Having crossed the Appalachian Mountain Range, the Snowy Mountain Range, The Rocky Mountain Range, and The Cascade Mountain Range, the Coastal Mountain Range was a piece of cake. However the Coastal Mountain Range yielded one of the biggest rewards we have received on this trip so far, and that is the Pacific Ocean.

So excited to be here!

It has been a dream riding South along the Pacific Coastline toward San Francisco. The rainy weather that most people complain about stayed at bay for a good portion of the time. Of our days spent on the Coast, only two were really effected by rain which in this region is unheard of!

There are beautiful vistas around every turn on highway 101 through Oregon and California, and Highway 1 in California. Though we did come to dread the sign “Scenic Vista Ahead” because it usually meant climbing another hill. For some reason, you cannot have a scenic over-look without a hill. Go figure!

The Coast was some of the hilliest riding we have done yet. Not to say it was not enjoyable, just challenging. With those hills came the reward of a screaming decent through fresh ocean air, while enjoying a glance down the coastline, followed by the slow trudge up the next hill which built anticipation for the next “Scenic Vista”.

One observation Kate and I made early on is that we’ve never really seen the sun set over the ocean before. Hailing from the East Coast, the only time we would see the sun on the horizon was at dawn. Now we cannot get enough of sunsets over the ocean. The vast Pacific, cutting its laser level line across the horizon, produces dramatic sunsets that would make the coldest of hearts stand still in awe and wonder.

A frequent warning as we rode down the Coast. We like to live life in the danger zone.

As often as it was sunny, it was foggy. Sometimes we got a little rain, but for the most part the riding was very enjoyable.

Saw Face Rock off the coast of Oregon. The water is freezing! Only a couple of seconds and you are numb to the bone.

Seagulls over the water. When we started to see seagulls while riding over the Coastal Mountain Range, we knew we were close.

Seagulls weren't the only birds we saw cruising the waves. Pelicans are a common sight out here. We've seen them gliding in formation up the curls of countless looming waves.

Sunsets over the Pacific are breathtaking. This picture is from Patrick's Point State Park in California.

A dog left his print on the beach.

We have had a lot of fun with the sunsets.

Relentlessly crashing on rocks or gently rolling on soft sandy beaches, the Pacific Ocean never takes a break.

Right place at the right time. I have no idea who this person is, but I have to thank her for making this photo one of my favorites. This was at Gold Beach, OR.

This is Buffy, the Australian, one of the many great people we have met along the coast.

One of our stops was at Valley Flora Farm in Langlois, OR. Thanks to Zoe, Danny, and Cleo for showing us around the farm and Langlois. We had a great rest day in the rain with them.

The Sea Lion Caves are the largest sea caves in the world. All the sea lions were outside, but the caves were still really cool.

Wonderful colors on the beach.

A bright spot in one of our rainy days, we realized that the road we were on was dedicated to our armed forces.

Swinging in off of the coastline, Kate and I rode through some seriously tall redwood trees.

Spent some time on Avenue of the Giants through Humboldt State Park.

With all the redwood trees comes a lot of roadside redwood art. Bears, Eagles, and Big Foot all waved hello as we rode along.

We said we were looking for a place to live. How about under the trunk of a tree?

Paul Bunyan and his trusty blue ox Babe.

Riding the Coast has been life-changing.

We made it safe and sound to San Francisco.

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Trip Update:

Kate and I had a slightly unfortunate change of plans. Kate came down with a somewhat serious stomach bug and we had to call in the cavalry.  Our dear friend Kevin drove up to Fort Bragg where we were held up in a motel to rescue us. We were less than 200 miles from San Francisco. But when the body says stop, you stop.

Kate is back to 100% health now and we’re planning on making up those miles in the weeks to come. We missed a lot having not ridden through Petaluma, Napa, and Sonoma. That, and I really hate that we had to get into a car.

San Francisco is a wonderful city. We have been doing some exploring already. There are farmers’ markets everyday of the week if you know where to look. Local food is a lifestyle here, not a novelty. That being said, I have been stuffing my face like a madman trying to make up a little of the weight I lost before family comes to visit. I am dreading the inevitable, “You’re too thin. You haven’t been eating enough.”

It has been great to spend time with Kevin, rest up, and gain some insider knowledge on the cycling areas we missed. With fresh legs, no stomach virus, and a good game plan, we are looking forward to cycling around California wine country.