the ability to surprise yourself

two weeks ago, i woke up tuesday morning (my saturday, for those of you in the non-privy) bored. not true to form as in this is a usual action but true to form as in this is a place i would go if i were to do this sort of thing more often, i packed a bag and left for the coast. no goal, no destination, no plans. just some gas and a road bike.

i spent most of the time on the road not talking to myself, trying to not hear my voice for once - just to see if i could stop talking when i didn't need to.

my journey took me through portland first, as most often do.
along highway 26 until the 26-6 junction just after north plains. south but mostly west on 6.


wholesome livin', just south of tillamook. day 1.

i slammed into the coast at pacific city around 7:00 that evening and surfed with a friend from the bike shop who happened to be staying at his place wedged appropriately between lincoln city and cape kiwanda (neskowin, to be precise). and i slept, tired, full of damned good fish n' beer and happy.


haystack rock from cape kiwanda. day 1.

up at 7:00am to surf, yogi and ride my road bike north to cape lookout on the three capes scenic loop off the 101.


day 2.


cape kiwanda & dory launching in the background. day 2.

the journey continued north on 101 to tillamook. i had to revive past sentiments.
stopping at the tillamook air museum, cheese factory and tillamook country smoker.
north still. to garibaldi. around the smokestack and past an abandoned antiques store called "stuff & things".


day 2.

through rockaway beach, past the beach house my family has stayed in before.
the nehalem bay winery produces, i must say, a fine pinot (noir, thank you. dry & crisp, just like it should be).
9 holes in manzanita, another family beach getaway destination and one of my favorite stops. though blustery and despite my horribly unrefined slice, i couldn't help but smile.
still north, though the afternoon wears on. through seaside and a lunch of beer and fish and chips.
i double back on my steps after reaching astoria, the northern most point in oregon. south on the 101 until reaching the 26 on which i head east, towards portland.
there is the largest sitka spruce in the u.s. to your left. thoroughly disappointing.
timber. buxton. manning.
portland.
one hour and 45 minutes north but mostly east is home, trout lake.

= 507 miles. two days. not much in gas money.

kings of convenience and destroyer proved to be the soundtrack of the trip. oh, dear, i do hope i shall attempt it again someday.


-e