We said our goodbyes to Janet and Sue, and left camp at 8:50 (we were aiming for 8:30, so not bad).
Goodbye to Janet and Sue
We rode 101 to Ona Beach. Since I ride a lot faster on the pavement, I got to Ona Beach, and was able to do my Spanish lesson (Duolingo) before the guys got there.
I rode over to use the restroom, and go check out the beach.
There be the Pacific Ocean!
From there we were back on the official C2C route, heading up Beaver Creek Rd. The route followed the creek and valley for awhile.
Wildlife refuge
Nice valley!
The first climb that initiated the climb profile wasn’t for 9 miles. There were some ups, downs, and flats, still mostly following the creek.
Favorite sign!
Really, it was a very smooth hard packed dirt road.
Here comes Thomas and Bob!
And there they go!
Still following the creek.
The first climb of 3+ miles started. Thomas and I rode the whole climb without stopping. It wasn’t that bad…just a few steeper sections. As we were riding along, I started to wonder if the top would be where we had started Option 2 (into Newport) yesterday. Pretty soon we came around the corner, and sure enough, we were back to where we had been yesterday.
Yesterday, we continued that way to Newport.
Now the entire rest of the trip would just be reversing what we had already done.
Log truck #1.
Here comes Bob, finishing the climb (he says he walked about a mile of it).
Since it was noon, we decided to eat lunch.
Bikes resting while we ate our lunch.
After lunch, we continued back in the reverse of what we did yesterday. As I descending down, I kept encountering patches of thick, chunky gravel. After a number of these sections, I thought to myself…I don’t remember it being this chunky yesterday! Maybe it was just easier going uphill. But, it was REALLY chunky! It was all I could do to stay upright. Sly was getting pushed all around! Finally, I got back to FS 31, the intersection where we waited yesterday, and saw the big logging machine. Today, there was a white pickup waiting there. I talked to the driver, and said how scary that road was, and how I didn’t remember it being that bad yesterday. Turns out, between the time we were there yesterday, and now today, they had graded the road! Ah ha! So it wasn’t this way yesterday! Amazing what they managed to do in the time between us going through yesterday and today. Honestly, I was glad that Janet and Sue weren’t there today. It was pretty sketchy for Bob, and Thomas lost a rack bolt! We replaced his rack bolt (took one off Bob’s bike), and readjusted his panniers.
This does not do justice to how chunky the rock was, but gives a bit of an idea.
Fortunately, it was only that road they had graded. Once we were on FS 31 beyond the logging operation, all we had to deal with were the potholes, which we could easily maneuver around. We also soon started big climb #2. This one was 3.6 miles long, but most of it was paved. Of course, as I was going up, I was remembering the ride down yesterday. I waited for the guys when the road returned to pavement. Then we continued for 2.6 more miles of the climb. I made it to the top, and not too much later, the guys came around the corner.
That last bit was pretty steep.
There were a couple of rollers after that, but then it was a very fun descent…curvy, smooth pavement! I had a blast!
Back into the valley of Big Elk Creek, I saw this…
“Why are you crossing the road?”
The guys joined me, and we headed to the campground.
It says 1 mile. It’s more like a half mile. 30 miles tomorrow to Corvallis.
We arrived at the campground at 3:00. We had ridden 31 miles with 2700+ elevation, and 2500 feet of descending. We accomplished our goal of beating the rain! We got our tents set up, and dinner eaten.
It has started to sprinkle, so I’ve retreated to my tent to write this. Now, it has stopped raining, so I’ll end this here, and go visit with the guys.
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