Thursday May 19, 2011

The Oregon Coast

Today started of great with some tofu scramble that Julien threw together and only got better from there. After a final gear shakedown, we made our way out to the coast with Julien's friends, Jeff and Liz, along rt. 26 which was littered with huge empty plots of Forrest due to the local lumber industry. Our first stop was Canon Beach which happens to be the site of one of the scenes from the Goonies (which itself is set in Astoria just north of where we were).

I had intentions of leaving around 2:00 pm today but since everyone was heading south along the coast anyway, I figured I'd just stick with them. Our next stop was Hug Beach. This place was out of this world gorgeous! I got a bit soaked when I went to dip my wheel in the Pacific but it was no big deal because this place was amazing! At low tide, you can walk around a cliff face to a hidden cove where a freshwater waterfall empties into the ocean surrounded by huge and impressive coastal caves. It was, however, high tide so we had to do some delightful bushwhacking to get there. After a crawling through a ton of mangrove-esque undergrowth and scrambling down a steep cliff face, we made it to the most phenomenal cove I could have ever imagined! An immaculate patch of grass that seemed as though it had been meticulously manicured was placed right behind the edge of the waterfall and made for an incredible lounge area. Visually, the freshwater that dropped off its ledge blended into the ocean behind it the most spectacular fashion. What a place! I even considered making it my first campsite, but the day was still too young. So the gang and I moved further southward.

Now just when I thought I had seen the best that the coast had to offer, I was thrown for a loop. We pulled up to a tiny trailhead on the side of the road and started descending towards the ocean. Soon thereafter we broke off on a much overgrown and rarely trodden path, a path that would lead us onto an absolutely phenomenal peninsula who's edges dropped 200 feet vertically into the ocean below. As if the place wasn't majestic enough, it was flanked on either side with 400 ft cliffs. One of which was promptly climbed by Julien. The vast ocean before us sparkled and, in a phenomenon that I found most curious, was completely barren and devoid of ships. 

Our third and final stop together was a bit of a gamble. We stopped at a park called Manhattan Beach, a place unfamiliar to all of us, to check it out. Our first impressions where positive as the park had some of the nicest and best maintained bathrooms I've ever seen at a state park! Although not nearly on the same level of immense beauty that the places we visit prior where on, the deserted beach was a pleasant one who's erosion formed sand forms where a blast to play on. All in all, it was a great place to finish off an amazing day! But now it was business time, and after making my goodbyes, I finally set off.

Photo Cred: Julien Jaborska

Photo Cred: Julien Jaborska

 I rode down the coast for a bit looking for the perfect place to free camp on my first night on the road. It was getting pretty late so I wasn't looking to actually put any good miles down. I was still pretty new to the free camping game and decided to break from my route in hopes that some side roads would be more barren. Later I would come to learn that free camping is one of the easiest things ever and breaking from your route is hardly ever necessary. Nevertheless, I found myself a nice overground forest road heading up a mountain that looked as though it hadn't been used in years. A couple dozen feet in, the road opened up a little to what would have made a perfect campsite, but I stubbornly kept pushing my bike up the steep rocky hill. At this point of the trip I was still really nervous about the possibility of someone stumbling across my campsite during the night and hassling me. I would soon come to realize that its hardly that big of a deal and that, if your marginally savvy about where you set up, no one will even notice you or really care if they do. Nevertheless, my tenacity payed off and the road ended up leading to a small abandoned quarry carved into the middle of a hill. This awesome spot more than satisfied my desire for aesthetic coolness and I deemed it infinitely better than the more reasonable spot at the bottom of the mountain. 

This first night out I had executed exactly as I had planned out my nightly schedule would be. I cooked myself diner, tried to do a little reading, and even felt a little bored. Little did I know that this relaxed schedule would soon be ripped to shreds. 

My trip had started immaculately and in the best manner I could have ever conceived! Julien had been a fabulous host and the last few days had been a blast, especially today. I can't even believe how glorious the scenery out here is, and it hasn't even rained (the regions west of the Sierra Cascades are notorious for their gloomy weather and see about 100 inches of rain per year)! Tomorrow the real riding begins!