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Wednesday July 23, 2014. Day 17

Klamath to Trinidad (66km)

At the Requa Inn, for dinner last night and for breakfast, we were seated with other guests. We had interesting and engaging conversations with a retired city planner and teacher from New Hampshire, an architect and kindergarden teacher from LA (that we may look up later) and a teacher and federal prosecutor from Vermont. They, and many others, wished us well on our ride. Today, we needed the encouragement,  as the hills were hard!

John Steinbeck wrote

The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It’s not only their unbelievable stature, nor the color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no, they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time.

We agree. We spent most of the day cycling through groves of these magnificent trees. Often the road narrowed and the shoulder disappeared, as trees were “in the way”.

After some serious hills in the morning, we were expecting an easier ride in the afternoon from the description in the book. But the route, which was on the busy 101, remained very hilly. With relief, we pulled into the Trinidad Inn, a motel on the outskirts of Trinidad. The proprietor of the motel offered us a lift to the Larrupin Cafe.  This turned out to be a culinary experience! The appetizer plate included local peach, apple and a Monterey Jack cheese from Crescent City like no other that we have ever eaten. A wonderful chandelier hanging over the stairs was by Dale Chihuly.

We are on the traditional territory of the Yurok People. However, we are close to the Trinidad Rancheria where other First Nations people live. It was established in 1906 by enactment of the United States Congress which gave authority for the Federal Government to purchase small tracts of land for “homeless California Indians”.

Tuesday July 22, 2014. Day 16

Brookings to Klamath (74km)

Soon after we left Brookings we passed a State Penitentiary and were disquieted to hear the guards doing target practice. Then we cycled into California. The border was marked by an agriculture inspection station, but we were waved on our way.

The easy morning’s ride along side roads took us through Smith River, “The Easter Lily Capital of the World”. In large fields of plants we did see a few blooms. Presumably, they sell all year round. A photo in the Good Harvest Cafe, in Crescent a City, indicated damage to the city’s port by the tsunami in 2011.

Our training of the last two weeks helped in the afternoon ride. Soon after Crescent City, we began to climb in mist for about an hour to an elevation of 358 metres, entering Redwood National and State Parks. (Our cross-Canada tour also helped us cope with the heavy traffic and narrow shoulders.)

This was our first experience of the mighty redwoods and they are impressive! It was cloudy and chilly  on the descent and we had to change back into warmer jackets. Back at sea level, we made our way to the historic Requa Inn B&B

We are on the traditional territory of the Yurok People.  It appears that the people were not moved from their land We find that the Historic Requa Inn where we are staying, is owned by a Yurok mother and daughter.



Monday July 21, 2014. Day 15

It serves us right for taking the north wind for granted! We awoke to grey skies, a cool 11C and light winds from the south. The forecast was for rain, although it stayed dry. After cycling in t-shirts almost since the beginning, we wore 3 layers today and were only warm when climbing. We had divided the ride to Brookings to allow for sea-gazing and beach time, but the sunbathing, at least, will have to wait, for now. Fortunately, our Best Western hotel room looks directly out onto the Pacific.

Brookings is a fishing port, the infrastructure of which was severely damaged by the tsumani after the Japanese earthquake in 2011.

We are now only about 10 km from the California border. We have cycled 1,046 km,  more than 1/3 of the way. From tomorrow, we will be leaving the coast periodically to cycle through ancient redwood forests. The hills, alas, will continue until well into California!

Brookings is situated at the mouth of the Chetco River. We are on the traditional territory of the Chetco People, another of the groups that were forcible relocated to the Siltz Reservation. An interesting but tragic account of the people’s history can be found here. In this article dated March 2001, it appears that children of Aboriginal ancestry could learn about their culture in high school.

Cape Sebastian
Cape Sebastian

Sunday July 20, 2014. Day 14

Port Orford to Gold Beach (49km)

The north-westerly wind blows fiercely in Port Orford and has a chill in it. The proprietor of our hotel told us that the sea temperature never changes here, so the wind coming off the sea is always cold. At Siren’s this morning, discussing the joys of cycling with this wind behind us, a fellow customer  told us he once received a speeding ticket while riding a bicycle. He worked as a ranger at Mt Ranier. While it took him 5hrs to get to work,  it only took 45mins to get home. He was going at 35mph in a 25mph zone.

Before leaving Siren’s, we caught up with Chris and Shinyoung via FaceTime.

The Grey Whales were still feeding in the kelp beds near shore as we left and we stopped frequently along the road to watch for spouting. Eventually leaving the whales behind,  we continued to enjoy views from the cliffs on the 101. At a lookout, we met up again with Marie, who lives near Sherbrooke and is cycling to San Francisco. We enjoyed a long chat about cycle touring and her time teaching in the Yukon.

Gold Beach is at the mouth of the Rogue River and we are on the traditional territory of the Tutuni people. According to Wikipedia “After the Rogue River Wars in 1856, bands of the Rogue River were split between the Confederated Tribes of Siletz and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, relocating to either the Siletz Indian Reservation north of the tribe’s traditional lands or to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation. Some of the tribal members were never captured and were forced to wander.”

Nesika Beach
Nesika Beach

 

Saturday July 19, 2014. Day Off

Our day was dominated by the seascape including the magnificent stacks. We even took our fish and chips from the Crazy Norwegian’s  down to the beach. On a long walk along the sands,  we saw Grey Whales spouting not far from the shore. We continued to spy them into the evening from our motel overlooking the port and while walking back and forth to Griff’s (Lois couldn’t resist the Cioppino again).  Happily, our route will hug the coast for the next few days, so we don’t need to feel too sad about moving on. We were delighted to have FaceTime today with Maritia, Steve, Jade and Rhys  and to follow  along with the munchkins on their bike ride down the block.

As our previous posts have noted,  the indigenous peoples of much of the central and south Oregon coast were removed to a reservation on the Siletz River. It was not until today, when reading a plaque outside the visitors centre here, that we realized how brutal the displacements were.

Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Battle Rock Beach, Port Orford
Battle Rock Beach, Port Orford

Friday July 18, 2014. Day 13

North Bend to Port Orford (97km)

The Mill Casino Hotel, which we chose partly because it’s owned by the Coquille Tribe, was saved by its stunning setting on Coos Bay and the discovery that we didn’t have to go through the smokey casino to get to the  family restaurant and non- smoking bar. The espresso machine was broken, though, so we pedalled off after breakfast to the Espresso Mill and Bakery, which was really a drive- through espresso hut, but with a bar and a few stools inside. Paul asked the server what percentage of coffee beverages  they sold were sweetened. The response was the great majority. The most popular flavour is Milky Way and Snickers , which is made with a shot of each of these syrups, a shot of espresso and steamed chocolate milk!

The ride was mostly through forest today, with very steep climbs, including along the Seven Devils Road. While stopped for a break, we met a woman of our age who was cycling the same route on a road bike. She and her husband park their RV and every other day she goes for a long ride and he follows in the car that they tow behind their behemoth. She asked if we knew about the Malaysian Airlines disaster. Four more cyclists then appeared whom we had seen the day before. All had started seperately but were now riding together. One was from the UK and started in Vancouver and two others started in Seattle, one had flown in from Boston. There are many cyclists on the road and most we have talked to are going to San Francisco; a few to LA.

The scenery on the coast after Bandon was breathtaking, even after the dunes.

We are on the traditional territory of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Peoples.

Bandon
Bandon

Griff's Restaurant, Port Orford
Griff’s Restaurant, Port Orford

Thursday July 17, 2014. Day 12

Florence to North Bend (81km)

 The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area stretches 80km  along almost all our route for today. We sat and gazed at the sight for as long and often as we could.

We seemed destined to have to peddle over high, windy, busy, shoulderless bridges. The Coos Bay Bridge at the end of today was one such scary example.

Wildlife notes: Great Egret, Coos Bay.

We are on the traditional territory of the Coquille People and are staying in the Mill Hotel which s owned by the Tribe. 

“The Coquille Indian Tribe was terminated in 1954. On June 28, 1989, the Coquilles regained their status as a federally recognized Indian tribe. After 35 years of “termination” and federal policy that denied their status as Indian people, Public Law 101-42 restored the Coquilles eligibility to participate in federal Indian programs and to receive federal funds for tribal education, health, and law enforcement programs. The Coquille Restoration Act recognizes the sovereignty of the tribe and its authority as tribal government to manage and administer political and legal jurisdiction over its lands, businesses, and community members. Its members are descended from people who inhabited the watersheds of the Coquille River system, a small portion of Coos Bay at the South Slough, and areas north and south of the Coquille River mouth where it enters the ocean at present day Bandon. Coquille ancestral territory encompassed more than 700,000 acres, ceded to the US Government. Coquille headmen signed the treaties in 1851 and 1855. Because neither treaty was ever ratified by Congress, those Coquille people and their descendants were denied a permanent homeland until the modern Coquille Tribe negotiated several land purchases, which constitute today’s 6,400 acre tribal land base.”

Siuslaw River Bridge. Designed by Conde McCullough and built in 1936.
Siuslaw River Bridge. Designed by Conde McCullough and built in 1936.
Oregon Dunes Lookout
Oregon Dunes Lookout

Wednesday July 16, 2014. Day 11

Yachats to Florence (50km)

The Drift Inn Restaurant last night and the Green Salmon, for espresso and breakfast this morning, were as good as we remembered from our visits there with Maritia, Steve and Jade, who were vacationing in Yachats, in October 2011. At breakfast, we chatted with a young man, Evan, who cycles, works in the bike shop in Newport and is a classical double bassist.

It was fun to revisit some familiar sites, as we made our way south, although  low tide was not a good time to view Devil’s Churn and the Spouting Horn at Cook’s Chasm. A low mist hugged the coast all morning, requiring us to put on our front lights as we negotiated the narrow or non-existent shoulder on the winding hilly 101.

We caught our first close look at the Oregon dunes when we cycled into the Siuslaw National Forest, Sutton campground, for lunch.

Wildlife notes: 20+ sea lions basking on the rocks.

We remain on the traditional territory of the peoples of the The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw. 

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Yachats
Yachats
Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua

Tuesday July 15, 2014. Day 10

Lincoln City to Yachats (78km)

The pictures in the gallery tell all – the spectacular Oregon coast, and we haven’t reached the dunes yet!

Wild life notes: Grey Whale: spouting, breaching and showing it’s tail fluke – Depoe Bay

Oma Beach
Oma Beach
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Newport Bridge
Newport Bridge

We are on the traditional territory of the The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. From their website: “For over 150 years, we have been feeling the sting of the forcible and unjust taking of our Ancestral Homeland. For over 150 years, we have been waiting for justice. In the 1920’s and 1930’s, we took our case all the way to the Supreme Court, but to no avail, the courts saying that our Ancestors’ testimony about their own homeland was hearsay and self-interested. We have been working for a legislative remedy since our federal recognition was restored in 1984. To this day, we have not been financially compensated for the loss of our land, and we have not regained a significant acreage of federal forest land. Our Ancestral Territory remains the only part of the Oregon coast for which judgment has not been paid through the US Court of Claims or the Indian Claims Commission.”

Monday July 14, 2014. Day 9

Tillamook to Lincoln City (89km)

… cru­cially, a re­luc­tance by driv­ers to re­al­ize that the world is chang­ing, and cy­clists are not some in­va­sive species akin to pur­ple looses­trife or ze­bra mus­sels, but fel­low com­muters who have ev­ery right to be on the road. (Elizabeth Renzetti, Globe and Mail July 12, 2014)

Cyclists that we have met (and spoken with) on the road: a young couple from Montreal , travelling from Vancouver to San Francisco; a young man towing a surf board and fishing rod, looking for waves from Seattle to Southern California; a rider from Utah who had started in Portland; and today, two young women from Michigan, who had started in Tillamook and were on their way to Los Angeles. We had pie together in the Otis Cafe.

