Bike the OR Coast

Day 3 - Nahalem Bay State Park to the Inn at Cape Kiwanda







It's almost midnight on Sunday. I can't believe this morning started out by waking up to a SCREAMING baby... The people who were across the drive in a small tent had a very small baby - maybe 6 months old? In the middle of the night the baby started to SCREAM like it had been starved for days. I was trying to be patient - some people try to let their children cry it out at night, or maybe they were night time weaning. Who knows. But then it happened AGAIN as the soon as the sun came up.

Eventually I saw the woman take the baby and put her in the car and they drove off for a bit. The baby was more settled after that. I wondered: was the baby just miserable? Did they have to take the baby to a MD for an ear infection? I'll never know. But she was much quieter after the drive.

Actually even though the day was off to an inauspicious start, it was a very good day. I actually got a run in - the weather was perfect for an early morning jog. Then I showered and we all ate breakfast (the guys had showered the night before). We broke camp slowly, allowing the tents to dry some more. Around 10am Ruben called Marc to get his status. The decision was made: Ruben and Keith would ride back to Manzanita, I would finish packing up and meet them there with Marc's bike. (Remember the foreshadowing?) Then I had the idea: Have Ruben take Elias on the Trail-a-bike on the 2 mile flat trip back. We didn't need do much convincing to get Elias to agree. Just as I was leaving the campsite, I got a text message telling me where I could find them - shock - a coffee shop :)

I arrived and found Elias happily eating a donut and Ruben happily slurping a latte and Keith happily sipping espresso. I bought myself one and a delicious scone. Marc and Hilary arrived and the boys got ready for their trip. I took this picture just before they left.


Elias and I drove to the Tillamook cheese factory and waited for Hillary. I saw her drive into the parking lot, talking on the phone. She stopped and told me she had just gotten a call from Marc and that he had a problem with his bike and she had to go back and get him. Keith and Ruben waited for a while with him, but started back on their route before she arrived.

Elias and I went into the cheese factory to watch it in action. Elias was more fascinated with the grocery store/food pyramid computer game on a kiosk than the cool workings of the factory. I tried to take a picture or two - a difficult task in low lighting through glass. This shot is one of the 8 oz loafs getting "weighed." The very cool thing is that if one is too light, the conveyer strips slide over and the offending block of cheese moved onto a side conveyor. But all this happens REALLY quickly. I was fascinated by it.

I treated Elias to a small ice cream cone and then we left. As we were heading to the car, Marc and Hilary drove up. Apparently Marc's tired had a slit on it and he had to get it repaired. Later that evening he threw a "Mr. Tuffy" into the tire to help keep the inner tube in and the hole from expanding.

Ruben and Keith caught up with Elias and me shopping at the Safeway. A local reminded us of one of Ruben and my favorites: Rosanne's in Oceanside for lunch. A quick call to Marc and Hilary (who were off looking for a repair solution) and lunch was set for 9 miles away.

We continued on to Oceanside - bit out of the way for Keith and Ruben (and it included an extra hill), but it was well worth it. Marc and Hilary apparently missed the turn to head out to the coast, but we didn't find this out until we had cell reception again in Netarts (there is NO cell reception in Oceanside, and the locals are proud of that.)


Oceanside is almost at sea level, surrounded by hills on either side. It's pretty isolated. And beautiful. Even on a cloudy, rainy day like today.


I remember Oceanside from years and years ago - I would go there (and to Cape Kiwanda) with some friends who were learning how to hangglide. There are a few more buildings, but it's stayed mostly the same. And Roseanne's is still just as good.


I left and so did the boys. To make sure they took the right turn, I waited for them just after the first big hill that took them back from Oceanside to Netarts. If they had gone straight, they would have gone back to Tillamook. Well not likely past "downtown" Netarts, but still.

The next part of their journey was pretty flat along the bay. Then there was a "small" hill, where I took these pictures. To give you some context, here's a picture at the top of this first hill, looking back at the bay. This other picture is of the three rocks in Oceanside. I had to zoom 12x to get this blurry shot.

As I followed along the "Three Capes Scenic Drive," I passed a very large clear cut. Elias asked what had happened, so I explained why loggers do this... that clearcutting is cheap but bad for a forest. Just after the clearcut I noticed the lush green forest looked very pale, yellow and sickly - I thought it was because of the clearcutting. Then I turned the corner and saw Sand lake. This was a fascinating dune with low brush and sea grass. There is an area where ATVs can drive around, but it's cordoned off from the delicate vegetation.

Then came the hill. The BIG hill up to Cape Lookout State Park. Ruben and Keith biked up 1000 vertical feet in approximately 4 miles. This picture is an altitude profile of their day. I can not imagine doing this.


Elias and I arrived at the Inn At Cape Kiwanda around 4pm and checked in. I unloaded the van and got settled in the room, which is fabulous as always. Marc sent me a text message saying they were here and napping. I let Elias play vegetable boy and watch TV. Ruben and Keith arrived, very sore, but very proud, around 5pm. At 7 we ate dinner across the street at the Pelican Brew Pub which has good pub fare, good beers, crappy "Wine by Joe," and another excellent view. The picture is of Keith just outside the pub, in front of the Haystack rock.

Tomorrow we head to the Inn at Otter Crest near Otter Rock. Today appears to be the worst day weather wise and we're not soaked in the slightest :)