Delta finally got to go out and play today. Regular readers will know that Delta is designed for the flatlands while the Sequoia has been set up for hilly/mountainous terrain. This should tell the reader all they need to know when examining the Ride Report. How else to explain the 17.4 avg. mph figure? Hint, there was no need to haul my aging carcass over anything approaching the hills experienced in the first three days of the ride. So I was anticipating a blissful day, the Weatherguessers at "Accu"weather were even predicting a quartering tailwind out of the NW - perfect. So on with today's musings. Oh - and the pics that go with it...
This is Helmick Rd. out of Monmouth to the South. It was gorgeous, and very cool. Turns out I started about an hour earlier than planned - thus the cool temps. It also happens that the guys who drive the logging trucks all go to work sometime between 0530 and 0600, which is when they started roaring past the parking lot of the Cultivate Community Church where we spent the night - thus the early start. Apparently logging truck drivers are an industrious lot. Oh yes - and there was one HD motorcycle that went past. Trust me, ya just know. It must have been stolen because no HD riders I know get up before 10.
One might wonder why Delta is leaned up against the tall grass with my helmet and Headsweats draped on the handlebars. If the reader guessed that Delta was vamping it would be in keeping with his character, but the reader would be wrong. This was along a stretch of 99 highway, which was VERY busy and had a lot of tractor trailers. The shoulder was also strewn with rocks, which I was busy dodging when I hit a small bolt. Those readers who ride will be able to relate to what I'm about describe. First comes the rubbery "thunk" of the tire hitting the bolt, then there is the snapping sound as the bolt is ejected from beneath the tire, then one may be blessed (hah) to hear a "tink" as the ejected bolt strikes a part of the bike - in this case a spoke, and finally there is the sound of the bolt skittering across the pavement. I actually saw it out of the corner of my left eye. That baby looked like it had been shot out of a cannon. Following this series of events the rider holds his breath - as did I. I was then rewarded with the "pssst, pssst, pssst" of air escaping from my tire as the tire rotated. That's a long winded way of saying that I got a flat. And only ten miles into the ride. But not to worry, I had all the stuff necessary to effectuate a quick repair. Unfortunately when I discharged the CO2 canister to inflate the tire, one of the beads popped off the rim. Having no other cartridge with me (a problem that I have since corrected) I called Susan who stopped and gave me my air pump as she passed by. Good thing I was nice to her all day yesterday...
But back to Helmick Road. Kinda reminded me of home. Note the old school, small, square bales in the field behind me. Importantly, and for the first time in days, there are no mountains visible in the pic.
Still on Helmick Road. Looks like a new grove of...something...woody. Clearly horticulture isn't my strong suit. Wait a minute... what the heck is that sneaking into the horizon of the pic. (sigh) Mountains! The cursed things follow me everywhere.
When leaving Corvalis, Delta and I had to cross this pedestrian bridge. I should have never let him look down for this pic. As it turns out, there are gaps between the boards. He saw the water thru the gaps and refused to move for prolly 5 minutes. What a sissy, but I suppose I should expect such behavior from a thoroughbred.
Then came my favorite part of the day - LUNCH!
I know, I know - everyone is wondering why the two large bath towels. Susan's idea. As I recall, it went something like this. "No way Buddy. Keep your sweaty body off our new love seat." Really? This is the same body she's been married to for 40 years - albeit a bit different in appearance than the day we said "I do". We've had two children together. I'd no idea love seats were so fussy. Fine, I'll nap on towels. Used by permission of Susan Schoen Photography, LLC. (She snuck this one in on me.)
Harrisburg. Delta saw this and thought it was a huge slip and slide - of course he wanted to go play. I reminded him how tall it was and that he was the same bike who froze when on the bridge out of Corvalis. He didn't take it well.
The astute reader will note that the mountains that were formerly on the far horizon have snuck up on me. They coulda saved all that effort and just stayed where they were, we're headed that way tomorrow anyway. Stupid mountains.
This is the river beside which we're camped for the night. The Armitage Park Campground is one the nicest locations we've been in yet.
I thought the reader should know that we've now completed Map 1 of the Trans-Am trail. There are a series of twelve of these maps, each of which contain a number of map sections designed to help me navigate cross country.
And this is the route we've taken to date. Ignore the part from Florence to Coburg. Its an alternate designed to make the trip a bit shorter. I wanted to experience the northern sections and the Oregon coast since I'd heard about the spectacular views. BTW - no one who mentioned the views discussed the mountains, its all "views, views, views". Lies of omission...
OK - here's the deal. As we head to the "real" mountains, it looks like God's country over there. By that I mean there is simply nothing out there in places. We may or may not have cell service (and hence internet access) for the next two or three days. If that proves to be the case, I'll catch the reader up when we return to civilization.
Till next time.
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