Motorcycle Trip, 2002 -- BMW K1200LT -- Extraterrestrial Hwy, Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef, Promontory, Hells Canyon, Snake River, Idaho Farmland, Kalispell, Missoula, Columbia Gorge, Oregon Coast

Motorcycle Trip, 2002 -- BMW K1200LT -- Extraterrestrial Hwy, Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef, Promontory, Hells Canyon, Snake River, Idaho Farmland, Kalispell, Missoula, Columbia Gorge, Oregon Coast

Day 13: Oregon Coast to California

Return to 2002 trip map.

Morning in Eugene. For breakfast I sought out the big Starbucks on 13th Street where I had stopped for afternoon coffee a year earlier.

I noticed something this year that I had not noticed in 2001: There were a lot of rules on 13th Street.

Also, numerous gendarmes (of the parking-patrol variety) were in evidence as I returned to my bike. What's happening here? Eugene looks like it should be a nice friendly town. (Why is it more and more places you go, every time you turn around there's someone with their hand out, most often the government? One of the things I love about Pleasanton, California, where I live now is, that there are absolutely no parking meters -- even in the heart of the downtown business district. There should be more places like that!)

My objective this day was to head over to the Oregon Coast and, now that I had my new digital camera along, to get the awesome pictures I had missed the previous year. Especially that last beautiful 50 miles or so before crossing the California line. From Eugene I headed south on I-5 to Rte. 99, and then Rte. 38 west through Elkton toward Reedsport where I picked up US 101, the Coast Highway, and headed south. Highway 38 is a scenic ride along the Umpqua, a fairly substantial little river. Just before reaching Reedsport I stopped at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area and was not disappointed.
I rode south on 101 to Coos Bay, where I stopped at another of my favorite restaurants for lunch: The Blue Heron. You may recall my reference for the Blue Heron from my account of my 2001 trip during which I stopped in Coos Bay for a night.

Good food, good beer, and an ample supply of reading materials (with a liberal bent) for the lone diner.

After lunch I resumed my journey, camera at the ready. I've taken to riding with my camera in its compact case slung over my shoulder via shoulder strap so I can grab it quickly to capture interesting scenery and avoid the need to hop off the bike and rummage through the tail pack.
The best Oregon coastal scenery starts just south of Port Orford and continues down to and just past the California line. But the mighty Pacific thwarted my efforts.

I got this one shot of offshore rocks peeking through the fog just past Port Orford. After that the marine layer hanging on the coast became so thick I could barely see the road, let alone the scenery. And it was cold! About 50 degrees F to be exact. The temperature combined with the dampness of the fog to make the ride downright miserable. Heated grips and heated seat turned on, I stubbornly resisted fishing the heated jacket liner out of my luggage and started looking for a route inland, of which there were virtually none until I crossed into California and reached the junction with US Hwy 199.
A few miles up US 199 the air started to warm and riding became more comfortable. Rather than going all the way north in Oregon to Grants Pass, I made a right turn at O'Brien and took the back-country road over the hills toward California Rte. 96. The scenery was good, but the road was very slow, climbing through several thousand feet of altitude with switchbacks and lots of tight turns. I finally arrived at the junction with CA 96 at Happy Camp, CA, around dusk. There were lots of Happy Campers in Happy Camp. (Now I know where that terminology comes from.) I probably should have looked for a place to stop for the night, but it appeared to be primarily a retreat for fishermen. There were plenty of RV parks, but virtually no stores, restaurants, motels, or tent-camping facilities. So I rode eastward on CA 96, which parallels the Klamath River, after dark. I rode slowly, watching carefully for deer and other hazards. After about two hours I reached Interstate 5, and a short jump southward took me to Yreka, California, where I found comfortable accomodations at a Best Western Inn. Yreka is a quaint little town with a historic center. I had dinner and walked a bit, stumbled into a pleasant lounge for a nightcap, then back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.

Return to 2002 trip map.

	Day 13: Oregon Coast to California
	Return to 2002 trip map.
	Morning in Eugene. For breakfast I sought out the big Starbucks on 13th Street where I had stopped for afternoon coffee a year earlier.
	I noticed something this year that I had not noticed in 2001: There were a lot of rules on 13th Street. Also, numerous gendarmes (of the parking-patrol variety) were in evidence as I returned to my bike. What's happening here? Eugene looks like it should be a nice friendly town. (Why is it more and more places you go, every time you turn around there's someone with their hand out, most often the government? One of the things I love about Pleasanton, California, where I live now is, that there are absolutely no parking meters -- even in the heart of the downtown business district. There should be more places like that!)
	My objective this day was to head over to the Oregon Coast and, now that I had my new digital camera along, to get the awesome pictures I had missed the previous year. Especially that last beautiful 50 miles or so before crossing the California line. From Eugene I headed south on I-5 to Rte. 99, and then Rte. 38 west through Elkton toward Reedsport where I picked up US 101, the Coast Highway, and headed south. Highway 38 is a scenic ride along the Umpqua, a fairly substantial little river. Just before reaching Reedsport I stopped at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area and was not disappointed. I rode south on 101 to Coos Bay, where I stopped at another of my favorite restaurants for lunch: The Blue Heron. You may recall my reference for the Blue Heron from my account of my 2001 trip during which I stopped in Coos Bay for a night. Good food, good beer, and an ample supply of reading materials (with a liberal bent) for the lone diner.
	After lunch I resumed my journey, camera at the ready. I've taken to riding with my camera in its compact case slung over my shoulder via shoulder strap so I can grab it quickly to capture interesting scenery and avoid the need to hop off the bike and rummage through the tail pack. The best Oregon coastal scenery starts just south of Port Orford and continues down to and just past the California line. But the mighty Pacific thwarted my efforts. I got this one shot of offshore rocks peeking through the fog just past Port Orford. After that the marine layer hanging on the coast became so thick I could barely see the road, let alone the scenery. And it was cold! About 50 degrees F to be exact. The temperature combined with the dampness of the fog to make the ride downright miserable. Heated grips and heated seat turned on, I stubbornly resisted fishing the heated jacket liner out of my luggage and started looking for a route inland, of which there were virtually none until I crossed into California and reached the junction with US Hwy 199. A few miles up US 199 the air started to warm and riding became more comfortable. Rather than going all the way north in Oregon to Grants Pass, I made a right turn at O'Brien and took the back-country road over the hills toward California Rte. 96. The scenery was good, but the road was very slow, climbing through several thousand feet of altitude with switchbacks and lots of tight turns. I finally arrived at the junction with CA 96 at Happy Camp, CA, around dusk. There were lots of Happy Campers in Happy Camp. (Now I know where that terminology comes from.) I probably should have looked for a place to stop for the night, but it appeared to be primarily a retreat for fishermen. There were plenty of RV parks, but virtually no stores, restaurants, motels, or tent-camping facilities. So I rode eastward on CA 96, which parallels the Klamath River, after dark. I rode slowly, watching carefully for deer and other hazards. After about two hours I reached Interstate 5, and a short jump southward took me to Yreka, California, where I found comfortable accomodations at a Best Western Inn. Yreka is a quaint little town with a historic center. I had dinner and walked a bit, stumbled into a pleasant lounge for a nightcap, then back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.
	Return to 2002 trip map.