We travelled through the farm land with the cows that give the milk for Tillamook cheese and ice cream. The bike route took us again (occasionally) to the long sandy beaches of the Oregon seashore. Before Lincoln City, the road was a long hot climb (Lois was grumpy) through old growth forest (this made Lois happy), followed by an 8km descent to Otis (nice, except that we were on the old 101 at this point so had to be careful of the potholes – it was the longest descent we have done). The clouds, which move inland over night and usually burn off around noon, persisted. We didn’t see blue skies until Lincoln City.

The Tilamook People together with many others were moved to a reservation at Siletz, that was subsequently greatly reduced in size. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians encompass all of these people, including those whose traditional territory is now Lincoln City.

Cape Kiwanda
Cape Kiwanda

 

Pacific City
Pacific City
Siletz Bay
Siletz Bay

Sunday July 13, 2014. Day 8

Wheeler to Tillamook (37km)

It was a cool rainy day and we found refuge in the Tillamook Cheese Factory and the Blue Heron Cheese Company rather than the beaches.

Old Wheeler Hotel - 2014
Old Wheeler Hotel – 2014
Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach

We remain on the traditional territory of the Tillamook People. Their’s is a sad story.

Saturday July 12, 2014. Day 7

Astoria to Wheeler (77km)

With thanks to Lorraine and Ernest Hemingway.

 

The Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe is named after the first “safety bicycles”, those with two wheels. We left on our four wheels after coffee and carrying pastries and sandwiches. Spence, the driver of the Chevy Biscayne, told us that he had ordered a rhubarb and strawberry pie from the bakery, for his (third) wife’s birthday today. He also told us that his two other wives were also Cancers! He was delightful to talk to; we learned that he is a avid runner and takes part in a 10K race each year that starts on the Washington side of the bridge and ends with competitors climbing up the steep part that we had to negotiate on Thursday. We sympathized.
We reached Seaside to find a huge sandy beach thronged with people. Lewis and Clark overlook the sands as it was the end of their trail in 1805. One steep hill, and descent, found us in Cannon Beach, another long stretch of sand bordering a thriving resort town. Although the next two hills were again very steep and included one scary tunnel, we were rewarded by a fabulous view to the south along the coast. We are staying at Wheeler for the night.

Wildlife Notes: Peregrine Falcons

We are staying on the traditional territory of the Tillamook People. Their’s is a sad story.

 

Friday July 11, 2014. Lois’ Birthday!

Lois woke up an offical OAP this morning! She is feeling slightly affronted by the attainment of this grand age, but appreciates that this represents many years of a most wonderful life, which, among other things, has produced 2 amazing childen, 2 amazing children-in-law, 2 amazing grand-children (so far!) and the great good fortune to still be rolling along beside (or, slightly behind) the love of her life!

It also means a day off in a posh hotel in Astoria, lots of pampering, flowers and chocolates – thank you, all!

Astoria is named after a merchant form the late 18th C. We think that there is a connection to the English Astor family which Liz, Paul’s sister, will appreciate. Lady Astor was one of the first woman English MPs and represented a riding in Plymouth in Devon, where Paul’s parents grew up.

The city has a vibrant downtown with interesting shops, many coffee places and brew pubs as well as some lovely buildings of architectural note. As we wandered the shops we chatted with a number of people, including a lady working in FinnWare, a hive of Scandinavian goods. She was saying that when she was young everyone used to go down to the beach to fish, but she was not allowed to fish from the shore, presumably because it was dangerous. Apparently there was a small hole in the floor of the boiler room in the cannery (now our hotel), which she said was too small to fall through but big enough for a fishing hole. Less dangerous, except to the ears, perhaps.

We stopped for “elevenses” (that’s what they advertised!) (i.e.,espresso and latte) at the Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe and then for lunch at the Wet Dog Cafe, sitting outside looking out on the river. An old trolley runs along the waterfront and we boarded for a short trip back to the hotel. It was long enough, however, given the running,  less than politically correct, commentary!

Tonight we are being treated to dinner at the Fort George Brewery Restaurant by Maritia, Steve, J & R.

Thursday July 10, 2014. Day 6

South Bend to Astoria (78km)

Before breakfast, we cycled up the steep street bedside our motel to view the Pacific County courthouse, an imposing 1910 building overlooking the town, described as an “excellent example of Second Renaissance Revival” architecture. Back down through the town, then, to Chen’s, the only breakfast option in South Bend, a Chinese restaurant which offers American breakfasts. Paul always gets excited when there is oatmeal on the menu and the servings were enormous. Appropriately nourished, we pedalled off on the 101 towards Long Beach, but decided at the junction with the #4 to go through Naselle instead, partly because we were more likely to find lunch there, but also to avoid the westerly headwind as well as a tunnel on the 101. Unfortunately, it also meant missing the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge.

Apart from the constant hills, it was a good ride through pastureland and logging country. The 401 eventually brought us alongside the majestic Columbia River and a clear view of the daunting Astoria-Megler bridge. Lois has been obsessing about this bridge for weeks and we had discussed a possible alternate route, but in the end decided to go for it. The bridge, which spans the Columbia between Washington and Oregon, is 6.6 km long, with one lane of traffic in each direction and 2′ shoulders. Pedestrians are prohibited on the bridge, but not cyclists. Along with traffic and narrow shoulders, another challenge in crossing the bridge are the strong crosswinds, particularly at tide changes.  After procrastinating as long as possible (Lois), we  headed on.

Crossing seemed to take forever and for the most part was less scary than we had expected. However, at the far end, the bridge rises to about 60 meters above high tide. The bridge is being repainted causing one lane to be closed at the top. So, we not only had to climb but we also had to try and get past many waiting vehicles and the wind coming off the Pacific was much stronger at this height. The woman with the stop sign was not too happy that we had not got to the front of the line and in effect told us that the bridge was not built for bicycles. Lois needed to be restrained at this point! We were told to pedal as quickly as we could to get ahead of the traffic and down the steep winding off-ramp. We were a little giddy when we saw the “Welcome to Oregon” sign and agreed that we wouldn’t cross this bridge again!

