Day 17--COOS BAY BRIDGE

September 21, 2000
W.M. Tugman SP to Bullards Beach SP

Left Wm. M. Tugman SP (off hwy 101 about 20 miles north of Coos Bay) at 9:30 a.m. My right knee is giving me some trouble and Jessica has been waking with a sore throat (from the traffic exhaust she thinks) & her achilles tendons are bothering her . . . so when we reached congested Coos Bay, we decided to make this day our "rest day" and not Brookings as planned. Sunset Bay did not have an available yurt but Bullards Beach SP did, so we continued the 22 or so miles to it.

By the way, I am becoming more courageous. Crossing the Coos Bay bridge I held a logging truck at bay while I climbed the upside, and then tried to outrun him so he wouldn't pass me on the downside. I pedaled like a mad woman reaching 30 mph. Nearly made it off the bridge, too, but right at the end he whooshed past anyway. I'm also getting more daring on the long downhills.

Internet photo of the Coos Bay Bridge

When we got to Bullards Beach and our yurt, I showered and washed out our riding clothes while Jess made a beer run into Bandon only a mile or so away. For dinner we had an odd assortment: the rest of the asparagus, sour cream & chive mashed potatoes, and big bowls of clam chowder & oyster crackers. Some combo, no? Everything tastes super when you've cycled all day.

The top right photo is from our Lincoln City yurt for balance; the rest from this yurt at Bullards Beach. Top left, the reverse raccoon getting into the food  stores [Ed. Note on website: Pesky little varmints aren’t they?] Answer: Don’t know about pesky but that’s sure one weird pic.  Look at the white hand, red chest & face, and 100-mile stare. Bottom photos show our makeshift clothesline and my bike and panniers near the bottom bunk

Jess enjoying the  comfort of the yurt

Miles: 42

Route: W.M Tugman State Park to Bullards Beach State Park; 42 miles on Hwy 101, one section of which was 4-lane, high-speed through Coos Bay. We were detoured because of const. briefly onto Hwy 42. The truck route we were on for 6 miles or so had narrow & poor shoulders and lots of trucks. Pretty hairy. 

Weather: Temp in the mid 70s today

General: Three long climbs today. I couldn't get over 5.5 mph on the first one which seemed endless. The second one was not as steep and I managed to pedal it in my middle ring at 8.5 to 9 mph.