he laughed at everything. "Where you start from? Vancouver? Haa haa ha ha ha!" We conversed and laughed with him for a bit and then dutifully let him and his friend take our pictures.

On our next big climb of the day, I was spinning along just fine until I realized that the guardrail had ended and there was a steep drop to the ocean far below. I had a spell of vertigo and had to get off the bike to regain my balance. Then I could not get started again because my legs were tired and the grade was so steep. I had to walk to the next viewpoint turnout.

A red-faced and hot Susan at the top of a climb; Jessica posing before a huge tree
on the trail down to Hug Point

We didn't see Donna and Jeff, the Minnesota couple, all day, but Will caught up with us in Manzanita at the grocery. We bought some beer and wine and things for dinner and then took the back way in to the campsite so that we could stop at a seafood store. Our sumptuous dinner was sea bass, broccoli, potatoes, hummus and cracked wheat sourdough bread. Yum!

Donna, Jeff, and Will checking out the wine after dinner; Susan headed for the clothesline. 

We are in a remote hiker/biker pinewoods section with raised sand platforms for the tents. These platforms are too small for the tents, however, so we're all camped next to the platforms. Donna and Jeff arrived about and hour after the three of us.

The park is full, but we are the only ones in the hiker/biker section. $4 per person. We saw several other cycle tourists today (one couple waaay overloaded) so were surprised when they did not show up. Virtually everyone we meet is using the Cycle the Pacific Coast book (by Tom Kirkendall and Vicky Spring) to shape their itinerary.

The evening sunset sees us to bed

Miles:  44

Weather: Sunny warm day, probably reached 80

Route: 44 miles on routes 26 and 101 and park trails; couple of long climbs, but the grade was not as steep, Liz, as some of our MRR ascents. In fact I'm beginning to like the climbs better than the long loopy descents, which wear out my arms and hands.