Our hotel, The Cannery Pier, is a delightfully remodeled old salmon cannery close to the offending bridge. We rapidly became known in the lobby for having braved the crossing of the mighty Columbia River on bikes. Transportation to dinner was by the Hotel car, a vintage Chevrolet Biscayne.

We are on the traditional territory of the Chinookan Peoples (http://www.chinooktribe.org/index.html).

Pacific County Court House, South Bend WA.
Pacific County Court House, South Bend WA.


Wednesday July 9, 2015. Day 5

 Westport to South Bend (67km)

After a breakfast to die for (homemade granola, thick yoghurt and fresh berries; herb and goat cheese omelettes with a side of hashbrowns and peppers and homemade salsa; a toasted English muffin with homemade jam and their own coffee blend, freshly roasted and ground), we were treated to a sample of Rich and Tracy’s homemade granola (and recipe) to take with us (oh, and did we mention the bottled water on arrival, the robes and the chocolates in the room..)

Today’s ride was mercifully short and relaxed. We got our first real sight of the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean. Although we will be following the coast for most of the way south, we will not grow tired of the experience! We eventually headed east for a time along the estuary of the Wallipa River to Raymond, where we had lunch in a diner complete with 50’s memorabilia and music. (We later learned that Maritia and Steve, Jade and Rhys stopped here a couple of years ago and Jade saw a sculpture of Elvis “Leslie”) It was a short ride along the river to South Bend, the “oyster capital of the world”. We had dinner in Chester Club and Oyster Bar, which included a fried oyster burger.

We are on the traditional territory of the Shoalwater Bay People. On their website we found the following, “Today the people of the Shoalwater Bay no longer freely roam the Chehalis and Columbia Rivers. Our territory has shrunk to the present day reservation and a handful of nearby properties purchased by the tribe. Our people still have deep connection to our ancestral homelands however and many of our tribal members are living within those ancestral lands from Ilwaco to Aberdeen and everywhere in between”. Unfortunately the shop on the reserve (1 sqr mile in size) was out of bannock. We learned that the building was that of the father of the present owner and the walls had many old photographs of his ancestors.


Tuesday July 8, 2014. Day 4

 

Potlatch to Westport (128km)

 We prepared oatmeal and had our homemade granola (in our camping bowls – the room had a kitchen, but no dishes!) for breakfast. Back on our bikes, we left the Hood Canal and made our way south along the 101, stopping in Shelton for coffee at Steph’s Espresso. If it had not had Yelp’s best reviews we would have probably ignored it. The hut looked battered, but the coffee was very good and Steph was enthusiastic about out trip!

Further on we stopped at the visitor centre for the Squaxin Island People. There is no one left living on the reservation, but they have purchased (back) land where they have built a casino and hotel. The husband of the young woman at the centre was off in a group paddling a traditional freighter style wood canoe up to a canoe gathering this month in Bella Bella. Our route then took us across country and up one very steep hill, to McCleary. The freeway (Hwy 12) had a wide shoulder but was uninteresting and hot and we met the on-shore winds. At Aberdeen we resorted to Starbucks for hot and iced tea. Surprisingly refreshed (!), we were encouraged to find the 105, which followed the south side of Grays Harbour, mostly flat for about 10 km, particularly as we were now battling a gusty westerly wind. But, as we have come to know, one can never hope for an easy end to a hard day – the hills reappeared, the winds continued and we crawled into Westport after 12 hours on the road.

Happily, the Westport Bayside B&B was true to its reviews, a delightful spot with charming owners. Rich drove us to a local restaurant by the harbour for local shrimp, scallops, crab and salmon. Rich and Tracy moved here 2 years ago from Arizona and bought the house and the already established B&B. Because visitors are few in the winter, both have other jobs. Tracy is a nurse and works at the local correctional centre. As she explained her main challenge is not the inmates, but the jaded staff.

We are on the traditional territory of the Chehalis People.



Monday July 7, 2014. Day 3

Port Hadlock to Potlatch (93 km)

We felt the effects this morning of a first full day back on the bikes (and distinct lack of training, at least for Lois – Paul has the endurance benefit of a recent 1/2 marathon) and the terrain and the heat also made for a tough day. The motel directed us to Farm’s Reach Cafe, which includes a bakery, serving organic breakfast items and good coffee. We chatted there with an older man who told us about a cycle trip he did many years ago from Quebec to Vancouver with his wife and 2 children. He said he had clearance to visit the Chalk River facility, and is still on a nuclear safety commission in the US. Purchasing wild salmon croissants for lunch, we headed off on the Center Road to Quilcene, across the north eastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, passing fields of barley, peas and other crops, fruit orchards and pasture.

As with the entire day, the road was rolling hills, with very few flat stretches. We enjoyed a very long descent into Quilcene, but were aware that that generally means an equally long descent to follow (it did). We found another drive-through espresso hut in Quilcene and sat in the shade for awhile before tackling the next stretch, along Hwy 101. That road took us through the Olympic National Forest, along Dabob Bay and the Hood Canal (as in “channel” – actually a fiord forming the western lobe and one of the 4 main basins of Puget Sound). While we were quite close to the water, mixed forest and houses often impeded the views, but when we occasionally dropped down to the beach, we had gorgeous views of the canal and peninsula beyond.

We stopped in Seal Rock State Park to eat our sandwiches. Hwy 101 had a narrow but good hard shoulder but was a continuous series of slow hot climbs and brief descents. For a break, we stopped at the Hama Hama Oyster Company. The outdoor patio was surrounded by huge baskets of oyster shells. Oysters are harvested in the Hood Canal and sold grilled. We left with just two crab cakes and a bottle of local bitter for supper,  but were tempted to stay and try the other seafood. After stopping in Hoodsport for more supper supplies we finally arrived at Potlatch and our motel overlooking the Canal.

