FDOC-Day 10-The Not Much to Look At Day

I can’t remember if I mentioned the two British women who were also at Honeyman last night. This morning, I asked their names…Olivia and Felicity. Perhaps we will see them again as we are taking a day off tomorrow, and they were doing a short day today. 

Last night at around 10:15 I heard a snarling sound. It woke me up from a sound sleep. I have no idea what it was, but suspect the ever present trash panda…aka raccoon. Anyway, I only heard it once before going back to sleep. We’ve been putting our food in the lockers. Maybe it was mad because we didn’t leave anything out???

This morning, I was ready to go at 8:00 on the nose. Matt still had a few things to do. Per our usual plan, I headed out. I knew today was a more inland day without much scenery or things to stop and see. 

Just following these signs today. 

I figured Matt would catch me around Gardiner. I stopped here and there, mostly to pee, because I had drank a lot this morning.

The route climbs quite a bit up to a ridge where it then goes along for a bit before descending off of it. 

That could be ocean way off in the distance. 

I rolled through Gardiner. Still no Matt. I stopped after crossing the Smith River (named after Jedediah Smith who explored around here from when he was 19 until his death at age 32) to have a snack, upload last night’s blog post, and do my Spanish. 

I continued on to Reedsport. I rolled through, briefly stopping to get some cash from an ATM, but it was out of service. Still no Matt. 

Three or so miles south I came to Winchester Bay. The last time I came this far south, Oregon had rerouted the bike route to just stay on 101, instead of going along the bay, then up to the Umpqua Lighthouse before returning to 101. I had told Matt to watch for the bike route sign to stay on 101. Well, since the last time I did this in 2019, they have gone back to the original route of going along the bay and up to the lighthouse. But, while the sign said to go right, after that sign, there were no more signs. No problem for me as I have gone this way before (in 2009 with Julie). But, I thought Matt might have trouble. So, I stopped and texted him about the return to the original route, and to follow the Bay around and up to the lighthouse. He said he was in Reedsport. In hindsight, I should have just waited for him to get to Winchester Bay. 

I continued around the Bay to the sign for the turn to the lighthouse. There was no Oregon Coast Bike Route sign, so when I got up to the lighthouse, I texted Matt again to follow the signs to the lighthouse. 

Umpqua Lighthouse 

The dunes at Winchester Bay (lots of ATVing happens here. 

At some point, Matt texted that he couldn’t figure out how to get to the road around the Bay. Later, he said it took him 45 minutes riding around until he found the road. 

After the lighthouse, the road descends quick and steep, only to then go right back up, just as steeply. While you would miss the lighthouse, I think it’s easier just staying on 101 (and I should have just told Matt to stay on 101…would have saved him a whole lotta time and trouble).

I finally popped back out on 101. After several more miles of boring riding, except for this somewhat funny sign…

“Leven No Trace”

I came to the dreadful bridge into North Bend. 

Even though there is a button for cyclists to push that activates flashing lights alerting drivers that there is a bicycle on the bridge (and the speed limit becomes 30 mph), I always get yelled at going across this bridge. Today it was a asshole truck driver. I just kept pedaling. He was able to easily pass me as there are traffic lights at both ends of the bridge, so breaks in the traffic. 

I pulled off at the little park on the other side of the bridge. I looked on my phone to see if there was a bakery on the route. I found one called Espresso Mill and Bakery. I texted Matt to tell him that’s where I would wait for him. 

I got to the place at 3:00 (48.6 miles in for the day). I got a text from Matt asking if it wasn’t a steep hill (there were a number of steep hills). I told him it was on a slight downhill and described what he would see (black trailer, fake grass, Tilmann parked by the grass). 

I the meantime, I ordered a cinnamon roll and a peach smoothie. I had a lovely conversation with Phil, the owner’s dad. He was covering for his son today. 

Eventually, Matt made it. Poor guy had not been having a great day, navigation wise. However, he had a good crossing of the bridge, so that was something. He ordered food and coffee. I looked to see how much further we had to go. It was 6.9 miles. 

Once we headed out again, it started raining again (it had rained a bit before the bridge). As we were going up a hill, Matt passed me. Not too much further (because I was still relatively close behind him), he very suddenly, went down. One moment he was riding, the next moment he was down…no wobble or anything, just bam! He was okay, got the bike back up and off the road so he could get the left front and rear panniers back on all the way. He said he thinks he hit, then slipped on the edge of the white line. Just icing on the cake of a somewhat shitty day for him. He’s a trooper though. We made it to Sunset Bay State Park (or in today’s case, No Sunset Bay SP) around 4:30 or so. The booth was closed, and there were no pay envelopes. I told Matt we’d just pay the host, but then I saw a Ranger, and he said to just pay in the morning when the booth was open. No problem as we are taking a day off here tomorrow (weather is supposed to be better) so we can go out to Cape Arago (and a rest day will be nice after today). Oh, and it turns out Matt left Honeyman nearly an hour after me. That didn’t help his ability to catch up to me either. 

By the time I can upload this post (and tomorrow’s), we’ll be nearly done. There is no service here.