Day 60 – Wednesday 7/27/22

Seaview, Washington to Bay Center, Washington – 46.8 Miles

“Men cheered, women swooned, and children waved flags as renowned bicyclist Kevin McKechnie rode onto the beach of our fair city this morning. Looking every bit as impressive as we imagined him to be, he dipped his wheels into the Pacific, saluted the crowd and was off again before some of the assembled multitude were aware of his presence. We may not see his like again.”– Seaview Daily Chronicle – July 27, 2022

Eight weeks of pedaling had gotten me to the point where a transcontinental crossing was a certainty, and when I woke up this morning I wasn’t in a rush to finish it. After chipping away at the goal daily, there were no days that seemed more important than the others. Each one was necessary to get me here and each had their own challenges. Stepping back a bit and thinking about that seemed appropriate.

I had imagined what the end of the ride would look like all across the country. No choir of Angels appeared, nor did fireworks go off while music played. The couple that took my picture heard my story, but to the rest of the folks on the beach, I was just a guy on a bicycle. The pleasure came, as they say, from the journey and not the destination. Setting the goal and overcoming the obstacles meant more than the last mile. I was grateful to be where I was, and happy to have the memories gathered along the way.

Unlike my departure from Vilano Beach, Florida, I lingered about a half-hour before heading south towards Cape Disappointment State Park. Ahead of me were some more miles on the way to Seattle and the trip home.

Cape Disappointment is a Lewis and Clark site and also the location of two lighthouses and an abandoned coastal defense fort. Going there violated my general rule of not backtracking on the trip, but with the major goal behind me I could bend the rule a bit.

The mouth of the Columbia River empties to the Pacific nearby. The jetty is at that location.

Occasionally there are reminders that things can happen.

I started cycling back to the north and met Ben coming the other way. He’d flown into Vancouver from Bristol, U.K., bought a bike and was riding the Pacific Coast Trail to San Diego. We talked about our trips and took each other’s picture. After 60 days on the road, I wasn’t sure whether to envy these “Newbies” or feel sorry for what they haven’t been through yet. Other than Ben, the last couple of cyclists I saw going in the opposite direction weren’t interested in stopping. Probably because they’re so early in the journey and late in the season, they have to make up time.

The road to Bay Center was lightly travelled and scenic. Willapa Bay was to my left and provided a lot of opportunities for picture taking. I wasn’t in a hurry, so I stopped whenever something caught my attention.

I got to the KOA campground after 5 and set up camp.

There’s only one restaurant in town, The Dock of the Bay. The next town was 20 miles away, and that wasn’t a possibility, so the choice was easy. Fishing and oyster harvesting are serious business here. The air smells of salt and decaying marine life, but you can’t beat the seafood items on the menu.

On the way back to the tent, I passed a couple of scenes that illustrate what life is about in Bay Center.

The total mileage from Vilano Beach, Florida to the beach at Seaview, Washington was 4,041.16. More to come!