After today, we are not looking forward to a 120 km ride tomorrow.

We are staying on the traditional territory of the Skokomish People. Their history since 1900, has been marked by land being taken away and decisions of others that have greatly limited their cultural practices.


 

Sunday July 6, 2014. Day 2

 Anacortes to Port Hadlock (69km)

We were pleased to find excellent espresso in the lobby of the Ship Harbour Inn, which delayed our departure and gave us time to launch our blog.

In choosing this route south, we were looking forward to exploring Washington’s coastal islands and we are not disappointed. The scenery is spectacular! And as for the hills, well, this is the mountainous pacific coast after all! We are also interested to see the history and the preserved 19th c buildings (we have it on good authority that great shopping is to be found in these lovely Victorian towns, but unfortunately (says Lois), cycle touring leaves little time or room for shopping!)

We cycled down Hidalgo Island, crossing to Whidbey Island across the bridge at Deception Pass. Half way to Oak Harbour, we stopped for a second (decent) coffee at a drive-through espresso hut, a phenomenon that we noticed in several towns along the route.

At Oak Harbour, we went into the “historic downtown” to look for a cafe, but found the centre more old looking, than historic, and most places closed on Sunday. So, we sat on the curb and ate our standby oatcakes, cheese and apples. The afternoon ride was along the water, with a stop in the delightful town of Coupeville, for huckleberry ice cream and a vanilla milkshake (and a very quick look in a few shops by Lois). From there, it was straight to the ferry to Port Townsend, where we happened to arrive just as the ferry was about to depart. Port Townsend appears to be an attractive and once-bustling port, but weariness caused us to pedal on to Port Hadlock for the night.

We are staying on the traditional territory of the Klallum People.

 


Saturday July 5, 2014. Day 1

Vancouver to Anacortes, WA

We cycled 8kms!

We arranged to meet Maritia, Steve, Jade and Rhys at Terra Breads Cafe for a breakfast send-off. Chris and Shinyoung also joined in virtually while driving in the centre of Paris! After admiring J & R demonstrating their prowess on their new scooters, and Rhys on his bike, we said our goodbyes and headed for Olympic Village skytrain station. We are following Bicycling the Pacific Coast which takes us through the Gulf and San Juan Islands. We decided we didn’t need to cycle to Tsawwassen, so happily rode the skytrain and bus to the ferry terminal, just making the 12:00 boat. At Sidney, a few minutes along the Lochside Trail, we turned off to visit old friends, Kate and David, for a cup of tea. We caught the 5:50 ferry nearby to Anacortes, via Friday Harbour. Possible seals and numerous bald eagles were spotted, but no whales. Lois had kayaked from Sidney a number of years ago and was looking out for familiar landmarks. It was 8:30 by the time we arrived in Annacortes, Washington, to a brisk cool wind and a light rain. We passed through immigration and pedalled up the hill to the Ship Harbour Inn.

We are on the traditional territory of the Samish Indian Nation

 


Saturday September 7, 2013. Final Post

Canada is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-boggling big it is. 

Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (as modified)

Had it not been for the lure of sleeping in our own beds and the excitement of seeing our grandchildren, we might have spent a few more days in St. John’s, if only because it is such a charming and delightful place. Perched on the rocks overlooking St. John’s harbour, the city appears to be a smaller version of a northern San Francisco, with its steep streets and brightly-painted wooden houses. St. John’s has experienced a few great fires, the last being in 1892, which destroyed much of the city. As a result, the old city streets are lined with 3-story houses rebuilt in attractive Second Empire style. From our hotel room, we had a spectacular view of Signal Hill and the Harbour.

With some relief and, yes, a tinge of sadness, we left our bikes at Canary Cycles to be boxed and shipped to us c/o West Point Cycles in Vancouver, courtesy of Purolator. There, we ran into fellow cyclists, Jesse and Jackie, a young couple we had met waiting for the ferry at North Sydney. Flying from Montreal, they had begun their cross-continent trip in San Diego, cycling up the west coast to Vancouver, along Vancouver Island, taking the ferry to Prince Rupert, and then making their way across the country to St. John’s. We exchanged stories later over drinks and dinner at the YellowBelly pub. We were also on the same walking tour of St. John’s the next day, led by a flamboyant Mr. Doyle, who took us through the backstreets of the city, past Garrison Church, Lieutenant Governer’s House and the disused Confederation Building, occasionally stopping to recite amusing excerpts of speeches or newspaper articles relating to Newfoundland’s colourful past.

A walk up Signal Hill gave us wonderful views of the Atlantic Ocean as the ever changeable weather cleared to blue skies and sunshine. It was instructive to learn more about Marconi’s first transatlantic radio transmission, especially given that, at the time, no one knew why it worked. The Art Gallery housed in “The Room” was showing a 50-year retrospective of Mary Pratt’s work and we were also pleased to be able to see more paintings by Christopher Pratt and by their teacher, Alex Colville. Yesterday ended listening to a local band playing Irish, as well as more contemporary, music in O’Reilly’s Pub.

We started our long flights home with a good view of the Avalon Peninsula and what appeared to be the TCH. Flying across the country, it was funny to think that we had really cycled the entire way! Maritia and Jade met us at the airport in Vancouver, with a big sign welcoming us back. It’s great to be home!

In wrapping up  this trip blog, we would like again to thank all of our family and friends for your support on the way; those who commented on the blog and added humour to our days, those friends who welcomed us with such wonderful hospitality, to Marius and Helen for wanting to join their uncle and aunt in this adventure and providing great company through Quebec, to Maritia who arranged for flowers, chocolates and a balloon to be delivered to our hotel room in St. John’s, and, finally, to our fellow cyclists whom we encountered on the road, for sharing your experiences, your friendship and love of cycling across this incredible land.

