All pics are clickables!  😉

Before heading up the Oregon coast we rode to the Northern tip of California.  Part of the Redwood Forest.  We literally stopped at the visitors station to pee and look around and then went right up the coast, Rt 101. We have done this route many times before in a Jeep and on our bikes.  To be honest we never really get enough of the coast and we never see it the same time of year. 

The moment we hit the west the temperature dropped to 12 C or 53 F and never got above 17 C or 62 F.  Initially it was overcast skies and then for our last day pouring rain.  Not unusual for route 101.  The sea fog can obscure most views but we did get our dose of the ocean while on the bikes.

15.5 C (60 F) was an average temp all the way up.  A drastic contrast to the 42 C (107 F) in the desert.  We almost had to plug in our heated liners. 

For those who have never been to the coast this is a typical view unless you get lucky to have clear skies.

There are plenty of vistas to pull over and get that Kodak moment

As I have said before our family and friends do no understand all the bike shots but we do and this is why.  No matter where you shoot the bikes on the coast it makes for a beautiful memory.

We used our little Gorilla Tri-pod for this self timer. 

Soon after this stop we ran into thick sea fog and drizzle.  Temp dropped to 12 C (53 F) so we kept riding to find a place to stop and sleep.

Even in the fog it’s a beautiful place to ride.

Not really raining more like misting.  Just enough to be annoying.

At this point we were not sure where we wanted to camp or stop.  The weather was not looking good, we were indecisive so we stopped in Bandon for what we were told has the best coffee in Oregon.  

Cute town just like Canon Beach and Seaside. 

The more I look back at these pics the more I can see why we just rode.  Although we were happy to be on the coast, we were a little frustrated with the lack of views.  The fog was dense and even when we rode through Canon Beach and Seaside it was nothing but fog and we did not even stop. 

No matter what I took as picture it felt like we were riding in soup.  I could not really get a clear shot for miles and miles. 

We got to the Florence famous dunes area.  Years ago we rented a dune buggy and went out on them.  I almost killed us by tipping over a few times.  This time we walked up in our gear and let me tell you that was a chore but the view was awesome despite getting rained on.

It was very steep to climb and for every one step you took up we fell back three.

Folks drive their toy haulers onto the dunes and pull out their ATV’s.  All have paddle tires on them.  Someone asked if we rode our bikes on the dunes…Hell no…impossible we say!  😉

Here is a link to the 360 degree view of where we were….it’s a pretty awesome way to see the dunes

CLICK HERE FOR 360 VIEW

South of Florence, the mountains move inland. The dunes lie along the coast, with the estuaries of three major river valleys connected by two long stretches of sand. This 40 miles of dunescape is made accessible at many points along Highway 101.

Back on the road we went after our work out to find a place to stop for the night

to be con’t