Day 75: Westport WA to Coos Bay OR 350km

It is a cold grey start this morning and the temperature is 57degF /13degC.
An extra Icebreaker layer and the weatherproof liner are needed.
My heated jacket is back in. New Zealand. I didn't think I'd be needing it during the second stage of our journey.
During the first hour or so we ride through extensive marsh areas. Sloughs.
Beams of sunlight set the sea a'shimmer.
We are riding South into the sun - and will be for the remainder of our ride. There will be some interesting sun effects in my photos.
Many of the sloughs have posts and poles. In this photo they are obviously a jetty but I don't know what the poles in the middle of 'streams' are where The water is shallow and the floor is muddy that I don't think it is for boats
Well, well, well...
We are back in the Lewis and Clark trail.
Here is Cape Disapointment - the place on the north shore of the Columbia River where Lewis and Clark first sighted the Pacific Ocean.

We follow the signs and ride to the Lewis and Clark Interpretation Centre.
There is a splendid display of information about the Lewis and Clark expedition.
The expedition was instigated by Thomas Jefferson immediately after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 when the US government purchased Louisiana and the mid west territorities from Napoleon who was short of funds for his warmongering. Very little was known in Washington DC about the territories so the the Corps of Discovery was sent on a journey to find our more and to find a route to the Pacific Ocean.
Indian tribes and French fur trappers were well aquatinted with the area about to be explored by Lewis and Clark.
Here are some notes in the exhibition.
H

.
"...a woman with a party is a token of peace."
Here is the key to their success.

Sacagawea, a young Indian woman, was married to a French fur trapper.

She travelled with, and acted as interpreter, for the Corps of Discovery. She was pregnant when she joined the Corps with her French husband. She gave birth en route and carried on with the journey

The view from the Cape Disappointment.
We have chanced upon the Lewis and Clark expedition several times during our journey.
First at Harpers Ferry, at Pierre SD, then near Hamilton MO, in the Lolo Pass and now near Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia where the expedition set up a winter camp before they returned east to Washington DC.
Over the Columbia River Bridge and into Astoria, OR.
We rode on with splendid views of the Pacific Ocean, beaches and bush-clad mountains.
A highlight of each day is the people we meet.
Here is four week old Ziana cradled in Daddy's arms.
James and Drew are Mormon elders. They have raised enough money to support themselves for their two year mission in Tillamoor County. Delightful young men.

When James told me that when he lived in Seattle it rained for 161 days straight I realised we had been very blessed with the sunshine that accompanied our visit in this region,


Blue skies, farmland...

Spectacular bridges...

Windswept coastal plants...



Sand dunes.

Splendid roads ...

More bridges...

Deliver us to Coos Bay.

We have dinner at the Blue Heron.

Clam chowder to start.

A long day on the road. 11 hours.

We were glad we took the time to see the Lewis and Clark exhibition.

The traffic along the coast was slow.

It is Friday and many people from Seattle and Eugene are heading for the coast for the weekend.

Many no vacancy signs are posted as we rode through holiday towns.

Dick thinks ahead and had prebooked a room for tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

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