It was a blast!

p.s. Some things we learned (or which were confirmed) over the past 3 1/2 months on the road:

– we can cycle for 8 hours (or more), day after day, indefinitely, with a good night’s sleep and sufficient food;
– we can feel really tired at the end of a day and wake up looking forward to getting back on our bikes;
– we did not experience any cumulative physical fatigue, rather the daily exercise was itself invigorating (one of our more surprising observations);
– the strain of the traffic and poor road conditions can be as tiring as the physical demands;
– with enough “cushion” time built in, we can deal with (almost) anything that nature and the roads bring on;
– making minute changes to height and tilt of handlebars and/or saddle can result in significant relief of discomfort caused by maintaining cycling positions over many hours (thanks to Chris, the bike shop owner in Jasper, for that piece of advice);
– we like cycle touring and plan to do more (also a surprise);
– Canadians are as friendly and “nice” as our reputation suggests (and were invariably supportive of our venture);
– Canada is huge (but not too big to cycle across);
– the history of wrongs inflicted on Canada’s indigenous communities is shockingly common right across the country;
– small Canadian towns are selling their souls to the big box stores;
– music is essential in handling the boredom or stress of certain stretches of highway;
– life without good espresso is less fun;
– the spinoffs  (no pun intended) of such an expedition are about more than the physical.

Best clothes:
Goretex jackets (Arcteryx and Rab) and helmet covers; Gore cycle jackets, Ice Breaker clothes (apart from cycle shorts – Gore and Suogi are more comfortable);

Best bike accessories:
Mirror – essential
Rear lights (flashing – were noticed by drivers many times)
Ortlieb waterproof panniers;

Best extras:
Belkin power bar with USB plug-ins (for iPhones, iPads, iPods and rechargeable lights)

Repairs/ replacements (we needed very few due to expert advice on bikes and equipment from West Point Cycles):
Four new  tires (Charlottetown)
Brake pads (Edmonton)
Chains (Ottawa)
7 flat tires

Wednesday September 4, 2013. Day 87

Whitbourne to St. John’s

As Isy has said, we have finally run out of road! After 7,340 km, we are at the end of our journey. We are tired and elated and can’t quite believe we have actually done this!

We arrived in St. John’s after 7 hours of some of the hardest cycling we’ve done so far. We fled the motel early and went next door to Robin’s Donuts for “breakfast”, then pedaled off on the #1 (TCH), continuing across the hilly Avalon Peninsula, under leaden skies and with winds gusting to 60 km/hr. After 30 km, the road turned south, the headwind was ferocious and it began to rain. We passed the sign to Cupids, the first English colony in Canada, founded in 1610. For the last third of the ride, we were heading northeast, so the wind was easier, although strong cross winds frequently threatened to blow us over. Turning on to the #2, we finally began a long and welcomed ascent towards our final destination.

We will spend the next couple of days sight-seeing, resting, organizing the shipment of our bikes back to Vancouver and generally reflecting on and celebrating what we have accomplished. We fly home on Saturday. We will do a post-script in a day or two. Thank you to all our family and friends for your constant support and encouragement, beds, meals, biscotti, Rice Krispie squares, granola bars, afternoon tea, flowers, etc. etc. It has meant a lot to both of us!

We remain on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People.


 

Tuesday September 3, 2013. Day 86


Argentia, NL to Whitbourne

We had a smooth and enjoyable 16.5 hr  sailing on board the  MV Atlantic Vision, with its many amenities, including an excellent restaurant and comfortable cabins. We did not take advantage of the casino or cinema (Skyfall), but did listen to some live music in the bar for a while, before retiring to watch the ocean through our porthole. Newfoundland was visible in the grey distance this morning for a long time before we saw the harbour at Argentia. Our bikes survived the journey, having been secured with a number of rubber straps that Paul had been salvaging for the purpose  from the side of the highways over the past several weeks. (Lois had not at first questioned the collection of these items, as this is the kind of thing Paul does from time to time!)

Just off the ferry, we stopped for photos at the “Welcome to Newfoundland and Labrador” sign, where we also said goodbye to Meghan, another cyclist also completing a cross-Canada tour. Thinking that an espresso would be nice before our day’s ride, we noticed a sign for Philip’s Cafe, in Placentia. Having just negotiated a very steep climb up from Argentia, this meant going down again to the next harbour (and back up), but it was well worth it. The roaring fire was not really necessary but there is definitely an autumnal chill in the air. Jim, from Florida, touring by motorcycle, with a friend on another motorcycle and another driving a Corvette, said we were his heroes and took a photo of us. Castle Hill, nearby, was the site of a French fort before the British took over the island in 1713. Our landing place, Argentia, was a US base during WWII and Churchill met Roosevelt aboard ship in Placentia Bay, in 1941, to finalize the Atlantic Charter.

We cycled north-east against a solid headwind, across the rugged “moorish”landscape, which looked bleak under the grey sky. We are staying in a rudimentary motel on the Trans Canada, where the water is running brown out of the taps, because of well contamination. Nothing, however, can damper our spirits tonight as we contemplate our final ride into St. John’s tomorrow!

Wildlife Notes: Northern Gannet

The original inhabitants of Newfoundland were the Beothuk People. The last known Beothuk died in the mid 19th century. They died out for a variety of reasons. The Island of Newfoundland was then the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People. There are several Mi’kmaq communities here. In 1949, when Newfoundland joined Confederation, there was no specific arrangement for the province’s Aboriginal people. While the Inuit and Innu of Labrador have negotiated land claim settlements, the Mi’kmaq are still struggling for status under the Indian Act.

