Oregon and Crazy December Weather: Cycling the Pacific Coast Route

A Recap of Oregon

The rain fell at a pace that filled my glasses with big wet droplets. My fingers became little windshield wipers, moving back and forth to keep my vision clear. All the while trucks Whizzed by me as I pushed my way forward on the shoulder beside them.

This was Oregon in December, wind gusts and lots of water.

Day One in Oregon

The first day I set out from Cannon Beach around midday after saying goodbye to my mom. She had volunteered to drive me down to my starting point in Oregon. Of course the first day started with a long uphill for me and the start of rainfall for the day. I ended up camping down a muddy trail hidden away in the trees a decent distance from the road.

Day Two in Oregon

Waking up, the morning started with a brutal push up the path I camped down. I was very quick to learn I should be careful where I go "down" if I must come “up”. The rest of the day consisted of a very sore body, a new hate for travelling through tunnels, and a thorough soaking. I spent the night in a motel in Tillamook drying off.

Day Three in Oregon

Leaving Tillamook, I take my first wrong turn and end up having to take some small side roads back to the main route. Also meeting my first aggressive dog. Back on the main route, it takes me over a deserted logging road before connecting back with the old coastal highway. On the decent back down I am rewarded with my first view of some of Oregon's sand dunes.

I reach the day’s end near Pacific City, camped away in the bush. Able to hear the Ocean in the distance. During the evening and camp I reach out to my first potential Warmshower's host, John in Depoe Bay.

A bit about Warmshowers, it is a network of other cyclists who are able to host cyclists on and about trips. Giving those out on the road a chance to meet fellow cyclists and get out of the weather.

Day Four in Oregon

I wake up to rain and a message from John that he can host me tonight if I can make it to Depoe bay. With a goal in mind now, I push on through the rain during the whole day to try and make it Depoe bay before dark. Along the way, experiencing the Oregon coastline cast in a beautiful dreary rainy grey.

Arriving in Depoe bay I make my way to John's place and am invited into his home. We spend the night swapping stories and eating chowder in the bay.

Day Five in Oregon

Leaving John in the morning, after some advice on the route ahead I set off for the day. With the forecast clear for just the day before more rain, I planned to make miles.

Continuing along, enjoying the sun and stopping for some pizza in Newport I make it to around Yatchz and set up camp. With the wind picking up, tomorrow will once again be a wet one.

Day 6 in Oregon

The rain has once again started pouring, but with the added ominous overnight warning of freezing rain starting later that day. A race against time has become to Florence, the next town about 30 miles up before the freezing rain hit. To wait out the storm I hunkered down in a local motel. Before the rain hit, I passed over the sea lion caves where hundreds of sea lions gather on the bluffs below.

Day 7 Riding in Oregon

At this point Christmas was only a few days away and my tentative plan was to try and stop at a church that ran a bicycle hostel through Warmshowers. After a long ride, I arrived in Lakeside Oregon to find the hostel closed until May of this coming year. Plans had to change, and fast.

Looking up motels, one in north bend was up ahead but it would push me to do my first 45 mile day and make it there just before dark.

Leaving Lakeside, another dog bolted out at me, this time I was narrowly saved by a car coming the other way. With the dog skittering off in the other direction, I did the same. Making it to the motel, this is where I would hold up for Christmas with a single special occasion beer and way too many frozen burritos.

Day 8 Riding in Oregon

Back on road on Boxing day, the morning start off with some sheep. After the day on the road I reached Bandon with heavy winds and rain, pushing me into another motel for the night. Once inside, I found out new flash flood warnings and high wind warnings had popped up. I stayed another day to avoid the warnings while somehow getting locked inside my motel room in the morning.

Day 9 Riding in Oregon

Back on the road with a decent forecast for the evening I rode through out the day to a campsite along the coast. It felt good to be back in the tent, which is becoming like home.

Day 10 Riding in Oregon

Packed up in the morning without much issue, but another forecast for flash flooding and high winds in the area. The plan was to hold out in Gold Beach before heading off again.

Day 11 Riding in Oregon

After the rains passed, I left Gold Beach to some more stunning coastline. The day continued to be a beautiful one and I was finally able to take off some rain gear for the first time. Thinking I had about a day left before I hit California, I was very surprised to see the "welcome sign"!

That was Oregon in a nutshell, stay tuned for the adventures in California. So far more extreme weather and more Redwood trees than I can count.

Until next time,

Keifer