Village Clinic Ride Day 12: A Cyclist’s Dream

When one imagines cycling the Oregon coastline, various images come to mind: dense forest trails, rocky ocean overlooks, pristine beaches, etc. Day 12 had it all. What a day! 

We got a slightly late start out of Tillamook and we managed to make a navigational error within the first five miles. Still, we made excellent time due to a steady tailwind, and we soon found ourselves tracing northern Oregon’s scenic coastline. We took pictures, of course, but we had to withstand the temptation to stop and take pictures constantly. We also tried riding our bikes directly on the sand, with mixed success. Around halfway through the day, we took a highly recommended detour onto what our The Old Highway 101, a winding mountain road with a steady climb and dense tree cover. It was as green as anything you can imagine, and we encountered a total of three cars along the way. It was a cyclist’s dream. 

We returned to civilization, meeting up with the main, heavily used 101 near Lincoln Beach. There, we ate a quick lunch of sardines with rice and lots of hot sauce, then we kept on pushing. The winds were entirely favorable as we found some scenic trails along the coast. A crowd of people was whale-watching, and we apparently showed up a minute too late to see a pod of orcas. Still, the ocean views were great as we continued to push south to the town of Newport. There, after an 82-mile day of perfect cycling, we feasted on clam chowder and fresh seafood. It was an absolutely great day of cycling.