 |
| Rumblings Recent Rides Other Riders' Stories Coming Attractions Favorite Links Send me E-MAIL |
 |
| Day 1 - Santa Clara, CA Day 2 - Lee Vining, CA Day 3 - Baker, CA Day 4 - Las Vegas, NV Day 5 - Las Vegas, NV Day 6 - Grand Canyon, AZ Day 7 - Durango, CO Day 8 - Glenwood, CO Day 9 - Highlands, CO Day 10 - Highlands, CO Day 11 - Estes Park, CO Day 12 - Craig, CO Day 13 - Jackson, WY Day 14 - Cody, WY Day 15 - Mammoth, WY Day 16 - Choteau, MT Day 17 - Kelispell, MT Day 18 - Sandpoint, ID Day 19 - Omak, WA Day 20 - Anacortes, WA Day 21 - Anacortes, WA Day 22 - Poulsbo, WA Day 23 - Poulsbo, WA Day 24 - Poulsbo, WA Day 25 - Astoria, OR Day 26 - Lincoln City, OR Day 27 - Bandon, OR Day 28 - Eureka, CA Day 29 - Anchor Bay, CA Day 30 - Martinez, CA FINAL THOUGHTS |
| home l rumblings l recent rides l other riders' stories l coming attractions l links |  |
|
| Today would be the coolest day since we began our trip,
25 days ago. As we looked out our window in Astoria (photo 1)
we could see a blanket of gray greeting us, and giving us a preview
of the sky we would see for the rest of the day. We headed south
on Hwy 101, which will be our home for the next several days. The
loaded Goldwing took us across the bridge to Warrington and on south
to Seaside. Coastal Hwy. 101 takes us through a variety of mountainous
pasturelands until we come to an overlook, which allows us to look
down on the golden beaches below (photo 2). The cooler weather was a nice change but we weren’t totally ready for the drop in temperature. First we stopped and Linda added her jacket, then I finally gave in and put on mine. It was enough to keep the chill off our torsos but had no affect on our hands or face. I turned on the heated grips for the first time since the Bear Tooth Mountains. It’s amazing how much better you can feel when your hands are warm.
We were passing over one river and then another and as we passed over the bridge near the town of Newalla, you could see a flat calm river with several fishermen starting out to catch a salmon or two. This pretty little town held about 300 people and at least 3 of them knew that, fog or no fog, fishing was the best way to spend their day (photos 3 & 4). We had left Astoria without getting any breakfast, so when we pulled into Tillamook; we stopped to get something to eat. When I say we stopped at Tillamook what I really mean is that we stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. When we first started visiting the Oregon coast over twenty years ago, this was a little place and you could actually see them making cheese (photos 5, 6, & 7). Now it has a large gift shop, a café, an ice-cream stand, and a parking lot filled to capacity. We joined in the melee. Linda wanted to check out the gift shop, so off she went - shopping. I had seen another couple drive in on a Yamaha Venture so I introduced myself and found that they were Russ and Cheryl from Longview, WA. They were heading down the coast to visit a friend who had a house, right on the coast and who rented it to them for only $50 a night. As we talked, I found out they had visited some of the same places we had just visited, such as Glacier, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. It was fun to talk motorcycles and compare notes.
Several hours later we were back on the road and the fog was getting thicker. About ten miles south of Tillamook, I decided to take the Three Capes Scenic Loop, which turned out to be true to its name, very scenic. Unfortunately, I was entering it at the bottom end, which meant that I was headed north again. I did this exact same thing with the June Lake Loop on our second day. You would think I would learn. At any rate, this loop took us to the Cape Lookout Trailhead that was being kissed by these wisps of fog, which was really very interesting (photo 8, 9, & 10). I talked to a ranger about how best to get back on Hwy 101 and still ended up lost. It was Linda who finally got me back to where I was supposed to be, even thought I never did actually figure out where I had gotten turned around. One advantage of taking back roads, even when you’re lost, is you find the nicest spots. We stopped at this wooded spot, overlooking the ocean (photos 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17), and it was a great place. I wouldn’t mind going back there again, if I could ever figure out where I had been. This scenic back road took us on a small road, with the trees growing over the road and creating a tunnel of trees and fog. You could feel the road closing in and smell the wet trees overhead. It was an absolutely awesome ride. First in the trees and then out, then past homes set back in the trees, and then small, well kept pastures. When you see a sign that says “Scenic Loop,” believe them and take that road. I figure, we still have seven days to go and only 800 miles; we can afford to take the time. There is one major difference between our trip down the coast this year on the Goldwing, and our trip up the coast last year on the BMW. This year, we can talk with each other. Last year I felt like Marcel Marseau, the French mime. We would do hand signals, head jerks, shouting into the wind, getting only half words, or just keeping a thought to ourselves until we stopped and then forgetting what we wanted to tell each other. Now, we just say it. Linda sees a deer and she tells me; I don’t usually see it but at least I know she has seen it. Anyway, the person-to-person intercom on the Goldwing is the only way to go if you have a passenger.
By the time we got back on the road, we were about 60 miles from Newport and it was getting to be late afternoon. There is something about going back over the same road you have already covered that is a little disconcerting, even when you think it was worth it. At this moment I didn’t want to drive another 60 miles, I had made the mental decision to stop, so I looked for the first place I thought we could stop and have some of the facilities we wanted, like a good restaurant. The next city of this size was Lincoln City and as we pulled across the town borders, I stopped at a Shilo Inn Motel right on the beach (photo 18, 19, & 20). It was also right next to an Indian casino, which we visited briefly before taking a nice long walk on the beach (photos 21, 22, & 23). We both felt pretty nice after we came off the beach. It has been a nice day. We haven’t traveled that many miles but we’ve seen some great scenery, we’ve visited old stomping grounds, we’ve had ice-cream cones together, and we have a room right on the beach with the sound of the ocean right outside our window. We stopped at the Shilo restaurant and had a great meal and Sherry, our waitress, took our picture (photo 24). What a great day. Too bad it has to end. Wait a minute; I still have to type all of this stuff up. Oh well, that’s OK. |
| back to top |