Day 5-Cheese and a Lighthouse

I slept until 6:20 this morning! Doug got up much earlier, but was moving slow this morning. Both of us felt a little off in the digestive tract. We’re not sure what it was, but maybe vegetables that weren’t washed, or cooked enough??? Anyway, we both recovered. 

We had a good size group at the Hiker/Biker. Four of us are doing the Trans Am! In the many times I’ve stayed at Nehalem Bay, I’ve never met anyone doing the Trans Am. It’s always been the Coast. Hendrick and Jessi are doing the Coast to Florence.  

Doug and I got on the road at 8:45. We stopped in Wheeler so I could take my leg warmers and arm warmers off. Oh, did I mention it was sunny (this after raining most of the night)?!! Not warm though, but I’ll take chilly and sunny any day! Tanner and Monere (don’t know if that’s the way he spells his name) passed us, but we quickly passed them again as Tanner has a bum knee, and goes pretty slow. Monere was staying with him. We leap frogged with them most of the day. Nice guys. They are sticking to the actual Trans Am route (cutting inland at Otis to the Willamette Valley), but I’m sure we will see them again. 

In Rockaway, we stopped for a snack at the tourist train station. As we were finishing, the train pulled in. It’s a steam engine. Several people were getting on. We got back on the bikes. 

Doug decided to go “chamando” today as his bike shorts have been bothering him. Not too long before we got to Tillamook, he gave up and put his bike shorts back on. I gave him my skirt to use as a changing room because there wasn’t any place to go into. It worked fine, and we were soon back on the road, heading to theTillamook Creamery/ Cheese Factory. 

We were the first of our little 6 person posse to get to the cheese factory. 

Moo

Since it was lunchtime, we decided to eat lunch there. I had a delicious grilled cheese sandwich anda cup of cheesy tomato soup. We talked with a family sitting across the table from us. They were from Arizona, and heading home. 

Of course, we also got ice cream!

Two Tillamook Mudslide cones. 

Tanner and Monere joined us as we were finishing. Hendrick and Jessi were there too as we saw them when we did the tour. Doug got some cheese, and we headed back out to the bikes. 

Our bikes, and all our new friend’s bikes too!

We rode the rest of the way into Tillamook, then headed for the Three Capes Scenic Loop. Cape Meares Loop Rd is still closed, but we knew we could get through on the bikes. 

As the sign says, it’s a 2 mile climb to the lighthouse. It’s pretty steep. 

The beginning of the climb. 

The one slightly sketchy part. 

Not too far from the top, a guy came up behind us. His name was Chosey, or something like that. He is doing part of the Coast. We all rode to the lighthouse. Monere joined us shortly after we got there. Tanner had taken the shorter route directly to Cape Lookout. 

Bikes parked. 





The Octopus Tree. 

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go up in the lighthouse this time. There is some damage to the lens, so they don’t let people up there anymore. 

We then rode down through Oceanside and Netarts, and to Cape Lookout State Park. 

Sea lions on the sand bar. 

When we got to the Hiker/Biker camp, Tanner was here. 

Tanner sitting in the sun looking like he should be in an REI catalog (yes, he is carrying a bear vault). 

Today was 48.7 miles anda fair number of climbs. It was so nice to ride in the sun. Hoping tomorrow will be the same. We have a potentially longer day of 57 miles. 

My campsite, and Doug’s next to me. 

The Cape.