DAY 3: Pacific City to Willimina: "If I die on this trip, it will probably be in Willamina" - Bad Tans and Beautiful Legs: Summer on the TransAmerica Trail - CycleBlaze

June 1, 2016

DAY 3: Pacific City to Willimina: "If I die on this trip, it will probably be in Willamina"

DAILY STATS

Mileage: 52.37

Average Speed: 12.5mph

Maximum Speed: 33.5mph

Today was my last day on the coast before truly heading east. I stopped in Neskowin for some fruit and cookies, and then turned inland. Old Scenic Highway 101 was a fantastic road--no traffic, beautiful, and smooth. I rode for a bit with a fellow going to San Francisco.

My final view of the Pacific!
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A little while later, I briefly chatted with a fellow TransAm rider! It's nice to know there are others out there.

Slowly making my way through the coastal range near Grand Ronde.
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The whole area I've been traversing is loving country. Willamina is also known as "Timbertown USA"
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Near the end of the day things got interesting. My maps listed a "biker-only campsite" in Willamina that I was hoping to use. I called ahead, and it turns out that the city vetoed the idea. Luckily, though, the kind woman on the phone offered me a place to pitch a tent for free. How sweet!

And then I got to the site, and it turned out to be pretty...questionable.

"Stealth" camping. Right nearby was a gas station and fairly busy trucking road. If die on this trip, it'll probably happen here in Willamina.
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Despite its rough appearance, the site was fine, albeit creepy. The woman in the trailer was friendly, and we chatted for a bit. She has lived quite the life as a bartender, bouncer, etc, so I knew she would protect me if things turned sour during the night. However, she didn't reassure me when she told me of the recent bear and cougar sightings in town. Oh joy.

Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km)
Total: 160 miles (257 km)

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