My Route


For more detailed maps, scroll down through the blog. Click on any one to enlarge it; use the backspace button to return to the blog. That goes for the photos, too.

Saturday

Day 78: Monday, 17th September. Destination: Lighthouse Inn, Florence, Oregon

Well, I've made it! 4:15pm today I trundled my bike down the slipway at Florence old-town docks & marina for the traditional wheel-dipping ceremony. Tomorrow, I'm heading up the coast a couple of miles to Heceta Beach to spend the afternoon gazing out to the Pacific Ocean...

Heading back to the start of the day, Eugene to Florence was slightly longer than I'd have chosen for my last day (78m), but there was nowhere to stay in between. So I set off early and wound my way up and over the Coastal Range - my last climb, the aptly-named Low Pass. Pleasant, rolling, pine-covered hills and a nice descent following Triangle Lake Creek down to the Siuslaw River to the coast. Another overcast day, with spots of rain, but it cleared up as I headed into town. One last puncture (does that make it 13 in total?). This time, a metal shard somewhere passed Triangle Lake.

I'd been full of mixed emotions about arriving, and spent most of the afternoon singing 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself’ by the White Stripes, but you'll be glad to hear that gave way to suitable grinning as I passed the 'Entering Florence' sign. But where are those bikers I met in Mitchell when I want to celebrate? I watched 'Rear Window' on TV, then went out to eat down in the picturesque fishing village / old town. There were a number of white-painted ship-lapped cafés (just like Bar Harbour, I couldn't help thinking). The one I chose turned out nice: They played 'About The Weather' by 10,000 Maniacs (another old favourite, reminding me of a summer spent in Amherst, Massachusetts and a drive down to Martha's Vineyard when I was a student), and the waitress gave me a complimentary slice of cheesecake to celebrate. Her friend had just finished the Cycle Oregon trip. Will continue celebratory grinning tomorrow, at the Ocean.