Rushy in Oregon (14th Apr) but only for a day more..

Rushy

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Wednesday 14th April 3pm

Hi all,

Just a very quick update. I am borrowing someones computer, need to be quick so sorry if spelling / typing is poor..

I have been on the road "proper" for 5 days. Left Seattle on Saturday and tarvelled 265 miles down thru Washington State past Mt St Helens and down to just North of Portland where I turned East and "rode the gorge". Thats the Columbia Gorge! A great rode runs along the north and you get to cross over " The Bridge of the Gods" Looks innocuous when you get there but its well scary. Its about 500ft above the river, the wind tears down the gorge ( windsurfers love it, its a real mecca for them and they reach speeds of 30+ knots) and its a completely metal surface. Max speed is 15mph but you end up going 25mph because you cant go any faster but you are desperate to get to the other side as quickly as poss'.

The Columbia river carves its way through the Cascades Mountains and is the onlgest river in US , after the Mississipi I believe. Its a mile wide in places and up to 300oft deep and as you ride along it you constantly see the snowy peaks of either Mt Hood or Mt Adams (one is to the North the other to the South cant remember right now which is which) off in the distance standing tall and proud. Destination was Vernon's (from Adv Rider website) who heard about my trip and invited me to his BBQ at his home in the countryside just south of the town of Hood River.

Vernons BBQ was great , superb people and music coupled with amazing weather 80+oF. Spent my first night under canvas, all the camping gear works , forgot to pack can/bottle opener tho'. Vernon had a Triumph Tiger sidecar outfit that was fitted with studded tyres and would go anywhere, a pal had a 2 wheel drive Ural outfit with a machine gun fitted (no joke) and he was giving the most amazing joy rides around the open countryside. Went to sleep in my tent by a small creek listening to 2 woodpeckers drumming away and a load of small frogs making an amazing racket.

On Sunday there was ice on my saddle in when I woke up, but when the sun came over the nearby ridge at 7.10am it was like god had turned the heater on and within a few minutes it was 60+ again. A few of of us stayed for a leisurely breakfast and then I left at 12.30pm with a real character named Jeff on his 400,000 mile Norton. His girlfriend Didi following behind in an old breadvan, with no doors, and a massive Mauser dog for company. Rode the Gorge again but on the Oregon side on I84. Not great riding because you are on the Interstate but you get better views than on the Washington side. Jeff took me to his place in Portland where I stayed for a beer and then headed into the city centre to get digi piccies downloaded again, everywhere was shut!! Too hot in town ( 84oF which I think is 30oC)

Headed North West to a town called Astoria and checked in a motel for the night. Left there Monday am late after waiting to get camera sorted out. Drizzle, dry, drizzle, rain , dry, then real rain just as i turned onto the 31mile scenic 3 Cape Tour Rd. Thought about turning back BUt pressed on and was rewarded when I arrived at Cape Meares with blue sky and sun just after I stopped. The Oregon Coast his superb with amazing sandy beachs, Arcadia , Oceanside etc and tree lined capes jutting out into the sea. Stop for the night at Cape Lookout State Park Camp 50yrds from a 2 mile long beach and watch the Pacific breakers roll in. Spend the night drinking beers by a fire with Brant and Brad , 2 brothers ( surfers) from Colorado in their tricked up, jacked up Toyota pick up.

Yesterday I got "pissed on " most of the day from midday onwards and had some "fun" on the most twisty , badly surfaced , and wet section of Highway 101 as I continued to follow the cost south. Treacherous due to the poor surface , occasional gusts as you round the headland and standing water. Stayed the night in the pretty old town section of Florence.
Currently only doing around 150 miles per day due to weather , stopping to take photos, lack of a Freeway and realising that there is no point in rushing through places OR riding until 8pm and then trying to find somewhere to stay.

Big disappointment today as I get the weather forecast for my next port of call , inland to Crater Lake NP. The only National Park in Oregon, I was keen to visit Americas deepest lake which sits in the crater of a volcano. However, the forecast says that temperatures are just above freezing with an inch of snow on the roads and 5 to 6 inches more on the way. Crater Lake is also 75ish mile from anywhere so its a 150mile round trip from the nearest town and I am 100+ miles away from that. Its also raining heavily, again.

Decide to contine down the 101 towards California when my luck takes an upturn as the weather improves for an hour and I get to take part in my second choice of activity. " Riding the Dunes"!
Florence is just North of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Approx 50 miles of the coast is covered in these amazing sand dunes that tower up to 500ft and 3 to 4 miles inland. An hour ago I was careering up and down them on a quad bike in a brief break between the showers. GREAT FUN! Out 3 miles down a bumpy whoop de doo rollercoaster of a trail and then spinning around on a near deserted beach before heading back into the dunes. Got stuck at one point and sweated a pint of water trying to drag the thing out of the sand in all my Goretex gear. Best $40 dollars i've spent so far!

Thats all for now. Staying on the 101 down to the Redwood National Forest ( stay there one night) and then down the the famous Avenue of the Giants. By Thursday night I will have ridden the full length of the Oregon Coast and down into California.

Best bits so far?

Watching the sun come over that ridge and feelin its warmth......
Sitting on a beautiful Oregon beach set between to capes looking at the "3 Arches" rock formation while the waves crash onshore and the sun goes down......
Riding the massive dunes and wondering if my quad will make it to the top without flipping.

Bye for now................
 
Glad you're having a great time, wish I was with you, reminds me of my trip round the Wild West in'83. Try and keep posting your 'blog if you can.
 


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