Neskowin, OR to Manzanita, OR

Miles: 73.5
Total Miles: 1338.1
Climbing today: 3226’ (who says the coast is flat?)

The day was positively gorgeous and I took full advantage of the ride despite the steep climbs and rough roads. Proposal Rock was stunning this morning, with no fog or mist to shield it from us. I loved waking up and looking right out onto the beach, which was so much calmer this morning than last night. The tide was very low and I was sorely tempted to climb up the rock but we had a long ride ahead with lots of hills.

Proposal Rock taken early this morning before the ride

We followed the 3 Capes Scenic Route and the Oregon Coast Bike Route. Staying off of Route 101 was a primary objective today but sometimes there was no other route. It was full of traffic, debris filled shoulders and narrow bridges. Our route took us through Pacific City, with its huge Haystack Rock, (not to be confused with the one farther up the coast in Cannon City!) which is one of the two largest monoliths on the Pacific Coast of the USA. There was also a huge sand dune which people were climbing but not I!

Haystack Rock

Cape Kiwanda with the huge dunes

The Pacific City Dory Fleet is well known for being able to launch in the lee of Cape Kiwanda, the large dune in the picture, using oars until well into the surf, when they use small motors to get into the ocean. Many are the sons and grandsons of dory fishermen from the 20th century. When ocean conditions permit, the dories launch off the beach and into the Pacific Surf. They fish for salmon, Dungeness crab, and tuna. In the past 100+ years, only 6 men and women have lost their lives, an amazing safety record.

As we made our way north, we passed several dune filled forests which were quite a bit inland from the ocean, as we pedaled on and away from the coast toward Sandlakes.

Dunes in the forest

Oregon Coastline

After this town we climbed up and up, a nearly 2 mile 10-12% climb and then down into Netarts. (although the map meeting led us to believe it would be lower grades!) About 2 miles after the top of the climb, where we had no view, we came out to stunningly beautiful views of the coast.

Kathy and I opted to ride into Oceanside, a small town with stunning views. Several generations of the Rosenberg family donated land in this area to forever allow anyone access to the beach. There was a tunnel through Maxwell point and it was dug by the Rosenbergs in 1926. Kathy and I enjoyed the some of the miles of blackberries we passed today while in Oceanside. They were much sweeter and less seedy than those I have eaten in Bristol.

Kathy eating blackberries

Oceanside, OR

Our next stop was at the Cape Meares lighthouse, a one half mile each way, 12% grade round down to the lighthouse. But, we might not be here again so we ventured in and what a great stop it was. The birds were amazing, though too far away to identify. Many people were out watching with scopes, however. We were told that we should look for sea lions, and though we did not see any, Ramsey did, through a scope. There were numerous kinds of birds which nested in the walls of the rocks along the coast in the unique coastal area. It is also a prime whale watching location in December and January.

Viewpoint from Cape Meares

It was such a gorgeous day, we ate our lunch there and then walked to the lighthouse, another .2 mile down hill! The lighthouse was shortest one in Oregon at 38’ but it was 217’ above the ocean. The eight-sided, one ton, Fresnel lens was ground by hand in 1887 in Paris and shipped by boat to Oregon. It was lifted up to the present location by workers using a hand operated crane. It was first “lit” in 1890 and its beam was visible to ships 21miles away. The light was finally decommissioned in 1963. Kathy and I finally tore ourselves away as we still had nearly 40 more miles to ride for the day. The road out of Cape Meares certainly got my heart rate up but not nearly so much as the road down the hill after that side trip. It was terrible, with pot holes, rotten pavement, and no shoulders. I was never happier to get off a road!

Anne at the Lighthouse

Kathie through the lens

The hills have been a challenge for Barb M and her recumbent bike

Our next stop was at the Tillamook Cheese visitor’s center. This was definitely a tourist attraction so we stopped in for the best (and cheapest) ice cream cone I have had in a long time. A local couple told me to definitely try the Tillamook Mudslide flavor. It was chocolate ice cream, with chocolate chunks, and chocolate ripples through it! Sinful, but delicious. I deserved it for the calories expended during the ride! A tour of the cheese packaging plant was fascinating. I have always loved the mechanical side of things (genetics, I guess…I come from a family of engineers and creative people). Since I went to the Hershey chocolate factory in 1964, I have been fascinated by the production lines for things, though I have not seen many! I loved this place despite the tourist air of it all! There is more than 1.7 million pounds of milk arriving at the plant every day and 167,000 pounds of cheese is made there daily!

We had to ride on 101 through this part of the day and it was terrible. I missed the Tillamook Quilt and Textile place almost next door and am sick over that. The road was so terrible that I barely saw anything through that area. The shoulders were full of rocks, glass and debris and were sometimes very narrow. Fortunately, we were able to get onto Miami River Rd, a lovely and flat road avoiding all of 101 for over 12 miles. We felt very far from the Ocean at that time and were definitely worried about another climb over the Coastal Mountains back to the ocean. That did not happen, as we turned onto Hwy. 53 and then onto 101 for only a few miles until the junction for Manzanita.

Nehalem River

We were definitely happy to see the end of the ride today. More traffic and bad roads made for a tough day although the sights along the way were spectacular. We saw many loaded tourists today, with some looking like they might be going for a few days. Our motel is right on the ocean and the beach is beautiful. We had to walk dozens of yards to the water last night at low tide, since the beach was so flat. Tomorrow is a rest day with nothing to do but walk. I did my laundry in Neskowin!

Karina will leave in the morning before the last two days of riding. She is a professor at a technical college in Boston as has to leave to start her school year teaching on Monday. We will all be sorry to see her go.

Looking north from our hotel

Artichoke in bloom in Manzanita

Coastline north of our motel

Barb S and Kathie on the beach in Manzanita at sunset

The trip is rapidly coming to a finish. We are all stronger and more fit than a month ago. It has been a wonderful group, both in terms of skill and abilities, but also in terms of friendliness and compatibility. I have so enjoyed the camaraderie of like minded women. More and more I realize the bond that we have and now can boast friends all over the country. I certainly hope to visit the ones on the route when Ben and I ride the Northern Tier.