Dinosaurs and Bridges to Nowhere (No Otters.)

Day 19: Port Orford to Brookings

Today's Distance: 57 miles

Total Distance: 882 miles

I backtracked a little into town today to grab a coffee and a cinnamon roll from a local coffee shop. Turns out the owner is from San Diego!  I chatted with a lady who was knitting and another cyclist walked in. Mark from Ashland was celebrating his 50th birthday by riding from around Reedsport to Brookings.  His family and friends are waiting for him there in a place they rented for the birthday weekend.  While we were talking, his friends Mike and Lisa walked in.  They're Mark's "Pit Crew" who are staying close by to provide water, food, and whatever he might need over the next few days.  We sat there and literally talked about everything. It was great and exactly what I needed.  I noticed how intentional they were about bringing each other up in their friendship. They seemed to have only good things to say about each other and it was nice to see.  I always joke and tease my friends (out of love), but I really should uplift them  more because I really do have some great people in my life.  After breakfast I had to get going, so they filled up my water bottles, we exchanged hugs, and I was off. 

It was foggy and breezy out, but according to the weather report its supposed to burn off later.  It felt like it was taking me forever to get warmed up, but when I finally did I noticed a Dinosaur on the side of the road. About a week ago, my friend Rain told me to be on the lookout for a T-Rex while heading down the Oregon Coast because it's her family's business.  I went in to see if her mom was working and sure enough she was!  I introduced myself and we talked about the trip and she let me check out the Prehistoric Gardens on the house.  It's a Dinosaur Park with life-size replicas in a rainforest setting.  I had no clue this was the family business, but what an awesome surprise.  So cool!  When I came back in from the park, her mom  had Rain on the phone from London haha!  Last time I saw her we hung out in Dublin and now this. Very glad I stopped in!

I kept riding and eventually left the 101 for a bit to check out the Old Coast Highway.  From there I went down a dirt road to Otter Point State Park; pretty much anything with "Otter" in the name I'm checking out.  While on the dirt road, an SUV turned the blind corner at just the wrong time and I almost met my maker.  The view was gorgeous, but sadly I saw no otters of course.

Old Coast Highway

I stopped in Gold Beach for lunch, right before the big climb of the day over Cape Sebastian.  The fog never burned off, it only got worse.  It was so dense that looking out toward the ocean was just like staring at a gray wall.  Kind of disappointing because this was supposed to be one of the prettiest stretches on the coast.  Eventually I saw a sign that said "Thomas Creek Bridge - Highest Bridge in Oregon". When I got to the bridge I couldn't see across to the other side because it was so covered in fog.  I laughed as I put on my yellow jersey and threw on my rear light. I'm not sure if I was scared or amused. Maybe I was both.  I headed off into the abyss and I may or may not have crossed over into another dimension.  Either way, I made it safely across and into Brookings where I called it a day.

What Did I Learn Today?

•Be more uplifting to my friends and family.