Around the Bend to Clairton

Oregon sand dunes 

The large bridge in the distance to the Oregon Bay Area

It was an easy day and I know when these days occur something big is waiting around the bend, probably a 90 mile day in an all day driving rain storm is my guess. Maybe these days seem easy because of the amount of miles I’ve already logged, over 2,400. Hills seem very manageable to the point where I look forward to the climbs because I know there’s a big downhill waiting once I crest the hill. My biggest complaint is road noise. We Americans love our pickup trucks but why are they so loud. I love when we get off of the Pacific Highway and onto the less traveled back roads but we usually only encounter small stretches of these types of roads once or twice a day.

Today we rode through the Oregon Dunes Area. It’s hard to believe that the wind has moved so much sand inland. There were many recreational areas where you could rent all-terrain vehicles. Tonight we’re staying in Coos Bay. The church we’re staying at is on a large hill with very little nearby. The area looks a little like many of the Western Pennsylvania Mill Towns. There’s the wood chipping factory where they produce particle board next to the water. As you move up a few streets there are some run down business and homes. As you continue to climb the homes progressively get nicer until you get to the top where the homes are the nicest. Labors must live on the bottom streets and the supervisors live on the top streets. It really reminded me of Clairton, my hometown. Of course this was on the outskirts of town and some people we talked to said the main area of Coos Bay is much different than where we’re staying tonight. Tomorrow we have a 60 something mile day and we’re staying at a campground near the Pacific. Humburg State Park will be home tomorrow night and there’s no cell service so I probably won’t post to my blog until Friday.