Tuesday, August 25, 2009 Neskowin, OR

Leaving Corvallis about 7:20 today in a light mist, the mist soon turned to light rain. Thankfully, I was dressed appropriately and was quite comfortable. If there was a problem, it was wet glasses. Someone should invent windshield washers for glasses! It stopped raining at about 16 miles and was cloudy most of the day til late in the ride when the sun really came out. We had several steep climbs, especially the four mile climb on Scenic Hwy. 101. That was exquisitely beautiful thru what appeared to me to be a virgin wood of Douglas firs, thick ferns and other greenery. The downhill side was fun but really bumpy toward the bottom. A lot of today's ride was on very busy Hwy. 22 and 18 - lots of trucks and mobile homes headed for the casinoes or the coast. Neskowin is on the road map but appears quite small - like a series of motels. The Neskowin Resort actually houses the local post office and laundry mat. . .About two hours out this AM, Virginia noticed my rear tire was low and suggested, because it wasn't flat, that we just pump it up and go. She was kind enough to use her pump. At the next SAG stop, I pumped it up some more with the big pump. It stayed up all day, but the tire looked bald in a five inch section. :(( I replaced it with a Continental tire from the WT stock and Denise put it on for me using the same tube which appears to be fine. It retrospect I probably should have replaced both tires before leaving Memphis. . . Lou Ellyn and Gerry, my friends from Salem, OR, were here when I arrived about 3 PM. They drove up with daughter Paige and little Carlos to see their son and his family who are camping close by. The Griffins invited me to join their family for dinner at The Pelican Pub and Brewery at Pacific City. It really meant a lot to see the children and grandchildren. I somehow always seem to have friends along the way on these bike trips. :))