Oregon Coast 600K Ride Report

[Susan Otcenas]

If this ride report were a movie script, the director would cue the “foreshadowing music of doom” at the precise moment I decided to leave my Gore-Tex jacket at the overnight control.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let's back up.

I spent weeks preparing for this 600K brevet. Obsessing about the weather. Apparel choices (sometimes having so much at my disposal only complicates the decision). Cue sheet. Fuel. I made lists. I checked them twice. OK, more than twice.

As the days before the event progressed, the weather forecast progressed as well. As in, it got progressively worse. Just as I’d rather have hills than headwinds, I’d much rather have heat than cold & wet. But, this being Oregon, if you don’t ride in the rain, you don’t ride at all. So, as was required, I sucked it up and prepped my Gore-Tex. And my wool. And my MidZero. Booties, gaiters, helmet cover, beanies, baselayers, wools socks, chemical toe warmers. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! And that was just for the 1st day.

Into the overnight control bag (which I would pick up at 360K) went a Windstopper jacket/vest, toe covers, more waterproof gloves, more wool, armwarmers, leg warmers, more base layers, more chemical toe warmers, Sidi dominators.

On Friday night, after my bags were packed, tires pumped and clothes laid out, I set up my facebook page so that I could send text messages from my ancient cell phone to my facebook account. I planned to send location and distance whenever I stopped at a control.

“In forest grove . Prepping bike & trying not to panic.” Saturday at 5:11am via Text Message


35 riders, all male but for myself and ½ of a husband-wife pair from Vancouver BC, arrived at the start in Forest Grove. A gathering of randonneurs really is a sight to see, especially in a climate like ours. Lots of retro-styled bikes with friction and/or down tube shifters. Ginormous fenders with mudflaps that extend to within an inch of the pavement. Huge waxed-canvas handlebar bags with 800 pockets. A herd of sheep’s worth of wool knickers and jerseys. An astonishing assortment of lighting configurations and reflective sashes, vests and leg straps. Plus one dude with a spare saddle strapped to his Camelbak.

At precisely 6am, we were off. I quickly found some moderately paced wheels to suck, introduced myself and asked if it was OK to sit in. Randos, generally being a friendly sort, seemed to welcome me in. I’d met some of these guys on the 200K and 300K I’d done, as well as the 400K I volunteered for. I listened in on conversations, but mostly I kept quiet, content to ride along.

Unfortunately, I’d committed the rando faux pas of having utterly insufficient fenders. Even worse, I’m aware I have utterly insufficient fenders. I’ve not yet found fenders that will work on my new Sweetpea and have been making do with Race Blades. Which do a fine job of keeping *me* dry but do nothing for the riders behind me. So, while I would have been more than willing to do my share of pulling, no one wanted to be behind me when the roads were wet. Which they were. At some points, very wet. I think I made some lame joke about using my lack of fenders an excuse to sit in.

I rode with a group most of the way to the first control, where I sucked down a hot cocoa, refilled my bottles and inhaled a homemade whole wheat teff muffin.

In vernonia. 31 miles Saturday @ 8:02am via text message

From Vernonia, I left with one rider, we caught 2, 4 caught us and the group re-formed. This group hung together for most of the next 40 miles, then fractured as the road tilted upwards for the climb over the coast range. I let the group go at 68 miles, knowing I would need to pace myself for the long day ahead.

The climb was longish, but I was still fresh, and soon enough the road swooped downward. The pavement was dry and the sun was coming out. Such an unexpected sight! I took photos of dry pavement and my shadow, neither of which I'd expected to see. At Olney, mile 83, I ate a peanut butter banana sandwich (I can go 40 miles on a PBB), had another hot cocoa and headed out.

From here, the route followed Youngs River Road towards the coast. This stretch of road is very scenic. Gently rolling terrain, much of it along the river, dotted with farms, and fields of livestock and horses led to the first info control (the answer was "2") and then the intersection with US101. A few more turns and miles took us to Fort Stevens State Park and a long flat ride into the wind, towards the end of the road at the Columbia River and another info control. (Answer = "Area D").

Fort stevens 108 mi Saturday at 1:56 via text message

There were still some dark clouds in the sky, but a clothing change was in order. Off went the Gore-Tex jacket, the reflective vest, and the gaiters. On with my 3 ounce Sugoi Helium Vest. Off I went with the sun on my face and the wind at my back!

Leaving Fort Stevens, I fell in with another rider, Mike. We flew south on 101, which was flat and heavily trafficked until Seaside at mile 125. Turns out Mike was planning to ride straight through the night with only a short break to refuel at the control. I'm in total awe of people who can ride so many miles, so many hours, without a break. I wonder where they pull that reserve of energy from!

From miles 125 to 150, 101 pitches up and down dramatically. The scenery is pretty but the relentless grades really took it out on me. At mile 140 I stopped in the middle of a climb and watched Mike ride away. But just like at mile 68, that was OK with me. I have to ride my own pace, or I'll blow up. Fortunately, I know all these roads on the coast very well, and knew that at mile 150 at Nehalem, the route would turn off 101 and I'd get a break from the hills.

