Day 43: Portland to Lincoln City, 72 miles

OK, that title is too dramatic.  I was actually pretty warm at the core.  But my ears, my head, my fingers and toes were chilly.  Very chilly.  I packed rain gear, carried it 1800 miles only bringing it out twice.  But in my decision to ride a final loop from Portland out to the Oregon coast I hadn’t factored in the cold.

I did the best I could, putting on all the layers I had.  And still was cold.  And racing the sunset.  Riding Highway 18 from Sherwood through McMinnville, I took a short break at the folks house to eat some more oatmeal (thanks Mom!) Then back on the road, mercifully flat until about 20 miles from the coast, were it climbs to a low summit in the Van Duzer Corridor.

I’m not counting my blessings well enough here.  It didn’t rain, just a bit of drizzle.  It was in the mid-40s, not 30s.  I had sunlight and strength and freedom to ride, again, out to my favorite landscapes and ocean views.  My griping and complaining mind so quickly forgot the splendid sunny weather I’d enjoyed for the last 6 weeks. Hush!

A hot shower at Devils Lake State Park helped immensely, as did donning dry warm clothes.  And snuggling into my sleeping bag, with wool hat and gloves and socks.  And a forecast of two days of clear weather.  Count the blessings indeed, Ocean!