[New Washington and Oregon pictures are on the photos page.]

We have been riding along the Oregon Coast for the last 4 days. The big, wild Pacific coast is inspiring to experience. The beaches are nestled in between cliffs lined with towering evergreens leaning away from the oceans powerful offshore winds. Occasionally parts of towering cliffs have collapsed down to the protected beaches. The beaches are wonderful places to walk, explore tidal pools, surf or even drive cars. Every corner offers a new photograph opportunity.

We have camped at Oregon State parks which always have a place for bikers in hiker/bikers spots. Several have been in the middle of the rain forests. We have set up our tents under giant trees in Oswald Weest State Park and Cape Lookout State Park.

We are in Lincoln City, Oregon, staying at a warmshowers.org bicycling host. Thank you Suzie and Jim. We sat in their jaccuzi and watched the sun set over the breaking waves. For almost two weeks we have been going to sleep with the sound of the ocean waves lapping at the evening darkness.

I am finding the roads in Oregon mostly great with a few sections of hell. Today was a tough climb up a windy 4 lane section of highway 101. Cars love to cut the curves which have very little shoulder on the climb up and the over grown blackberry bushes hide us around dangerous curves. Both of us nearly got taken out by a car driving on the shoulder around a right hand curve.

We are finding many bicycle tourists in Oregon, more then we have ever seen. Every day we make a ton of new friends. Our newest friend Stuart, from Wellington New Zealand, has been riding with us for the last three days. He has taken the night off to be alone. It seems all this socializing is a bit overwhelming after he has spent almost 3 months cycling alone. We love riding with him because of his fun loving adventurous spirit and the way he views the world. We laugh while we ride.