Village Clinic Ride Day 14: A Tough But Satisfying 77.7 Miles

We set out early with high ambitions. We meant to cover a 75-mile stretch with some climbs, so we packed a lot of food and started pedaling from the charming little town of Florence. The forests and lakes were scenic, and the climbs were manageable. We did, however, have the unpleasant experience of walking our bikes along the mile-long bridge into Coos Bay, as it had a narrow shoulder and heavy traffic, and we didn’t feel like testing our luck. When we got to the other side, we ate lunch and then congratulated ourselves on how much ground we had covered. We were feeling good.  

Little did we know what lay in store for us: Seven Devils Road. We asked around to see if any locals could tell us why it was called Seven Devils, and we never found an answer, but we decided it must be because there were seven punishing climbs involved. Immediately, Seven Devils Road tested our willpower: it was steep and unforgiving, and while the views were often beautiful, the sheer exhaustion made the beauty hard to appreciate. We made it to the top, but we were hurting. 

The descent down the other side and into Bandon was lovely, and we ate an excellent meal in a bay-side restaurant. Food always tastes better after a day of riding. We also noted the lucky mileage total for the day. According to the GPS tracker, we went 77.7 miles. Along with 4200 feet of climbing, it was a really tough day. We were tired, but happy with our progress.