Ride the West Sep 09--Day 5 Bandon to Gold Coast

Another 50 plus miles of Oregon’s sheer beauty and stunning scenery as we approach the end of our ride in this state.

The Minute Café started us off with a filling breakfast that was fast and tasty, and our riders were excited by the prospects of sunny skies and tailwinds. We wound our way out of the town and had the first photo op at Face Rock Wayside, another rock outcropping that actually has a lady’s face looking upward to the heavens. I departed this sightseeing point with Larry Fariss, Greg Robinson, and David Holloway. We hung together closely for the next 25 miles, riding a loose pace line until we encountered some road construction that will literally rattle the fillings in your teeth. For about a 3 mile stretch, we pedaled on the roughed up side of a road that is being repaved and the vibration is enough to make you scream. We were rolling along at about 20 miles per hour until this slowed us to about 10 and made us count the minutes until this misery ended. Eventually, the punishment ceased and we glided into Battlerock Historic Wayside, the site of still more gorgeous views of nature’s handiwork.

The four of us took our time here and headed down the road toward Humbug Mountain, the home of the late Ebenezer Scrooge. Okay, maybe Ebenezer just vacationed here, but it really is called Humbug Mountain. The road wound around the mountain, covered with tall pine trees that crossed the highway to form a tunnel. Together we pushed up the rolling hills and took turns at the front to ease the ride for the other guys. As we pushed up one hill, we ran into 3 folks on heavy mountain bikes loaded with camping gear. I pulled up to the lead rider and after riding with me he asked, “how can you ride this pace?” I told him that my bike was much lighter than his and he yelled, “you cheater!” He and his two friends were biking to California on the “pain is good plan.” And compared to him, we are definitely on the “wine and cheese tour.” While I salute his ambition, I think he may have been a quart or two low of good judgment.

We crested the hill, rolled down the other side at near 40 mph and turned into a rest area on the beach. Since we were all damp from the push up the hill, we laid out our clothes on the picnic table to let them dry. David continued his pursuit of getting his American Trackphone activated, talking to customer service agents from across our great country. Larry and Greg headed down to the beach to test the water temps and work on their tans. I joined them after eating a snack and drying my gear. I too tested the waters up to my shins and it was COLD! The sand felt warm and comfortable after keeping my feet wrapped in bike shoes for the last 5 days. I joined Larry and Greg, who were stretched out on logs, in a sand cove where the drift wood had planted itself. The cove protected us from the 15 mph wind and allowed the sand to radiate heat upward, producing a very comfortable place to relax and talk. Eventually, Michelle Label, our Canadian from Montreal, joined us and told us of his exploits cross country skiing 180 kilometers (120 miles) in two days! Michelle isn’t your typical looking long distance cyclist, but seems to do a great job and enjoys every ride. We relaxed here almost an hour and a half to ensure we did not arrive at our hotel before the rooms were ready around 3 pm.

Our plan worked well as we cycled that last 15 miles into the wind before arriving to Gold Beach and about 100 small boats fishing for salmon as the sunny day gave way to fog. We all settled in our rooms that overlooked the nearby beach and lighthouse. After cleaning up, Mike Munk gave us a clinic in bicycle drive train maintenance, and then we headed to dinner at El Sol de Playa. Nothing like a bike plate of fajitas to soothe the savage beast and cyclist. We ended the day with a walk down to the beach with Larry carrying the beer for anyone that wanted one. As the sun set, about 10 of us reflected on the fun we’d had and the challenges ahead.