First views of Newfoundland
First views of Newfoundland

Monday September 2, 2013. Day 85

Baddeck to North Sydney

As we keep reminding ourselves, this trip isn’t over until it’s over. It can still throw anything at us, and it does! (Paul is convinced that snow will be added to the list of potential elements, even though none is forecast for the region in the foreseeable future!)
We suspected that the 57 km ride to North Sydney ferry terminal was not going to be straightforward when 1) our shoes were still wet from yesterday (shoe covers work to a point, but not against torrential downpours) and 2) the weather was grayer and windier than forecast. However, we were excited to be heading to Newfoundland, our 10th province, and were pleased to find good espresso on the way out of town. The #205 was by the lake and quiet. The #105 (TCH) was fine and then we were confronted by Kelly’s Mt and a 250m incline over 7km against a headwind.The view at the top was spectacular, however, despite the mist,  and we enjoyed the long ascent down to the Great Bras d’Or Channel. But, then we had to cross the long Seal Island Bridge across the channel. The bridge was narrow with no shoulder and pedestrians were prohibited. We had no choice but to make our way slowly across, trying not to look at the fast- moving waters below, and hoping no semis came rumbling along behind. From then on, the hard shoulder up the hills was filled by a rumble strip which did not help our mood! Eventually, we got to North Sydney in blowy misty rain. The ferry was docked waiting for us with a reserved cabin for the 14-hour crossing to Placentia Bay.

We are on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People, specifically the District of Onamag. We passed through the First Nations community of Bras d’Or.

Sunday September 1, 2013. Day 84

Port Hawkesbury to Baddeck

We waited for Haven Coffee Bar to open at 9:00 for our morning espresso fixes and for sandwiches for lunch. We then headed out along the #105 east (TCH), following the Blue Ridge. There are no more coal mines on Cape Breton and only one in Nova Scotia, at Stellerton near New Glasgow. Gypsum, however, is still extracted and we passed the Melford Mine. According to Wikipedia, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Nova Scotia gypsum was highly sought after as a fertilizer by American wheat farmers, so much so that there was a lively smuggling trade which resulted in the “Plaster War” of 1812.

The weather was misty, alternating between showers and a fine drizzle in the morning, and then developing into a heavy thunderstorm in the afternoon as we approached the north shore of Bras d’Or Lake, an inland sea of partially fresh/ salt water. We are staying in Baddeck, a town at the start and end of the Cabot Trail loop. Alexander Graham Bell spent most of the second half of his life in the area and was apparently accepted as part of the community.

We are on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People, specifically the District of Onamag. We passed through the communities of Waycobah and Wagmatcook.

Saturday August 31, 2013. Day 83

Antigonish to Port Hawkesbury

We very gratefully accepted a lift back to Antigonish (with our bikes in an attached trailer), where John and Alison were making a regular visit to the Saturday Farmer’s Market. We all had breakfast at Tall and Small before we headed out. Highway #4 offered a quiet and very enjoyable alternative to the TCH for most of the way to the Canso Causeway. A  cyclist from the UK, who had ridden  from Victoria via Prince Rupert, overtook us and we chatted while on the TCH stretch. The sun came out and we ate our lunch sitting on a beach looking out into Havre Boucher. Just before Cape Breton, we rejoined the TCH and crossed the Causeway. As we were stopped to look at the locks, a  wedding party arrived for photos, the men all in kilts. The mother of the bride stopped traffic in both directions so that they could go to a suitable scenic spot across the road and which enabled us to easily cross back into the lane going east!
We arrived at our bed and breakfast overlooking Port Hawkesbury Harbour and enjoyed the views in the late afternoon sunshine.

In two days, we will be on the ferry to Newfoundland, with only another two days of cycling after that to St. John’s.  This adventure is rapidly coming to an end!

Notes on Port Hawkesbury: The port is the second largest by tonnage in Canada, due to large volumes of crushed rock and gravel and oil trans-shipments. It is also the hometown of Lynn Coady, one of Lois’ favourite authors.

We are on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People, specifically the District of Onamag. We passed through the community of Paq’tnkek.

Havre Boucher
Havre Boucher

Friday August 30, 2013. Day 82

New Glasgow to Antigonish

It poured with rain overnight and was cloudy when we left the B&B. The forecast was still for strong blustery winds, but now from the north. After espresso and a latte at the Baked Goods Cafe, we took the #4 for a few peaceful kilometres before joining the TCH. It started to rain and this continued for the rest of the day. As we climbed, it grew mistier. There were strong gusts, but, fortunately,  the wind was either from the side or at our backs, although it occasionally felt as though our bikes would slide out from under us. The road was busy and the hard shoulder disappeared each time there were two lanes in our direction, on the hills, which were frequent. This was not a pleasant ride! But, today we met Ivan #2. He is from Gatineau and had ridden from there  to St John’s five times. This year, he had taken the train to Vancouver, cycled to St John’s, and was on his way back to Gatineau!

We descended into Antigonish seeking shelter in the Tall and Small Cafe. John met and transported us to his and Alison’s home above Lochaber Lake,  south of the town. (Yes, all our friends are named John!) We were greeted by wonderful hospitality and conversation ranging from history to politics as well as chickens and local porcupines. It cleared during the night and the stars were spectacular.

We are on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People, specifically the Esgigeoag District

Thursday August 29, 2013. Day 81

Pictou to New Glasgow

We knew that the forecast was not good as we headed south across the Pictou Causeway. Although the wind was behind us and it was not yet raining when we joined the TCH, we got an idea of the headwinds to come when we would turn east. Stopping for coffee in New Glasgow, we reassessed our plans and decided to stop for the day. The outlook was still for rain with an easterly wind of 25 km/hr, gusting to 38. Tomorrow looks somewhat better (still rain, but north winds) and we will not have so far to go to Antigonish. We were intending to stay there for two nights visiting friends, so unfortunately that will be curtailed. It has rained continuously since we stopped and a heavy rainfall warning is in effect for Antigonish, so it was a good decision. Fortunately, we found a B&B single suite above a bistro, so we don’t need to venture out very far for dinner!

We remain on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People.

