Day 10: Coasting Down the Coast*

Ride:  Fort Stevens SP to Nehalem Bay SP

Distance:  61.8 miles (includes beer run into Manzanita, because the Shell station had crappy beer)

* not really, there are a lot of hills!

Woke up to blue skies and not even a hint of the rain that was predicted.  Groovy.  I started pedaling at 7 (notice how it's getting a bit later ....) and work my way back to where I left the "route". Right after an Elk Crossing sign i see......

This guy brought up the rear and looked at me as if to say "feeling lucky punk?".  I wasn't, so I slowed down and let them all pass.  Lots more country roads and many that included a Lewis and Clark reference - seems I've been roughly following their route for a few days now.

Very pleasant farm country - sometimes the perfect place for a break is right on the road 

Right after climbing this little hill, I had the best 3 mile descent into Seaside - smooth road, nice curves, great views:

Stocked up on food in Seaside and then jumped back on my old friend the 101:

From here on out, the scenery was continuously like a postcard:

Went through the nice town of Cannon Beach and enjoyed cruising down the main blvd and soaking in the scene- mostly people eating!  Sure smelled good:

Another little climb or 2, and I was up here:

Looking down at the town of Manzanita where I was about to put my big chainring to use again for the speedy descent - yippee!!

Camp tonight is at Nehalem Bay SP.  the hiker biker site is already starting to fill up - Matt from Fairbanks (who gave me some fresh salmon), Chris from Vancouver, and 2 folks who just rolled in.

The beach here:

And camp:

And Laurie and Jackie who just finished the Trans America route (Virginia to Oregon).  Nice work!