Bridges of Lincoln County

Early morning snack at the Rockfish Cafe for coffee, tea, cinnamon bun and a scone got us on the road by 9:15 heading south on Highway 101, also known as the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway. It has incredible views of the coast, unfortunately more traffic. But we were OK in the paved shoulder alongside as trucks, buses (some of them huge RVs pulling SUVs) and cars whooshed by a few feet away.

Our first stop was for breakfast in Depoe Bay, a little spot with a small boat harbour and a memorable cafe called the Spouting Horn, for the hole in the rocks on the ocean side of the highway where pounding waves throw up a plume of spray. But it wasn't open yet -- goodbye thoughts of having the blackberry pie that Norm remembers from the first time through here some 50 years ago -- so we picked Gracie's Sea Hag down the street and had a delicious breakfast. Norm had Shrimp Neptune and I asked for porridge and the waitress said they only had oatmeal. Oops. 

                 

Note here we are with our new bikes toasting with our Oak Bay Bike water bottles. Now it wouldn't be the Oregon Coast if there wasn't a bit of fog. You can see in Depoe Bay the low clouds. The coastal bike route sends you off to the old highway away from traffic. We took the Otter Crest Loop and got to travel right along the edge. It took us right to Cape Foulweather, named by Capt. Vancouver on his way by a couple of centuries back. The winds can hit 100 mph here routinely in winter storms, the sign said.

This is the Ben Jones bridge, named for an early settled who had campaigned for better roads in the area -- they used to drive wagons on the sandy beaches between coastal towns, if you can believe it, before a coastal highway was finally completed in the 1930s.

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At Newport we stopped at the Newport bike shop. What a great bunch of guys there. I splurged and bought a front carrier that hangs off the handlebars. Now I can store food, sunglasses, money etc when I don't have any pockets. Elliott, the store owner, talked up Newport as a much better place to visit, as a real town with people living and working there, as opposed to Lincoln City with its rows and rows of beachside condos that are often dark at night, and its giant casino. Yeah, and they're not very bike-friendly. So we invited Elliott to stay with us next time he is biking by Metchosin. He's been up our way once before, biking the Galloping Goose to Sooke (he called it Sook) and what a great time he had skinnydipping in the tea pots (pot holes). Got to love it! His comments and a short bike ride to a neighbourhood cafe in the Nye Beach neighbourhood convinced us -- next time, skip Ljncoln City and head for Newport. With Elliot's directions we headed out of town and over the Newport bridge and walked it as he suggested. It's a lovely Art Deco structure built by the state in 1937. It was so windy up there and such a long span, we were glad we walked.

Norm insisted we stop part way along for a photo op! Almost blew us away.

It is almost 3 pm and we need some lunch. We found a great beach side picnic spot for an international lunch of  Genoa salami, British Cheddar cheese, Greek yogurt and organic mini carrots, and Safeway buns. 

Next stop was Waldport and another bridge, Alsea Bay Bridge. Stopped for an apple break and then on to the Dublin House Motel in Yachats. It is pronounced ya-hot and comes from the Siletz language meaning "dark water at the foot of the mountain". The things you learn when traveling. 

It was 5:30 when we arrived. Total distance covered about 52 miles, 82 km on my odometer. Felt good to stop. We showered then toured the town. It is actually quite nice. In a car we would just zoom by. There isn't a lot here but it has character. Well done Yachats!