Ride Report: 61 miles, 61 total miles (we're starting over since I want to track Trans-Am miles separately), 15.5 avg mph, 4,694 calories, 3,225 ft climbing. Hi speed for the trip: 47.5 mph.
Good day reader. Sorry I didn't get this out on time last night, but for some reason the cell service wouldn't permit me to upload pics. This morning, sitting in the same location, it works. Technology - bah! Anyway...
Today started off in the parking lot of the Columbia Maritime Museum - again. This time I took the opportunity to snag a pic with the Pilot boat that formerly plied these waters. Its colorful, if nothing else.
It provides a sense of scale for the size of those freighters in some of my previous posts. This is a baby compared to them and it still dwarfs me and the sequoia.
But soon enough, the riding commenced. This was it - the first day of the Trans-Am. I was a little nervous. Those of you who have participated in sports may recognize the sensation. It was a lot like the butterflies I used to get before a High School football game. In football, once the first hit had happened, it was game on. With a bike, once the first pedal stroke is down - same thing. So here are the pics of the ride...
OK - this isn't too glamorous a shot for the first pic of the Trans-Am, but I couldn't resist. We've been seeing some unusual traffic signs, but this one puzzles me. How did they know that my allergies were kicking up?
But shortly we found ourselves on the Lewis and Clark highway. Apt, given the local history. It really was a pretty ride. There were lots of scenes like this.
And the Sequoia snagged a selfie with the road winding away into the distance. Kinda cool. Don't tell him, but it makes one wish for a motorcycle. Which, by the way, there are a ton of around here. In that respect its a lot like riding the Black Hills and The Badlands in South Dakota back in 2017.
The route took me along a Prom "street" in Seaside. It was more of a wide sidewalk than a street, but right along the edge of the beach. Hmmm.. is prom short for promenade? Anyway, I ran into these two guys while I was there. They were lost and looking for St. Louis. I told em to go East till they hit I-25, then turn South till they hit I-70 and then follow it East all the way there. Dunno what their story is. Apparently they've never heard of Google Maps...
This, readers, is Neahkahnie Point. It lies at what the Park signs say is one of the highest points on the Oregon portion of 101. I'm not gonna argue with the Park guys on this one. The road up here was something like 2 or 3 miles of 6%-11% grade. That's some work... But the view was amazing as the following pics will attest. Dunno why they can't put pull-outs with good views like this down by a beach or something...
Susan and I at Neahkahnie Point. She saved me there. I had just sucked down the last of my water when I reached the top.
Or what I thought was the top. As this pic shows, the road continues on up along the cliff wall to the left side of the pic. Shortly after passing between the pine trees, it started down. And a screamer it was. I coasted for 2-3 miles and I think this is where I hit my top speed of the day - just over 47 mph. I say "I think" for two reasons. First, because this wasn't the only such hill on the day. Second, because one doesn't look down at the Garmin much when moving at those speeds.
From there it was around the bay (barely visible behind the beach in the pic above) and a bit further South to the Barview Jetty Campground and a disaster. When Susan arrived she found someone in our spot. Negotiations commenced and given how tired I was after the ride, we elected to just pull into a nearby vacant spot. I was cranky. Thank God for Susan. I think she missed her calling. She should have joined the Diplomatic corps. Not a good end to the day. But I got over it after the requisite griping. Oh yeah - and some of Susan's famous potato salad didn't hurt either. Sorry Keith and Kelsy - its all mine.
Till next time.
Thanks for mentioning the potatoe salad now Elaine is grumpy.
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