Pictou, pulp mill

Wednesday August 28, 2013. Day 80

Charlottetown to Pictou, Nova Scotia

The three staff at McQueens Bicycle Shop all helped us this morning by installing four new tires on our bikes in a very short time. For those who are interested, these are Schwabe Marathon Plus 700×32. Suitably re-equipped, we went to Young Folk and the Kettle Black  for coffee, sandwiches for later and a video chat with Chris.
The weather was overcast and muggy for much of our otherwise pleasant ride along the #1 (TCH). The TCH in P.E.I. is a two-laned highway, with a mostly wide paved shoulder, and passes through (rather than by-passing) the towns and villages. The traffic was light. We met another cyclist coming west. Ivan, from Montreal, travelled to Vancouver by train in April and began cycling across the northern US states to the east coast and up to and across  Newfoundland and is now cycling back though the maritimes and Quebec to Montreal. He will have cycled more than 13,000 km. By the time we got to Wood Islands, a thunder storm was threatening,  but it had passed over when we got on the ferry and we were afforded good views of PEI and,  later, Nova Scotia. The ride into Pictou was sunny and easy.
We were reminded that the summer is passing when we came out into the dark after dinner. We walked down to the harbour, where there is a replica of the “Hector”, the first ship that brought Scottish immigrants to Pictou and the colony of New Scotland in 1773. Across the inlet, a large pulp mill dominates the horizon.

We are on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People, specifically the Epegoitnag District

Leaving PEI – our homage to Alex Colville

Tuesday August 27, 2013. Day Off

To our surprise, we discovered that our B&B offers a free laundry service! With that chore gratefully delegated, our first stop this morning was MacQueen’s Bicycle shop. The tires on both bikes are showing the wear of nearly 7000 km, but the rear tire on Lois’ bike looks particularly ripped up. We got advice and decided to return tomorrow morning to replace at least that tire. We then headed back to Terre Rouge (we had a great dinner there last night) for espresso/latte and to finish yesterday’s blog. The rest of the day was spent visiting the Confederation Centre Art Gallery – there was a moving exhibit of Mi’kmaq history and culture presented by the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI, an interesting exhibition of paintings by Montreal artist Philip Delisle, and a retrospective of the work of Hilda Woolnough – walking along the seaside boardwalk, lingering over lunch and slowly making our way back to the B&B for a rest and a jacuzzi, before venturing out again for a seafood dinner at Claddagh Oyster House, followed by desert and coffee upstairs at the Olde Dublin Pub, while listening to live music (Richard Wood and Gordon Belsher). It was a good day!

Conferation Revisited - Paul Lemieux
Confederation Revisited – Paul Lemieux
Ni'n na L'nu Confederation Centre of the Arts
Ni’n na L’nu
Confederation Centre of the Arts

Monday August 26, 2013. Day 79

Port Elgin to Charlottetown, P.E.I.

With the wind behind us, we sped east along the TransCanada to Cape Jourimain and the Confederation Bridge. On the way, just after passing a large sign and flashing yellow lights warning about moose, we had to pass one on the shoulder, that must have been hit during the night. The vehicle was not there, but bits of plastic, glass and radiator fluid remained on the road. It was sad that this was the only moose we have seen in the east.

The wait for the required shuttle across the 12.9 km bridge to Prince Edward Island was less that 30 mins and, with our bikes suitably tied down onto a trailer, we crossed into our 8th province. It was our first time on the Confederation Bridge, opened in 1997. Unfortunately, we missed the welcome sign as it was on the part of the highway that was inaccessible to us.

“PEI is not flat!”

The weather was increasingly grey and close and we had to put on our raincoats just out of Charlottetown. The road was OK but certainly hillier than we had remembered! We had some views of the sea and coast across fields of potatoes, wheat and oats. We are taking a day off  to explore the provincial capital.

We are on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People, specifically the Pigtogeoag District

 

Sunday August 25, 2013. Day 78

Moncton to Port Elgin

It was a beautiful, cloudless day and we were looking forward to a leisurely cycle along the Northumberland Strait, that is, once we had changed a tire that had deflated during the night on Lois’ bike. We decided to start out on the #2 (TransCanada) since our hotel was just off the highway. However, we soon realized that the beautiful surface and meter-wide shoulders had disappeared at the last Moncton exit and we were obliged to ride on a narrow strip of uneven pavement, which was at times completely obliterated by a rumble strip. Despite it being early on a Sunday morning, the traffic was busy. So, after consulting Google maps to find an earlier exit, we went off on the #134. Shortly after leaving the TCH, Lois noticed that her rear tire was low again. As we happened to be right beside a gas station, we wheeled our bikes over to the air pump, which, unfortunately, was out of order. We examined the tire and found a thin piece of wire sticking out, which we managed to extract with the aid of tweezers from Lois’ makeup bag. Five minutes later, Lois again detected the telltale sound of a deflating tire. Again, a tiny piece of thin wire was pulled out of the tire by the same useful tweezers. (It is not clear whether we missed this piece of wire in the first and second tube repairs!) Finally, all tires rolling, we cruised along the #134/133 into Shediac, where we got our first glimpse of the east coast. It was actually quite an emotional moment to realize that we had now cycled from coast to coast! We celebrated by sharing a Lobster roll at Auberge Gabrièle and then going next door to the Auberge Inn Thyme for espresso/latte and homemade scones. As we were cycling out of town, we spied a chocolatier, which also warranted a visit (the 70% rich dark chocolate did melt a little in our food pannier, but was still delicious!)

We carried on along the #133,  turning onto the #950 to view a very crowded Aboiteau beach from the sand dunes. It looked inviting, but it was now mid-afternoon and we still had 30 km to cycle. We continued along the #950, through Cap-Pelé “Au Coeur de l’Acadie”. There were many fish-processing plants on the shore, producing smoked herring.

We are staying the night in a lovely Victorian B&B in Port Elgin. Dinner was fish burgers in the local (and only) diner. Tomorrow, we go to PEI.

P.S. We have added more pictures of Jasper to the Alberta photo gallery,  courtesy of Lorraine and Norm, who provided some wonderful action shots!

We are now on the traditional territory of Mi’kmaq People, specifically the Epegoitnag District.