Day 19 - Firsts

Day 19 - September 22 to Washburn State Park - Winchester Bay, OR - 42 miles

Well, it finally happened.  We had our first flat today.  About a week into our trip, Stephen had a valve break on one of his tubes.  He had to replace the tube, but it wasn't due to a flat.  During the second week, one of Bin's tires was low, but we couldn't find any holes.  We filled it up again and it has been fine ever since.  Today, we finally had our first true flat tire.  Stephen ran over a piece of class and punctured his tire.  We are amazed that 4 bikes and 2 trailers made it 575 miles before getting a flat!  That's 2300 bike miles.  Phenomenal!

It's also ironic that today we had another first.  We had our first rainy ride.  We have been expecting rain for the last few days and it finally came.  Luckily it wasn't very hard and it didn't last long, but we did have to break out the rain jackets.  The forecast calls for more rain over the next week, so we may take a rest day.  I'm sure we'll all be glad for the break.

Day 18 - Border to border to border....?

Waldport, OR to Washburn State Park - 21 grueling miles

We had an easy morning with a short 2 mile ride to church.  When we arrived, we found out that today was their branch primary program.  For as long as I can remember, the primary program has been one of my favorite Sundays of the year.  Adorableness, pure innocence, nervousness and unforeseen mishaps always combine for a healthy dose of sabbath appropriate entertainment.  The Waldport Branch primary did not disappoint.

My favorite part about this particular program was watching Bins.  Since we may not be home in time for our own primary program, Bins decided to participate.  Whenever the primary sang a song at a different tempo or sang slightly different words than he had learned, he made sure to let us know his disapproval or surprise with his facial expressions.  Considering he had never practiced with this primary, he did great.  He even took his turn at the end of the program to tell the congregation at the microphone one thing that he likes to do with his family.  "Right now I like to go on bike rides with my family from Canada to Mexico."  Tan sat with Stephen and me and sang along with some of the songs.

We planned a short day of riding since we only had half the day, but it ended up as hard as any other day we have had.  The wind blew so fiercely it could have blown us back to the Washington border if we were headed in the opposite direction.  We did have 1 mile when a row of trees between us and ocean was taking the beating for us, but apart from that we battled a head wind for 4 hours.

It's fun to stop and look north along the folded coastline and know that we have biked as far as the eye can see.  Freedom!  That's what I feel on a bike.  My own body and a piece of equipment I can lift in my hands got me to that point... will get me all the way from Canada to Mexico.

When we started this adventure, some people thought it was pretty gutsy, even reckless, to attempt such a ride.  Today we were passed by a couple that started biking this summer in Alaska.  They plan to take an entire year and end in Argentina.  Suddenly the length of the United States pales in comparison to their ride from border to border to border to border... you get the idea.  It's not tempting to me though.  I'll stick with touching just 2 ports of entry.  Don't worry Mom and Dad, we won't be checking out for an entire year.  We'll see you sometime before Thanksgiving.

Day 17 - The ups and downs

Lincoln City, OR to Waldport, OR - 42 miles

Of all the campgrounds we have stayed at, I think we left one our favorite this morning - Devil's Lake State Park.  Our site was located only 15 yards from the restrooms, but with a hedge in between so it didn't feel like we were camping on the restroom doorstep.  The restrooms had hot water AND soap (you might think those would be standard in a maintained campground, but not so).  The showers were spacious with unlimited hot water and there was a dish washing station.  It was glorious to not have to warm up water on the stove to wash our dishes.  It didn't have all the amenities of the Astoria KOA (ironing board, hot tub, etc.), but it had all the necessary comforts of home at an inexpensive rate.

