Aiming at Nothing

Roseburg, OR to Portland, OR via Tidewater, OR and other places

With only one remaining Oregon checkpoint to collect this summer (if you don’t count Paisley, which I skipped on purpose, so don’t you dare count it), today was shaping up to be a relatively “light” riding day. I set about changing that situation right away. Running northwest out of Sutherlin is a continuation of that lovely little road, OR-138. It joins up with the even lovelier OR-38 (one hundred less; likes you best) going west into Reedsport at the coast. The air was crisp and cool this morning thanks to a combination of ocean breezes and a common occurrence of canopy like foliage.

Every time I complain about the weather at the coast, I’m greeted with evidence of my cynicism. The skies above US-101 north were hazy but they cleared as the the air warmed up. There are several bridges under construction in the central Oregon coast area so traffic was periodically halted by temporary stop lights but, on the whole, everyone seemed to be getting where they needed to be on this lazy Sunday morning.

At Waldport, I turned east along OR-34 for a few miles until I reached Tidewater, the site of today’s RCMC GT’07 Checkpoint — The Diner at Taylor’s Landing. The diner itself is not landing at all since it was built to float just off the bank of the Alsea River (I’m assuming that is its name. If not, alsea later) at the back of an RV park. Note to those of you on the tour: consider parking your steed at the front of the park. Parking spaces and RV boundaries are marked off with thin lines of spray paint. The diner is at the end of a pedestrian walkway more or less in line with the entrance to the RV park loop. Also note: gravel. Park up front and walk in. Ignore the little kid on a bicycle who, despite living there full-time, won’t give you directions.

Once I eaten lunch and collected the Tidewater stamp, I called my brother in Sheridan to ask if I could drop in on them for a while. I continued up US-101 through Lincoln City and Otis (OTIS! My MAN!) and rode east on OR-18, past the casino and on into Sheridan. Hwy 18 has seen better days but it gets a lot of traffic near Spirit Mountain Casino and that is where the road is being improved.

From Sheridan I rode into Newberg and then northeast into the Portland/Beaverton area via Hwy 219 (also in need of repair). If they ever get the road fixed someday, I’ll recommend this route for “enthusiastic” riders. Right now though, it is all one can do to hold a line through the hairpins without being bumped out of position by debris and an irregular road surface. Harshed my buzz.

I’m liking my new Corbin saddle very much. I’ve only got about 1600 miles on it so far but I can sit in it for hours without unpleasantness. The seat encourages a more aggressive posture and I’ve learned to appreciate what that can do for me in the twisties. The ST is now decidedly more “sport” on the Sport-Tourer continuum than it was before. Everybody wins. Even the losers get lucky sometimes. The waiting is the hardest part. You don’t have to live like a refugee. No, you don’t. Have. To live like a refugee.

That’s all you’re going to hear from me for a while. Commence goofing off with extreme prejudice… Now.