13th September – Florence to Coos Bay

We are still cycling in Oregon. A later start today to give our body’s some recovery time and there is only a 90km ride planned. After a leisurely breakfast we got away by 10am.

We kept cycling on US101 going past the Oregon Dunes and through the towns of Gardiner and Reedsport. We left the US101 at Winchester Bay (a popular Clam digging area) to take a look at the Umpqua lighthouse and have lunch. We’ve had a few Subway lunches which seem to refuel us well for the afternoon cycling.   

During the afternoon we left Douglas County and entered Coos County. About 10kms from the end of the ride the Vancomex team did their good deed for the day – helping a damsel in distress! The damsel, Olivia, pulled into a lay-by with a puncture - strangely she didn’t have a Jack or a phone. So Trina and Jana (a couple of ladies also in the lay-by) provided a jack and Maurice, Brian and Tim worked together to change the wheel – Vancomex to the rescue.  The strange part was up until this time Tim was not feeling well and we were carefully nursing him along.  However, with no hesitation he threw himself on the floor to attach the jack and lift up the car.  Tim – you are a hero.

We then did a 10km round-trip detour before the end of the ride to take a look at Horsefall Dunes – on the way to the dunes the temperature dropped about 20 degrees and some fog rolled in so we never got to see much of the dunes. Not one of our best decisions so far.

A much easier day - no severe hills and only 90kms of cycling. Funny that we should see that distance as an easy day! Another milestone is that we passed 1000kms for the ride so far – WOW over a third of the way there.

There was no TWIT of the day award - a few minor confessions but nothing worthy of such a noteworthy award as TWIT of the day. Instead Tim was awarded outstanding cyclist of the day for  manfully cycling when feeling under the weather.

Cheers – a well earned pint
 in Florence after a long ride day



Punctured only 6kms into the days
 ride equalling Chris’s Tim puncture count of two





Nice shirt Brian – where did you

 get that

 




Picnic at Umpqua lighthouse




Bradley Brian and Maurice –

coming on nicely



Chris – could be something nesting in there!



Bradley Tim – some beard management
needed here




Bradley Tom – bit of shut eye going on




Chris gets new gear cabling




Helping a damsel in distress – Olivier gets

 a puncture on route to work, team Vancomex

 to the rescue



The other part of the rescue team – Trina and Jana, who provided the jack to change the wheel

The Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge – it was like crossing the Dartford Bridge on our bikes

Our evening restaurant in Coos Bay



Olivia, the lady with the puncture,

 in Dairy Queen!  




Four MAMILS on a bench at Umpqua lighthouse