I'm not sure why it was called Devil's Lake because I didn't see a lake, but I think I know how the "Devil" part plays in to the name - Raccoons!  Those vandalizing rascals scattered our dishes, left foot prints on our trailers and woke us up in the middle of the night with their fighting.  I had to rewash all the dishes in the morning, but that wasn't such a chore thanks to the dish washing station.   Did I mention how much I enjoyed that convenience?  I can't imagine what our site would have looked like in the morning if we had left food where they could reach it.  Our favorite topic of conversation during our stay was how best to rid the park of their raccoon problem.  I don't think the rangers would have approved of our lures, traps and fire arms, so we kept the ideas to ourselves.

The ride today was stunning!  Biking the coast on a warm, sunny day and watching waves crash on sandy beaches was something I have been looking forward to since we started this trip.  Today was just such a day.  The hills were gradual and seemed almost easy.  We stopped to eat lunch at a park where a crowd was gathered for whale watching and the boys got to see their first live whale.

When we were just 2 miles from the KOA in Waldport (our planned stop for the night), we made a pit stop at Seal Rock Beach Park.  Stephen and I were chatting with a local couple and Tan was riding around on his bike.  He biked to the top of a small rise so that he could race down the path.  Midway down, he left the path for a grassy slope and didn't see the hole until it was too late.  There was a drainage area about a foot and a half deep and the same diameter as his bike.  He hit the far edge of it with his front tire and bounced out, but lost control of his bike.  He ended up on his back with the bike on top of him.  All of his body landed on grass except for his head which landed on the sidewalk.  THANK YOU BIKE HELMET!  He cried for less than a minute, calmed his nerves for another 5 minutes, then started riding around the parking lot again.  No scratches, no bruises, no headache, no doubt that this dare devil boy has an attentive guardian angel!

Day 16 - Fog horn

Netarts, OR to Lincoln City, OR - 40 miles

The days are flying by.  It's hard to believe that we have been riding for more than 2 weeks already.  During our stop in Astoria, we made a small purchase.  We bought a fog horn.  Stephen rationalized that on windy roads it would be nice to alert cars to our presence by sounding the horn.  Today, we found a few new uses for the horn.

Use #1 - Celebration.  When we got to the top of a particularly tall and steep hill, we each took a turn sounding the fog horn in celebration of our accomplishment.

Use #2 - Communication.  Usually we end up riding in pairs.  Stephen and Bins out front with Tan and me bringing up the rear, or some variation of parent/child combos with a space in between.  Previously, if the pair in the back needed to communicate with the pair in front (bathroom break, snack break, etc.) they had to race to catch up.  Now, the adult bringing up the rear carries the fog horn and lets out a blast when a stop is needed.  It's a beautiful improvement.

Use #3 - Spontaneous participation in a parade.  OK, I'm not sure how often this one will come in handy, but it did today.  We rolled into Lincoln City about 5pm and pulled into a strip mall to visit the laundromat.  The parking lot was full of patrol cars, fire engines and civilian vehicles all circled up.  My first thought was that we had just entered an accident scene, but the atmosphere was a little too casual.  Soon a school bus pulled in full of screaming teenagers answered by a chorus of honks and cheers from the waiting crowd.  The bus was then escorted to the high school for their game.  We joined in the school spirit with a few blasts of the fog horn.

Day 15 - Tillamook

Manzanita, OR to Netarts, OR - 40 miles

The more we meet other touring cyclists, the more I realize how popular this ride is.  Yesterday we met a couple from Great Britain.  I mention them not just because they came so far to do this ride, but also because this particular pair wasn't  carrying any luggage.  They had Camelbacks and handlebar bags.  At first I assumed they must have a support vehicle, but then I started thinking about the feasibility of making this trip without luggage.  If you could fit a change of clothes and a rain jacket in the handlebar bag, and if you planned to stay at hotels and eat out for every meal, then this ride could be done with a Camelback, a handlebar bag and a debit card.

We have been looking forward to this day for 2 weeks - the Tillamook cheese factory.  It was great!  We watched their production line, tasted cheese samples and bought some ice cream.  Their mild cheddar sells for $8.99 for a 2 pound block.  Ironically, down the street at Fred Meyer where we stopped for groceries, Tillamook mild cheddar was on sale for $5.99 for a 2 pound block.  I guess we payed extra for the all-encompassing cheese experience.

