Day 3: Lincoln City to Florence

Today’s Highlights:

Chris bought us souvenirs last night – bike license plates that say “superbike” and “built 4 speed”.  Since he is the fast one, he attached built-4-speed to his bike and I attached the other.  It’s a good thing too, because we were the last ones to leave the hotel this morning.  Armed with our new accessories, we quickly caught up with most of the group.

The start was not as chilly as the other days, but still brisk.  There was a strong north wind all day, so there were times when it was bitter cold, like at the second SAG stop.  Most of our stops were very short so we could keep warm by cycling.  Also, that wind was great at out backs.  There were several stretches along RT 101 were the wind really help us with some extra speed (so it wasn’t all because of the license plates), and it even gave us a boost up some hills.

In one spot we saw many sea lions lounging on the rocks.  I even saw one whale surface and spout.  There were more great views of isolated beaches and rocky shorelines, and the wind swept waves accentuated the ruggedness of the Oregon coast.  We had a few sunny periods that bought some needed warmth, but most of the day was foggy, windy and chilly.

This was our longest day so far, ending at 80 miles, but a very nice day with less challenging hills and outstanding scenery.

It’s a Record

80 miles is my longest ride ever! Does that mean I didn’t train properly for this trip? Maybe. It felt long but not hard. The climbs were not as intense today, and the tree-lined avenues made me want to slow down and take it in (which is tough to do when I’m Built 4 Speed). The winds were crazy, and I guess they always are. Check out Pic 7 of the slide show. Almost every tree was like that: makes for a neat landscape.

Along the way we rode along this dirt wall (I think it was cut out to make the road). Many people had written their names or slogans in the wall. I decided to stop and etch my wife’s name into the wall to show my undying love for her (pic 29). I told my dad to the same for his wife (hi mom) but I think he got confuse because when I turned around to take the picture I saw that he wrote “Aunt ToTo”… whoever that is. Maybe he was dehydrated. Anyway… I love you, baby!

Chris

Pictures Of The Day:

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Statistics:
Zoom and pan the map to explore the route. Click the name or ‘View Detail’ to view more information at Garmin Connect.

Chris: