Anchorage to Phoenix Bike Ride: Day 63

I woke up at 7:20am and packed up. I talked to Mike and said we could meet up in Neskowin. The rain had stopped.

Mike and I met and chatted for awhile while before we set out riding. We took the old Highway 101 and climbed up on a windy forest road. The climb was worth it because we were rewarded with about 1.5 miles of fun, winding downhill road through the forest. The sun was coming through the leaves and the road was the perfect grade so you didn’t have to use brakes but it was fast enough to be exciting.

We rode along the coast over some rolling hills and we met a cyclist from Juneau named Clint. Finally came to Newport and we stopped at Taco Bell because Mike was really hungry. Then we headed to the Newport Bike Shop which was voted America’s best bike shop by Adventure Cycling Magazine. The bike shop provided a shower, laundry, and coffee for free to any touring cyclists. I had my disc brakes tuned up and my front wheel bearings greased at the bike shop while I took a shower. They only charged me $10.

We left the bike shop and rode to the Rogue Brewery. Then we went to find a campsite at South Beach State Park. Mike went to the brewery while I met some campers and made marshmallows.

I got into bed and just before I was about to go to sleep I called Mike and asked what he was doing. He said he was a the brewery about to have a beer. I decided to get up and go meet him there. At the bar I met Kim and Joseph from Eugene, Oregon. Kim and Joseph offered to take us in their van to another bar in Newport and we said yes. At the next bar we played cribbage and Kim offered us a place to stay in Eugene.

We made it back to the campsite and Kim and Joseph camped nearby.