Tonight we camped at Cape Lookout State Park, right on the coast.  We set up camp and ate dinner, then headed to the beach.  The boys were so excited to play in the ocean!  What they didn't expect was how cold it was going to be.  All the other campers enjoying the sunset were donning jackets and blankets.  Bins and Tan played around in the sand for a while, but the allure of the sea persisted and soon they made the plunge amidst the cheers of bundled-up onlookers.  Stephen wasn't to be outdone by the boys and also took a dip.  I, however, am perfectly comfortable being called a wimp when it comes to the cold.

Day 14 - Oregon

Warrenton, OR to Manzanita, OR - 40 miles

On Monday evening, we bought the boys each a Camelback.  We discovered early on in the trip that Tanner does better if he can dedicate all of his attention to riding and not accessory activities like taking a drink of water.  His water bottles are conveniently located inside his frame, but we try to stop every 2 miles so that he can get a drink of water without taking his focus off of riding in a straight line.  Stopping every 2 miles makes for a long day, so we thought that the Camelback might speed up our progress.  Backfire!  He can now safely take a drink while riding, but consequently he drinks too much.  Now, with 2 liters of water on his back, we have to stop every 2 miles so that he can relieve himself.

Today we crossed through our first tunnel.  Now that we are on the official Oregon Coast Bike Route, there are typically wider shoulders and more signs warning drivers of cyclists on the roadways.  Another perk is the tunnel button.  Before entering the tunnel, a cyclist pushes a button on the side of the road that turns on flashing lights above the tunnel entrance.  The lights illuminate a sign that warns of cyclist in the tunnel and requiring vehicles to slow to 30 mph.  Very nice!  I wondered how long the lights flash?  As the tunnel was uphill and we were going as slow as we were, I hoped that we wouldn't still be in the tunnel when the lights decided that we should be done.  We made it through without incident and took a picture on the other side with the lights still flashing in the background.

I have now been to the Oregon coast 3 times in my life - twice in early spring and this time in the fall.  I'm sure it's probably sunny and warm in the summer time, but my opinion of its foggy, chilliness is nearly solidified.  Washington was warm during the day, but cold over night, while Oregon is a steady cool temperature.  Even with all the moisture, we have been blessed to not have to ride in the rain or loose any riding days to rain.  We have had rain twice, but only over night.

Day 13 - Exercise

Warrenton, OR to Astoria, OR... and back...in a car - 0 miles

I know, we just had a day of rest 2 days ago, but the timing and location were perfect.  We took the day off to spend time with my parents and tour Astoria.  We visited the Maritime museum which was incredible!  We learned about the treacherous river bar where the massive Columbia collides with the Pacific Ocean, fishing on the Columbia and Coast Guard rescue training.  The museum even had a Japaneese fishing boat that washed up on the Oregon Coast months after a tsunami hit Japan.  Apparently, the owner didn't want it back, so it was cleaned up and put on display, complete with a video of an interview with the owner.

Our next stop was the Astoria column.  What do touring cyclists do on a day off?  Climb stairs!  The column sits on top of a hill overlooking the city.  Tourists can hike the 164 steps up a circular staircase to the lookout at the top.  After our first trip up, we bought gliders from the gift shop and went back up to launch them.  Possibly the most entertaining $3 of the day!  And not just for us.  Everyone in the whole park was watching the gliders and the crazy adults (my Dad and me) running around trying to catch them.  By time we left, Stephen and I had climbed 328 steps, and the boys had each climbed 656.

We rounded out our tourists activities with a visit to the Goonies house.  "Why can't you learn to exercise like a normal kid?"  Ah, good memories of that movie.

Speaking of exercise, we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening jumping on the inflatable  pillow, playing mini golf and swimming at the KOA where we were staying.  I've discovered that it isn't possible to wear out little boys.  The more they exercise, the more energy they have.