September 7th 2023 – Rock Creek Campground, CA

I’ve been allured by the west coast of the US ever since I was a kid. Hollywood probably has a part to play in that. For the last week the Pacific  has been our faithful companion as we have worked our way south.

The tire we had been waiting for showed up the day after my latest update. My bike is now fitted with Dunlop Trailmax Mission front and rear. I mounted them relatively easy (I’m getting better), they were easy to balance and the bike handles better than ever.

We had really enjoyed the stay with Gustavo and his family, but after being stationary for 10 days it felt great to be on the move again. Gustavo had provided us with a route to the coast. It took us past an old covered bridge and along small curvy roads with and without pavement. Nothing beats local knowledge.

We eventually hit the coast and followed it south. It was Labour Day weekend and available accommodation was hard to come by. After having passed numerous No vacancy/Full signs we got “lucky” at an exuberantly priced KOA in Bayshore. We smiled while they robbed us. Beggars can’t be choosers. In the evening we walked across the Alsea River to Waldport to have dinner. The bridge provided a good vantage point to observe a large population of seals loitering below.

The next day we just followed Hwy 101 south. We stopped often to take in the scenery and snap pictures. Amazing views came in close succession like beads on a string.

Just before we left Gustavo in Hillsboro, I received a message from Al. He told us to  contact  his friend Suzanne. She lives at the coast in southern Oregon and had invited us to stay with her. He was very explicit that we had to accept the invitation! She had provided us with directions when I  reached out to her a few days earlier.

When we arrived at her place I understood why Al had been so adamant.

She is an amazing woman and her home is out of this world. The location atop a cliff overlooking the Pacific is second to none and her octagonal house is a piece of art.

We ended up staying with her for 2 nights and took full advantage of the “rest day”. In the morning we went for a run along the beach. Later we did a loop on the bikes following a route Suzanne had suggested. It was a fun ride during which we did some shopping in Brookings and a hike to The Secret Beach. Back at the house Katrine and I cooked dinner. We have brought the recipes for all the things we used to eat back home. It allows us to taste something familiar and treat our hosts from time to time.

We took our time saying goodbye in the morning before we left. Katrine and I really liked Suzanne and hope we’ll meet again. The access road to Suzanne’s place is rather steep and winding. Going downhill fully loaded on loose decomposed granite caught Katrine out and her bike decided to take a nap. She just stepped off the bike as it lay down. Both were unscathed  and we soon continued.

Suzanne, who knows the area like the back of her hand, had suggested a route for us to follow. It took us through an amazing redwood forest on dirt roads we would never have found otherwise.

At 2 pm we arrived at Elk Prairie Campground where Katrine had booked us a spot. The place was packed. As we approached our campsite the host flagged us down to check our booking and wish us a pleasant stay. When we told him that we planned to hike to Fern Canyon the same day he told us it was too late in the day to make it there and back before dark. Hold my beer and watch…

At 3 pm Katrine and I had set up camp and were ready to head out. We reached Fern Canyon a couple of hours later. It was well worth the hike. On the return leg we did a detour on Clintonia/Miners Ridge Trail and arrived back in camp at dusk. It had been an amazing hike. Katrine was very happy but totally wasted.

At dawn we did another 2 hours hike in another part of the forest before we broke camp. It took willpower to get the legs going.

We had heard several riders mention The Lost Coast. Now we had the opportunity to find out what the hype was all about. A few miles in we knew that we were in for a treat. Small twisty roads in a rural setting unlike anything we had encountered before. There was hardly any traffic and only few people around. It was a striking contrast to the previous days along the coast and through The Redwoods. As we approached the coast the scenery became more harsh. Strong winds added to the experience. The Lost Coast is a breathtaking place!

On recommendation from Suzanne we stayed the night at A.W. Way County Park. The Labour Day weekend was over and the place was almost empty. We picked a nice spot under an oak tree by the river. In the evening we took a swim in the clear, slow flowing and pleasantly warm water.

The Lost Coast continued to impress in the morning. The riding was phenomenal. Humboldt Redwoods State Park delivered us back to Hwy 101 which we followed north for a bit to ride  Avenue of the Giants in its full extent.

We decided to call it a day when we reached Rock Creek Campground just north of where Hwy 1 fork off from Hwy 101.

Again the difference between before and after Labour Day was striking. Most of the campground was closed off and the only guests besides us were a few other bikers and cyclists. As we have done before we asked the attendant who greeted us for advice on which spot to choose. We followed the advice and are now staying in a near perfect spot on a slope. It’s central yet secluded with all the right amenities. To top things off there is a very good cafe and a small shop just across the street (Hwy 101) – and decent cell phone coverage even though we are deep in the woods.

The place is so nice we decided to take a day off and stay for an extra night.