The Rest of Washington State

After four nights in the Olympic National Park I had two more nights on the road before I crossed the border into Oregon. On the sixth night I had a shower!!! Absolute bliss!!

I stuck to Highway 101 most of the way and headed inland down through Aberdeen (home of Kurt Cobain) and Raymond and then hit the coast again. I caught a transit bus for about 70 miles of the boring inland bit. Totally worth the $1.50 it cost!!

Had to stealth camp at one place due to it being closed (used to this now) and then had two very leisurely days to travel the further 40 miles to Oregon.

The weather was lovely and sunny with cold frosty mornings. Lots of sea views, two lighthouses, a very well deserved shower, my first tunnel and one very, very, very long bridge and then I was in Oregon!!!

The Astoria-Megler Bridge
This bridge connects Washington and Oregon across the mighty Columbia River and is 4.1 miles (6.6km) long. It has one lane of traffic going each way, no bike lane, a shoulder maybe 1m wide (if you’re lucky!) and a sign at the beginning of the bridge to warn motorists there might be cycles on the bridge.  That is all.

Sooooooooo there were road works at the Washington end of the bridge that made it into one lane, the guy directing traffic said “Start pedalling, go as fast as you can and don’t stop”. So I did. I have never cycled 4 miles so fast!!! Trucks and cars were howling past but I could not get over into shoulder because a furious cross wind would blow me into concrete edging and then I would get squished. At the Oregon end there is a nasty uphill bit (after you have been pedalling like crazy) to get over the part of the bridge that container ships go underneath.

It was intense!!! Soothed nerves afterwards with several nice beers at a brewery in Astoria and swapped stories with the three lads from the UK who I bumped into again = hurrah!! One had ripped a pannier but otherwise they were ok and had not really enjoyed the experience either.

We all survived to cycle another day!!!

An example of a nice bridge, Naselle River.

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.

North Head Lighthouse.

Last day in Washington. North Head Lighthouse.

Astoria-Megler Bridge from the Washington side. An example of an evil bridge.

From the Oregon side.

Containner ships queued on the Columbia River.