Nehalem 150mi very tired but surviving. Saturday at 5:36pm via text message.

Nehalem! Time for a break, the restroom, and a snack. I found Alan and another rider who were part of the original group from the morning. Alan offered me chocolate. Mmmm, chocolate. I offered up pretzels. Aaah, the diet of champions. A very nice local gave me a Reese's peanut butter cup, and wished me luck. I wonder if I looked like I *needed* luck. :-) The two riders pulled out, and were the last I'd see until midnight and the overnight control.

On to one of my favorite coast routes - Miami-Foley Road. It roughly parallels 101 heading south. But it's relatively flat, very lightly trafficked and so peaceful. It also gave me a chance to spin easy and recover from the hills of the prior 25 miles.

Tillamook 175mi feeling better Saturday at 7:31 via text message

Riding through Tillamook, it struck me how many storefronts and restaurants wea closed up, abandoned or for lease. Times have been hard on Tillamook, which is primarily an agrigultural town (lots of dairy farms means lots of Tillamook Cheese and Ice Cream) with a fair bit of tourism (many of whom come for the cheese and ice cream). Sadly, I arrived 20 minutes past closing time at Starbucks, so I had to settle for a canned DoubleShot at the Shell station. Not the same somehow.

Out of my pannier came the headlight, helmet light, reflective vest, Gore-Tex jacket and everything else I'd need for the coming sunset.

South on 101, as traffic died off to nearly nothing. The route turned onto Sandlake Road for the long quiet stretch to Pacific City. After a huge cloudburst at mile 190, the skies clear again and the moon came out. The ocean reflected enough of the fading day and the moonlight that I didn't need my headlights until after 9pm. An occasional car broke the peacefulness, but mostly I had the moon, the ocean and swooshing sound of my tires to keep me company. Relaxing.

Pacific city 199mi its dark and im alone. 25 mi to go. Saturday at 9:45pm via text message.

The clerk who signed my brevet card caught sight of my drivers license and commented that it was good to see an Oregonian. Apparently, he'd been signing cards for a bunch of Californians. I gathered that was a black mark.

It was well and truly dark when I left Pacific City. The route travelled back to 101 again briefly, then detoured onto Slab Creek Rd, where we'd find the answer to another info control (Answer = 12). Having ridden it before, I knew there was a long, narrow, progressively steeper climb ahead of me. And it was utterly deserted. For many miles I climbed with only a few houses along the route. Not one car passed in either direction for the entire length - roughly 10 miles. But seeing the wet tire tracks of cyclists who had passed through recently was calming and made me feel less alone. I stopped to answer the Info control and felt very woozy. My stomach had been feeling a little queasy for a few miles and I knew I just needed to keep it under control for a few *more* miles. Still, it felt like forever until the road finally turned downwards again. The descent would have been a blast in daylight, but in the darkness it required all of my concentration to safely navigate.

Back on 101 again, I plugged along for the final few miles. Motel 6 left the lights on for me. The clerk knew who I was before I gave her my name "You're the only woman on the list..."

Lincoln city 224mi feeling shaky. Time to sleep. Sunday at 12:27 a.m. via text message.

I checked in with the ride organizer, picked up my overnight bag, inhaled some food, and went to my room, where I proceeded to shower, slide into (wrestle my way into) compression tights and socks, and prep my gear for my planned 4:30a.m. departure....

DIRECTOR: "Cue the "foreshadowing music of doom"!" <insert ominous doom-inous foreshadowing music here>

...and placed my Gore-Tex jacket into the bag of stuff for the organizer to take back to the ride start.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

[colby]

A cliffhanger!!! I've heard this one has a good ending, though.

"You're the only woman on the list" - damn straight. Awesome.

[Bike Chick]

Susan, you are leaving us hanging..................I can't stand the suspense.

[sfa]

Aack! Don't stop there! I want to know what happens next! But it sounds like the first day went well, all things considered.

Looking forward to part 2!

Sarah

[NoNo]

I wait with bated breath for the ending!

[indysteel]

Wow; I'm in awe. While I'm nervous about your next installment, I look forward to hearing how the ride ends.

[tulip]

What a great read, Susan! Can't wait for the finale.

[Pedal Wench]

ACKKKK!!!! What happens next????? The suspense is killing me!

[roguedog]

WTH? Do I have to pay for the 2nd show too?

Have a good ride..

GO GO Susan O!

[maillotpois]

Wow - this is great!

When you give us your next installment can you also link to a map? I would love to see the route. we went through Tillamook last summer on our moto trip.

[Susan Otcenas]

When you give us your next installment can you also link to a map? I would love to see the route. we went through Tillamook last summer on our moto trip.

Will do. 2nd installment should be done today, with photos!

[Catrin]

Be still my heart! How can we not be on pins and needles after that cliffhanger ending You are a great story teller, for sure!

[GLC1968]

Aw hell - I'd heard a lot of this stuff already and yet I'm still on the edge of my seat reading it today!! Nice writing, Susan!

[azfiddle]

Also waiting to hear the rest of the story...

[lauraelmore1033]

I remember driving that route 10+ years ago and finding it exhausting--in the CAR! What a ride! Way to go!