PCH – Day 3

After a late start it wasn’t until 20 miles into our ride that we sat down for breakfast in Reedsport at about 11:30am. The waitress, recognizing that we were cyclists, sat us at a table with a nearby outlet. The staff must be used to seeing Pacific Coast cyclists come in with all their gadgets.

I admit it would be nice not to schlep around all these electronic devices on our trips. They take up space, they weigh a lot, they require delicate care, and they constantly need to be fed. But they are also fun to use, they can be informative, and they allow me to write this blog, which I really enjoy writing. It’s become part of my set of touring habits. Get to camp, set up the tent, shower and laundry if possible, eat something, write about the day, edit photos, sleep.

The ride from our breakfast stop in Reedsport to our destination just north of Bandon featured nearly nonstop traffic. The noise from the logging trucks, RVs, and regular cars really got to me. I think it was getting to Peter too. North of Coos Bay a driver in a big white truck buzzed us, crossing the fog line at high speed. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t understand why a driver would intentionally almost murder someone with their vehicle. We weren’t slowing down traffic or doing anything stupid or illegal, just trying to get from point to point same as the driver. Peter gave the dude The Bird and you know he was just watching for that type of reaction in his rear view mirror because he instantly slammed on his brakes, blocking the shoulder and part of the traffic lane. As Peter rolled around his truck the two exchanged some pleasantries and then the dude drove off. What’s the point?

Although we had a few unpleasant experiences on the ride, it was all forgotten when we turned off the highway onto Seven Devils Road. The road earned its namesake for the supposedly seven steep climbs on route. Peter and I agreed that we climbed at least 12 devils, maybe 13. Despite the climbs, the road’s best feature was its lack of motor vehicles. We could ride in peace, talking without shouting, moving away from the fog line without fear of being pulverized. Praise the Seven, er 14, Devils for lifting our spirits!

We arrived at Bullard’s Beach State Park in a good mood, and we were rewarded with a hiker/biker site from the future. The site featured a set of lockers with USB ports charged by solar panels and a repair stand for working on your bike. Although Oregon cannot control the amount of traffic on Highway 101, it seems to do everything else in its capacity to provide cyclists a great riding experience along the coast.