Bandon

We had some fog this morning leaving Florence. It was eerie at times. As we headed up the hill out of Florence, the fog would come and go. I waited at the vehicle for riders to come up the hill. The fog condensed on the trees and then would drip to the ground. The sound of the drops reminded me of a gentle rain and it was very pleasant to listen to.

I wrote yesterday of Tracy's full tuck position at 40mph on the downhill. I smiled to myself and thought "You go, girl." I had the same thought today after hearing that her electronic shifters were not working and she was essentially riding a fixed gear bike in the big chainring and a middle cog on the cassette. To muscle up these hills in that gear is a testament to her fortitude.

Our first SAG was near the Umpqua River lighthouse. It was completed in 1894 and stands 100 feet above sea level. The lighthouse is the most distant from the ocean of any that I have seen. Its light can be seen from 25 miles to sea.

We rode near miles of sand dunes today. These sand dunes have been formed over eons by wind, sun, and erosion. They reach up to 150 meters in height and is the largest coastal expanse of sand dunes in North America, stretching 40 miles from Florence to Coos Bay. They were partially the inspiration for Frank Hebert's sci-fi novel Dune. The area is a population recreation attraction for dune buggies. I could not believe some of the slopes that are used by these riders. The photo makes them look like mini ski slopes.

The area of Bandon is quite beautiful. It has become known in recent years for its four golf courses, which are ranked in the top 50 courses built in the past 50 years. Too windy for my mediocre golf game and too expensive for my pocketbook too.

We had construction projects on three bridges today. I had to wait at the first one in the vehicle and the last one on the bike. The sound of construction on the third one was absolutely deafening, the loudest sound I have ever heard, at least until I got to the hotel. A man was using a riding mower without a muffler. Even from 75 yards away, it was the loudest sound. Our waitress told us that he nearly deaf. I wonder why?

The middle construction was on the bridge over Coos Bay. This bridge is one mile long and we were required to walk over it on a previous trip. We decided to shuttle everyone over this bridge in our vehicle. Doc wanted to ride it initially, but I would have none of it.

After the second SAG, we went up a road named Seven Devils Road. This road is another one that did not live up to its reputation from my memory. The initial hill was the most difficult of the ride thus far, but the remaining devils were tame by comparison. The views along the highest ridge line were great. We could see the ocean and much higher hills in the distance. There was little traffic which contributed to a fun ride for Ron and me.

Jim H. and I went for a walk on the beach after the ride. It was quite windy on the beach and was nearly deserted. We saw only 2 other hearty souls walking. I loved listening to the waves and wind.