Day 11 Report - Lincoln City to Florence

Total Miles 75.1
Average Speed 12.1mph
Total Ascent 1017m

Just a quick blog tonight - I'm bushwhacked after a monster 75 miles into a 15mph headwind all the way down exposed coast. I'm actually surprised and impressed I managed to keep the average speed over 12mph. Although there were no big climbs you can see from the stat there were plenty of little ones! In fact, hardly any flat at all.

So, since my breakfast blogging what happened?

The forecast 10-15mph wind was indeed a nasty heawind.  Added to that some of the road surfacing was less smooth than I'd been used to of late - think of the bit coming out of Aberlady towards Gullane. Or the peebles to Edinburgh road which is pretty bumpy too. Actually - not bumpy, just that there are stones not yet bedded into the road fully. Together with the wind this meant I needed to fight tooth and nail for every mile and every yard. With these conditions you can't stop pedalling / free wheel at all or all momentum is lost. Tough.

However, I had been told the Oregon coast is stunning and it really is (you are right Frank!). Mile after mile of massive sandy beaches, forested headlands, rocky coves, caves. If I'd stopped to take a photo at everything stunning I'd still be out there now with 20 miles left to go.

Now, I was on highway 101 all day today apart from a 20 minute detour at Otter Rock. It's a fairly busy road and does not afford many opportunities for any S.I.B.P.OK.P - slightly illegal but probably ok pees. So, when  I'd been turning the pedals hard for about a couple of hours (tired) and the breakfast coffee was starting to do it's thing I couldn't find a single SIBPOK places to go. Thankfully, there are lots of viewing areas along the coast and some have facilities - L.P. it will have to be! So as luck would have it one materialised and I ducked into the car park and availed myself of said facilities. It was only on the way out that I realised in my rush/tiredness I'd used the ladies! It was in IP after all!

I'm the first to admit I'm a competitive so and so. If I'm overtaken on a bike I usually respond in the appropriate manner - i.e. getting back in front and destroying the upstart! so when I youngster of about 16 overtook me on a mountain bike on the climb into Newport I was rather perturbed. I had to weigh up - I've done 30 odd miles into the teeth of this wind. He's just come out of that side street fresh as a daisy. Let's be grown up and ... <pause> .. no I can't do it. Up went the gears, out of the saddle I went and destroyed he was - in the cold light of evening this doesn't make me feel so big after all!

Did I tell you about the tunnels the other day? I don't think so. There are some really big headlands so they need some tunnels through. They have a button for cyclists to press so lights flash and motorists know to be careful. This is all well and good but the noise of the big Trucks is so deafening in the tunnel that it's still rmore than a little unnerving. I''ve taken to waiting until there is a good clear bit of road behind me before going in there. A new phenomena today was a number of car drivers tooting their horn in the tunnel for a laugh. While I'm sure it's a hoot, it's more than a little perturbing for your poor wee cyclist -Gonnae no do that!

Ok, I'm going to sign off now. I'm taking my first rest day of the trip tomorrow in a place called florence. The motel has a PC, theres a laundry 50m away and there are loads of sand dunes. Photo catch up will commence tomorrow. That is all for today...