Oregon Cycling Tour, Day 8: There's Been a Miracle!

Two miracles, really.  First, ♫(sing along with me) "The Su-un came ou-ut, and dried up the Land-y, Land-y".  

Awoke to clear skies and the vrroom-vrroom of my inner cyclist wanting to get going.  We had already decided to skip one of our destinations due to the big rain delay, and I had a bee in my bonnet that I'd really like to get to Devil's Lake in Lincoln.  Our map indicated it was 40-some miles, but I figured I'd been resting....Now I know that if Bob had suggested this destination (after our agreement of 20-30 miles a day) I would have balked.  Somehow this was MY idea, so I was all for it.  Seemed like a good idea at the time!

After perusing our 3 maps, all with different opinions, we decided it was time to get off the highway and try a scenic, even if a bit longer, route.  "Old Scenic Hwy 101" turned out to be all of that and more.  For 10 miles, we wound through amazing, virgin (temperate) rain forest, with HUGE trees dripping with lichen.  The setting for all those tales of fairies, hobbits and more! 

I was mesmerized.  We pedaled past small farms, homes, and a wonderful-looking school.  We stopped to take pictures and enjoy the quiet.  Only a few cars passed us in over 10 miles of riding.  Toward the end of this beautiful route, we ascended a very big hill.  I had really resolved myself with doing the best I could.  When the time came, I just got off my bike and pushed.  When I looked back, my thought was: "I pedaled up THAT?!?!" This is a refrain that is becoming very familiar!  And, come to find out we were very near the top, too.   Bob discovered his "walking" gear on his bike; he could pedal at the same pace I could walk. We shared the experience of the beautiful scenery; miles of this: 

Over the top, and off we went back on the Highway, with all the traffic.  But I had experienced the quintessential Oregon Coast ride, and I focused on that.  Aware of all the support, from all dimensions, I pedaled on!

The second miracle:  51 miles; 5 hours 15 minutes actual pedaling time.  The longest ride ever for Elaina! Even with an "empty" bike, my longest day before that was 37 miles.  I felt elated, starving, and glad to be a physical being!  Our campground was dubbed an "urban" campground in the guidebooks.  The hiker-biker site, right inside the entrance, was just across the street from residential homes!  But looking in the other direction, it seemed to be on the edge of the wilderness!  This was my first experience in a "hiker-biker" site at at campground, and it reminded me of a hostel.  Everyone doing what we were doing...cycling the Oregon Coast! Now I understand why people like these sites so much!

After we settled in, we went off to explore the "urban" offerings...It was a new experience to walk a block and be on a busy, commercial street with Pizza places, stores and plenty of traffic.  

Looking forward to exploring Devil's Lake itself and the beach in the morning!

Soul Path Alignment in the most interesting places!

Sunday, September 18, 2011. Tillamook, Oregon.  Ah, sweet surrender!  Yesterday morning, I awoke to the soft patter of raindrops on our tent...surely it was just a mist as no rain was in the forecast for 2 more days!  But, alas, it kept raining, increasing over time.  We stayed snugly in our tent, knowing it would blow over, but, alas, it increased!  Being the adventurous souls we are, we hauled everything to this little overhang area where we shook, wiped, and packed up our bikes!  Off we headed for Tillamook (2 miles away!) and our motel, to dry out.  Picture of our indoor campsite and drying room:

We are still here!  It's still raining! Tomorrow promises some sun; we are leaving even if it's not true!  We've had plenty of time to dry out, explore Tillamook, human population 4400, cow population much greater, we think.  Eau de cow patties wafts everywhere.  "Why are we in Tillamook?" I wondered,   "Does everything REALLY happen for a reason?"  After searching the internet for the like-minded souls (no hits found on Google for yoga or health food store or healing center or....), I meditated and asked to be guided to why I was here. I knew the first reason was the woman at the front desk at the motel. I headed out to "interview" her, with questions about yoga studios.  She had no info like that, but I told her that when I called to see if there was a room available, it was her voice on the phone that made us choose this motel.  She said she loves people.  I asked her "If you could do anything at all, had a magic wand, no limitations, what would you do?", expecting some lofty response.  Her answer:  "Exactly what I am doing...I LOVE my job."  We went on to have a conversation that left me absolutely clear that she was on her Soul Path, and I know nothing!!!

What's next, I asked?  It's still raining, but more softly.  Bob and I head out on a walk to the grocery store 7/10 mile away, after both knowing this is the direction to go.  (But no more info was coming our way at that point) We get "lost" and happen upon a store called "Moondancer".  The Proprietor, Evelyn, turns out to be the like-minded soul we were here to find.  Born and raised in Tillamook, always the oddball growing up, she has created a bead store (and stealth spiritual gathering place).  Bob makes a Hematite necklace, which I promptly borrow...and my headache finally subsides.  I play with the rocks and sprinkle love in all the aisles.  My heart was deeply touched by this woman doing her work in a place where she's not really understood.  We connected and laughed, and the Web of Light got another connection.


Evelyn's husband brings us our next destination...Contagion (the movie) is playing at the theatre around the corner.  We are SO adaptable...dinner was fetched at the Safeway Deli (land of Hi-Vibe road food!) and off we go. On the way, I suddenly wake up to the name of the movie, and wonder if it will give me nightmares (have to watch that sensitive person goes to the movies thing...).  Bob really wants to see it, so it was surrender time for me again.  Don't want to spoil the movie, but it turns out it really spoke to me.  I was never scared, not even once, because of focusing around the drama and on the deeper story. The take-away messages I hope people get are 1. We DO have some control over our how an epidemic might effect us (especially the health of our bodies/immune systems) and 2. To be aware that we might not always get the information about the simple, effective solutions through the mainstream media.  Cool messages from a "regular" movie!


This morning...more rain. We are here for another night.  This adventure sure is not what I expected; I have been learning to surrender, let go, and make the best of everything... I guess this is where I really get to practice all that I am learning!



Our sunny, dry campsite...we FINALLY are camping (Friday)



For those of you following this for a chronological report... between my last post and this one, we had one glorious, peaceful, beautiful, sunny-day ride along an almost flat stretch of coastline between Manzanita and Tillamook. Funny how the aha's and things to write about haven't really been coming from those kinds of days!  However, it does occur to me those 30 miles with a loaded bike were easy because of all that has come before. And I look forward to more of those easy, beautiful days! 

Here we are at the Tillamook Cheese factory at the end of that sunny day..an amazing creation of a cooperative of local Dairy Farmers...it has turned into a big tourist attraction; they make 169,000 pounds/day with 2 shifts of workers.  They started this 100 years ago.  Can you imagine 100 years of co-operation???

Stopping to enjoy the scenery and a snack