Day 59 – Tuesday 7/26/22

Saint Helens, Oregon to Seaview, Washington – 86.1 Miles

It was getting near the end today, but I wasn’t sure where. My plan was to reach the Pacific at Seaside, Oregon, about 15 miles from Astoria. The problem was that Seaside is the most popular coastal town in Oregon and is a little over an hour’s drive from Portland. I found that out after searching for a place to stay in both Seaside and Astoria. Campgrounds were full and the rates for marginal hotels were in the “You can’t be serious” range.

I had thought that I might ride to Astoria and spend two nights there. The first day I’d tour the town, and on the second ride to Seaside and back, before leaving on the third day. Since that was impossible, I looked at the ACA map and saw that Lewis and Clark traveled into Washington on an alternate route. Lodging there wasn’t as hard to find or as expensive. I reserved a room in Seaview, Washington on the coast and left Saint Helens at 7:15.

I followed Highway 30 all the way to Astoria, and it was quiet at first. I knew that wouldn’t last, but for now it was pleasant to enjoy the morning calm.

It didn’t take too long for drivers to find out that I was on the road. Commuters, truckers, RVs, boaters and more started coming by me in force. The shoulder was reasonable, but most of the time I was being passed by multiple vehicles. I stopped for a break in the town of Ranier, 20 miles out, and avoided traffic for a while.

It was fortunate that I stopped to rest, as right out of town was a 600+ foot climb. I’ve become used to dealing with hills after so many days on the road but creeping along at 4 mph still isn’t my favorite thing.

The reward for any climb is coasting back down. I hadn’t seen many cars as I went up the hill, so I was hoping they’d turned off at Ranier. That way, I’d have the entire lane to myself on the descent, which gives me more room to maneuver and added safety. Unfortunately, all the cars that didn’t pass me going up decided to follow me now. So, I was restricted to the shoulder on a 2.5-mile section. With only 2 or 3 feet of road to work with, I had to use my brakes constantly while avoiding the traffic.

The land flattened out and things were going well up to mile 44.

At mile 44, there was another (useless) 500-foot climb. When you’re so close to sea level, that’s not expected. The only good thing was an excellent view of the Columbia River from an overlook at the summit.

I knew Astoria was getting closer but wasn’t sure how far. Sometimes it’s better not to know the distance left to go, as it can be demotivating if it’s not what you’re thinking.

When the Astoria city limits sign appeared, I was on a downhill and passed it without a picture. Now that I was there, the end of the ride to the Pacific started to become real.

The route took me on a bike trail along the Columbia, which ran to the center of town. Very scenic with a lot of nautical touches.

Since my destination was Seaview, Washington, I had to get there by crossing a 4-mile bridge spanning the Columbia. It’s a route that you typically wouldn’t think of doing on a bicycle, but it’s legal and done often here.

One thing that worked to my advantage was a road crew repairing a lane. Traffic was alternately stopped and let go, so there were periods of time when I was the only one heading towards the Washington shore. I had a nice talk with Robert, the “Stop\Go” guy for northbound traffic, and he set me up for a good run after the first third of the crossing. Thanks!

Washington was misty and cooler than the Oregon side. But the presence of Lewis and Clark was still there.

Highway 101 had fairly light traffic and a decent shoulder. I could look out across the water, but the land on the horizon let me know I wasn’t on the coast.

I got to the town of Seaview at 5:30 and checked into the Seaview Cottages. It’s a nice place to stay and is within a mile of the Pacific.

I could have gone down to the beach tonight and “finished” the ride but chose not to. I want to spend some time looking around the area, such as visiting Cape Disappointment State Park, so dipping my tires into the Pacific can wait a little longer. Tomorrow it will be 60 days since I left Vilano Beach, Florida, and that sounds good to me. With the ocean so close it will be a short ride in the morning.

Thanks for reading!