Monday, September 8, 2008

"Cape" Really Means UP! And ... STUDLY BIKER CHICKS to the rescue! - Day 4 - Newport to Florence













With another good ride behind us, we are playing in the cute town of Florence. In a lot ways, it resembles Newport, with bridge on the way out of town and all those shops down below the bridge on the north side, but Florence is more decorative with better restaurants. It is not the fishing community Newport is, so its not stinky or dirty like that.

We started out today with breakfast-a-La Quinta, strong and fast and stayed that way until Haceta head at least 40 miles up the road. We dipped into every wayside viewpoint for pictures or just to have a look. That's how we came upon Justin and his breakfast-cooking female, from Estacada, this morning at a beautiful viewpoint. What a splendid place for breakfast! He took our picture there and we were on our way after Bonnie checked either the breakfast or the girl; I wasn't sure which. ;)

We've met a couple groups of people going on the same kind of trip, with various start and end points, and they resurface from time to time along the route. When they pass us long after we're settled somewhere I must say we get a little smug about it ... But they are past us now, so we'll return the favor and come up from behind while they are playing or eating I suppose.

We went through the ever-so-cute towns of Waldport and Yahats too early for lunch so we kept on traveling. Hitting a beach for a while sounded good, but we didn't really want sand on our bikes so we passed on several options, settling for the view. We ducked into several viewpoints including Seal Rocks State Park and Haceta Head, going up it seemed, much more than down. We took in the sights at Haceta Cape and Cape Perpetua - really nice. It was almost noon FOREVER and I was ready to stop. Bonnie was ahead and I felt like a kid in the back of the station wagon when I felt like calling out "are we there yet". Luckily for me, Bonnie was ready to stop as well. We eyed the down-sloping entrance to Haceta Beach suspiciously, knowing we would pay for our departure on the way back up. Bonnie inquired to some motorcycle guys at the entrance, who as it turns out, were pondering a trip down there as carefully as if they were pedaling, I thought. I mean they had a gas tank after all. As they turn to go downhill, one of those guys tipped over his great big Harley entrapping his left leg at an odd angle. His buddy was on uneven ground as well and was unable to assist as he had his own bike to steady. But ... NEVER FEAR! STUDLY BIKER CHICKS ARE HERE! Bonnie first, then me, lifted it, much to his embarrassment, LOL! They were yet another group from Canada, and took our pictures a little later for their own memoirs and we chatted a bit, aye.
Resting and enjoying the sun there, we walked up to the Haceta Head Lighthouse, refueled with fruit snacks (which we now call LIFESAVERS because they're such a great re-energizer), and headed out and straight up, but the rest was well worth it.
Soon we were at the sights hinted of Florence and we rode through, looking for a bike shop for a few small repairs. We passed rode into Bicycles 101; a joint bicycle/guitar shop. I bought a jersey next to a woman purchasing drumsticks, while another searched through sheet music and helmets nestled next to one another. Bicycles and guitars were found alternatingly throughout the store. Oddly, it seemed to work as there were plenty of shoppers for an early Monday afternoon, I thought.
Our place in Florence was just passed the bridge again, as it was Newport, and we were ready to settle in and walk to town for dinner.

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