Sunday, April 25, 2010

Trip to the Coast

I don't know if I've written this statement before but I wish I had discovered the bliss of motorcycle traveling years ago.  Last week I had the privilege of working on the coast for a couple of days.

I'm still delivering our new catalog.  Here's my first stop on the way to the coast in Grand Ronde with the bike loaded with 10 catalogs plus my gear.

About 15 miles north of Newport on the coast is a famous resort called Salishan Lodge.  This landmark golf resort is usually bustling with people and cars. This time of year they're generally busy with corporate meetings and banquets but as you can see the parking lot is pretty sparse.

Lincoln City and Newport are two large cities on the southern end of Oregon's north coast. I usually make a couple of sales calls in Lincoln City before heading south to Newport, about 20 miles away.

Lunch in Newport was my usual fare of "eating fresh" at Subway.  There were two older guys who had big Harley touring bikes eating lunch here as well.  A third guy who was in line with me also is a Harley owner.  We had a nice brief conversation about motorcycles before he joined the other two guys.  When they left I noticed the leather vests on the first two guys.  It said, "Vietnam Veterans - Newport, OR" I think that's pretty cool to be in that group.

After working most of the afternoon in Newport I usually head back north through Lincoln City for the 60 mile ride to Rockaway Beach where I'll spend the night. This market in Neskowin is about 15 miles north of Lincoln City.  It's in a great spot to grab a soda and maybe a candy bar.  The candy bar is to keep my focus sharp and I only indulge once and awhile. At least that's my theory. If you look closely, this market comes complete with a dog on the porch.

This is "The Ghost Hole".  It's a popular Tillamook Bay fishing spot. The first photo of the post was also taken here.  This is also a popular view-point for the Bay.  The two posts that you see in the water are for mooring a small dock that has portable bathrooms during the fishing season.  Fishermen have been known to drink a beverage that increases bladder activity.

This is Lake Lytle in Rockaway as I left town Friday morning. This is only about 90 miles from downtown Portland yet so different.  Being almost due west of Portland, Rockaway was a popular vacation and weekend get-away spot in the early 1900's. It was Elmer Lytle who promoted the first steam engine train that ran from the western edge of Portland's farmland to Rockaway in 1906.

After making more sales calls in Tillamook I had lunch before the ride through the coastal range back to Portland.  Heading out of town through the dairy farms I stopped to check out some of Tillamook's most prominent citizens.

Evidently it's been quite some time since number 108 has seen a guy wearing a white helmet with a day-glo green jacket.  She came over to get a closer look.

Or maybe she's thinking, "is that a Beemer?"

21 comments:

  1. Number 108 was actually thinking "Is he wearing leathers?"

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really like that photo of Miss 108.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gary - I laughed out loud when I read your comment. Thank you!

    Danny - she takes a pretty good picture! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mike:

    108 is looking at me with "those" eyes, sort of like a Mona Lisa smile

    bob
    Wet Coast Scootin

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bob - I laughed out loud on your comment too! I noticed she does have a slight smile. I wonder what's up with that?! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mike:

    perhaps it was the way you were dressed ? did you forget to bring along your PINK crocs ?

    bob
    Wet Coast Scootin

    ReplyDelete
  7. As a matter of fact I did, Bob. Pink crocs might get me arrested in Tillamook though. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bob - I meant to say "I didn't" have pink crocs on. Now maybe my last comment makes sense. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gee, you have a tough job Mike!

    Methinks Bob has a Crocs fixation - maybe some therapy needed here :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great pictures Mike - glad to see you had a great trip!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Geoff,
    My job is tough, but you know the old saying... somebody's got to do it! Bob gets a lot of mileage out of those pink crocs. :) Thanks Geoff.

    Lance,
    Thank you! Hope all is well with you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great series on the coast!

    I love the shot of Lake Lytle - beautiful! And the dairy cows on that vibrant green background. 108 - she's a very cool cow. She looks pretty sharp. I bet she knows a Beemer when she sees one, but per Gary's comment, she might be checking for leather. If so look out!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great coast photos but somebody kept sticking a motorcycle in the way! :)

    I appreciate this post because it is an example of what my blog started out as. A place to show that motorcycles aren't just for recreation. They can be very practical and useful transportation for work and life's activities.

    Well done, my friend!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you Kari. As you know, the coast is a beautiful place.

    It would be interesting to try and find Miss 108 again. Kind of like photo tag, only cow tag. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks Dan. Yeah, they're good all purpose transportation. Except my regional manager is with me this week so the bike is in the garage.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mike:

    PSST! MIKE (whispering)

    When is your manager leaving, we are missing your bike photos . . . ? You couldn't tell him to visit on a rainy week ?

    bob
    Wet Coast Scootin

    ReplyDelete
  17. Bob,
    Thanks for your kind comment! You just made my day. He's gone and yes we did get hard rain at times this week too. Now I'll get some more posting fodder. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Mike:

    I like visiting here and I know that I do give you a bad time, once in a while, but all in fun. Never malicious. You do have a sense of humour.

    I feel sorry for "108" , I keep thinking hamburger. If you had acreage we could all chip in to buy her, and she could roam free forever . resist the temptation to try to find her 'cause if she's missing, I would feel sad

    bob
    Wet Coast Scootin

    ReplyDelete
  19. Bob,
    I never take your comments as anything but helpful & fun. I always appreciate you visiting here and your comments.

    I went by that Tillamook farm again about two hours ago. No cows in that field but I told my wife I'm going to try and find Miss 108 again one day.

    Take care!

    ReplyDelete
  20. If we all chipped in and bought miss 108, one of us would have to milk her. I am no good - too much of a city boy.

    We could build a big sidecar and take her for rides on our bikes. Bob could make a movie of this. Wasn't there a movie called "Driving Miss Daisy"? We could call our "Riding Miss Daisy". No, wait a minute - people might get the wrong idea.

    Good luck with trying to find her again Mike.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Gary,
    That's an interesting idea but I don't know about that milking part. I'm a city boy too! I only like skim milk on cereal and that's it. Miss 108 might be attracted to motorcyclists though. Maybe I should'nt look her up. Thanks Gary!

    ReplyDelete