nancy's blog

We decided to take a week off from our trip and play in San Francisco. We have done well as tourists visiting many fine places this great American city has to offer. The first day after walking all over the city and getting our bearings, we purchased the "CityPass" for only $50 apiece which enabled us to take the any bus, trolley, or cable car for one week and got us into six fine museums, such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the De Young Art Museum, Legion of Honor Art Museum, two Aquariums, the Cable Car Museum, Cable Car rides, the hands-on Exploratorium. We stayed in the most amazing hostel called the Green Tortoise. Free breakfasts every morning, free dinner 3 nights a week, all the internet you could possible use, organized outings, and a lot of travelers from around the world. The evening life around the hostel is astonishing with a mix of music clubs, Chinese restaurants, Italian eateries, girlie strip clubs.

I got my hair cut in Chinatown by a male stylus who spoke very little English but did seem to mutter over and over as he cut my hair "too much hair".

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[New Washington and Oregon pictures are on the photos page.]

We have been riding along the Oregon Coast for the last 4 days. The big, wild Pacific coast is inspiring to experience. The beaches are nestled in between cliffs lined with towering evergreens leaning away from the oceans powerful offshore winds. Occasionally parts of towering cliffs have collapsed down to the protected beaches. The beaches are wonderful places to walk, explore tidal pools, surf or even drive cars. Every corner offers a new photograph opportunity.

We have camped at Oregon State parks which always have a place for bikers in hiker/bikers spots. Several have been in the middle of the rain forests. We have set up our tents under giant trees in Oswald Weest State Park and Cape Lookout State Park.

We are in Lincoln City, Oregon, staying at a warmshowers.org bicycling host. Thank you Suzie and Jim. We sat in their jaccuzi and watched the sun set over the breaking waves. For almost two weeks we have been going to sleep with the sound of the ocean waves lapping at the evening darkness.

I am finding the roads in Oregon mostly great with a few sections of hell. Today was a tough climb up a windy 4 lane section of highway 101.

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Cape Kiwanda looking south

Cape Kiwanda looking North

If there is ever a perfect place to photograph it must be Cape Kiwanda at Pacific City Beach.

We rode here on Weds with the wind at our backs and had lunch. Don't miss this one even if it is a good solid hike to here. The wind sculptures the trees, the sand dunes, the rocks into perfect photographic images. What do you think? Pretty nice. Eh? ( I am trying to learn to talk like a Canadian by saying "eh?" at the end of a sentence and making it sound like a question.)

Hugs anyone?

Here we are taking a moment to enjoy a special moment at Hug Point along the Oregon Coast as we ride up Route 101 to our campground near Ocean City. Oswald state park is a walk-in site next to premier surfing beach. The camping is an amazing experience where you haul your stuff down to the forested camp site in a wheel barrel down about a half mile to the site which is set next to the goreous surfing beaches.

Thanks to our friends Bob and Honna who drove ahead and found us a site on labor day weekend. I can not believe we even got a site her of all places on labor day weekend

Randy rode his bike up this monsterous climb of 5000 feet in 18 miles. Nancy was very lucky and thankful to accepted a ride up by a dear man,John, a local resident. Thanks John Simmons Nancy got to ride up here in car with her luggage and Randy's! Meanwhile Randy worked his butte off as Nancy sat up at the top enjoying the views and creating watercolors. Up here can see all the way to mountains in Olympic National Park.

I must say the ride down was fantastic and worth ride up.

How did I ever get myself into this? Here Nancy is doing a hikering biking around Crescent Lake. It is better to walk and be able to ride another day then to biff and slide down the gravel embankment.

Crescent lake is a 650 feet crystal clear lake with the best swimming holes we seen so far.

For those that want to avoid the traffic on the south side, try this little known trail called the Spruce RailRoad trail that follows the lake on the northside through the forest. Otherwise take the the south side but push the button at the beginning of the ride which will warn drivers there are bicylist on the road.