October 8: All I Needed to See In Alsea

It’s hard to beat a beautifully curved road covered by a canopy of fall leaves with the sun breaking through and a river running alongside you. Although today’s ride to the coast for fresh fish was fogged in on highway 101, the ride there along Hamm Road and then back through Alsea was a wonderful fall treat.

Today’s ride was primarily inspired by food. I’ve had a hankering for the fresh fish salad at Luna’s Sea House in Yachats ever since I ate there two years ago and decided to take the long loop there today while there is still plenty of daylight. Of course, I had to stop in Creswell before hitting the coast so that I could have breakfast at my favorite bakery.

From Creswell, I enjoyed the twists and turns through the forest on Hamm Road before turning north on Territorial Highway towards Veneta and then west on highway 26. The air was crisp, and the trees were bursting with color. A multitude of red, yellow, and orange leaves danced on the road in front of me as I swooped past fields and then along the Siuslaw River to Florence.

After gassing up I headed north on highway 101 to Yachats for lunch at Luna’s. Although views of the stunning Pacific Ocean were largely obscured by fog, I was still able to get some beautiful glimpses of soft sand beaches, rocky cliffs, and gently rolling waves.

I ordered a grilled fresh salmon salad with mandarin oranges, cranberries, walnuts, tomatoes, and cucumber with a side of ranch dressing. The serving size of the salmon was generous and the fish itself was moist and flavorful. I asked for a cup of hot water to go with my meal as the temperatures on the coast were markedly cooler than inland.

Heading home, I crossed over the Alsea Bay Bridge and turned east on highway 34 towards Philomath. This stretch of road along the Alsea River and framed by so many beautiful trees was the highlight of the ride for me. The road twisted and turned under a beautiful canopy of fall colors with ample views of the river as well as blue skies above. There was almost no traffic, allowing me to travel at my own speed, lean into the curves, and savor the ride.

Riding home along the interstate gave me such much-needed time to reflect on all that I am grateful for and to put some final touches on the message I will be sharing at House Northwest Church tomorrow.