It's Really Cold Out Here

The high for the day was like 64 degrees ... fahrenheit. This morning I rolled out early to try to make up a bit for yesterday. I was on the road by 9:30 am, but it was only about 55 degrees, cloudy and damp. I hate that. Like the dope I am I didn't bring along a pair of cold weather gloves, so my fingers and knees were cold all day. But at least it wasn't raining. Cold is one thing, but cold and wet is the worst way to ride. So I am thankful for no rain.

After a few hours the clouds moved over and let some sunshine down on me, which was nice while it lasted. Most of the day was cloudy with spots where the sun shone. I grabbed a few photos of the coast which is pretty, even with the goofball weather. But seriously, whose dumbass idea was it to come to a place so cold in August?

I crossed the 45th parallel again today, but didn't stop to take a picture as I have one already, so you'll just have to take my word for it this time (and really, why would I lie?).

One of the great things about traveling along the coast is the food. I had fish and chips for lunch which was very good, fresh cod.

Just before lunch I had a little freak thing happen. I was cold and a little tired and hungry (I'd gone a bit too far again, should have stopped for lunch 3 towns back), and my right leg had been achy all day. So when I got off the bike to gas up, my knee hit the key (which I had taken out of the ignition and put in the gas cap lock on the top of the tank). I didn't realize what I'd done until I tried to fit the key into the ignition again. The damn thing was BENT. I bent the ignition key when I bumped it with my knee. What a silly thing to do.

And here's the ironic part of all this: Before leaving NYC, I had a whole long debate with myself and a conversation with Lauren about leaving my spare keys with her, so I wouldn't loose them and she could FedEx me any of them I might need. Thankfully she said to just take them and I followed that advice. So I got the spare key out and started the bike up and moved it away from the gas pumps. By monkeying around with the original key I was able to straighten it out enough to get it to work again in the ignition, so short term problem solved.

Oh yeah - I hate gassing up in Oregon. They are the only other state (NJ being the other one) in the country that doesn't allow self-service gas pumps. It's some workers rights thing, but with a bike I'm not about to let some monkey pump gas all over my paint job. They didn't argue with me about pumping the gas, but I had to hand the kid my credit card so he could slide it through the slot to activate the pump, like I can't do that myself. Why don't they just go fill up a Hummer and leave the bikers to themselves?

It's the cold, I know it makes me irritable. I should just relax, but I'm from New York and don't know how.

OK - enough on that. Here's something I liked today. I rode through a town called Yachats and they had these little flags on the lampposts throughout the town that read, "la de da" and then had Yachats on the bottom. I guess that's the town motto, "la de da". It made me smile.
Of course, I should have stopped in Yachats for the night, but I waited too long to find a motel room, I don't know why I get into this thing where I think I can make the next town before packing it in for the day. Today, the next town turned into 2 towns and the last one was 25 miles away, and took 40 minutes to reach. But I found a good motel, had a bath to soak my cold, damp, achy bones, then found a place across the street for dinner (they were just closing up at 9 pm, but let me order anyway). Baked salmon and rice, not bad.

So that was basically my day. Tomorrow looks to be about the same as far as the weather goes. I'm looking forward to more great scenery along the coast and am excited about seeing the Redwoods as well. But I don't know how people come out here to the OR coast for summer vacation. It's too damn cold for me. Any idea when it gets warm again on this route? Let me know.

Last thing - I have been meaning to answer a question Guthrie asked in a comment he made back when I was stuck in Wyoming. It was about people's reaction to my being from NYC. Most people are interested that I've come all this way from NYC. It seems the further west I am, the more fascinated people are that I've driven out here on a motorcycle. I don't know that they like me, but they sure are intrigued by the idea of the trip.

See you in California.