Route 101: down the Oregon coast

To continue our route south, we decided to follow the coastline. As such, we soon realized that we were also following the Lewis and Clark trail. More than 200 years ago, these explorers were sent by President Jefferson to unfold the mysteries of the West with the ultimate goal of reaching the Pacific Ocean. They left from Monticello, Virginia, along with 24 men, reached the Pacific coast two years later, mostly through rivers but also by foot or on horses.

In Lewis and Clark's footsteps

In 1806, Lewis and Clark reached the ocean, where the state of Washington borders Oregon: you can see a lot of landmarks in the area, testimonies of the great adventure they completed. As winters were harsh, they established a base camp to wait for the better spring days and get back on the road: Fort Clatsop. We saw a reconstructed version of this fort, where they spent winter with their men, continuing to document and map the lands they had explored. It was nice to learn more about their stories and how much information they gathered along their journey. A few miles down the road, we hoped on route 101, our turn to feel like explorers discovering the Oregon coastline. Whereas inland the sun was shining and it felt like a warm summer again, there was a thick gray sky and mist all along the coast. This is what makes the reputation of the Oregon coast, right!

A rugged coastline soon to be in the sun

As we stopped at Tolovana beach, we finally realized this was a milestone in our trip. Not only had we gone all the way to Alaska but we also had crossed the US from coast to coast. And this side of the country was wild, misty and beautiful. We took a walk on the beach, looking at the nearby rocks; purple, translucent and yellow jellyfish were scattered on the shore. As we went back on the bikes, it was hard to keep our eyes on the road, we were captivated by the ever changing coastline, especially around Newport. That night, when we camped there, there was something unique been rocked to sleep by the sound of the ocean and the “barking” sea lions.

The next morning, we were welcomed out of our tent by warm sunshine. This was going to be a good day for sure:) Anxious to ride in such weather, we continued on Route 101. That part of the coast was our favorite. The Cape Perpetua had some unique features, sculpted in volcanic rocks like the Devil's Churn and the Spouting Horn. Further, we stopped at the Haceta Head Lighthouse, which some local assured us was haunted and bringing tourists to the site was the only way they had found to keep the spirits under control! We did not see any spirits but were surely impressed by the beauty of the site as we walked uphill to the lighthouse. This area is also filled with sea lions, that we had a chance to observe swim in the waves or being knocked down from the rock where they were resting on as big waves were coming in. Quite a fun sight, especially with the background barking they were doing.

We rode the coast road all the way to Coos Bay before heading inland towards Crater Lake National Park, our next stop. South of Florence, we were surprised again by another site: the Oregon Dunes, huge sand dunes that people explore on 4-wheelers. For miles and miles, they were bordering the road, being a big change from the rocky shore we had previously seen. We were tempted to stay along the coast, given the weather and its beauty but decided to go and explore volcano country as planned. We will see how the Oregon mountains will treat us.