November 2: Kaleidoscope of Colors on Ride to the Coast

God is so good! As I was barreling down highway 26 west towards Seaside this morning, I couldn’t help but think how grateful I was to see bright blue patches of sky peering through the storm clouds. The colorful heavens above were just the beginning of what turned out to be a kaleidoscope of colors all along my route.

Heading out from West Linn this morning, the air was cool and crisp and the leaf-covered roads slick from the heavy overnight rains. But with a break in the precipitation forecasted until midafternoon, I decided to take a short ride over to the coast through the Clatsop State Forest.

With temperatures in the forties and low 50’s there was no snow on the pass but plenty of fall foliage all around. Bright bursts of red, yellow, and orange sprang forth from the deciduous trees and bushes on both sides of the road, making for a particularly scenic view as I swooped around one curve after another. At one breathtaking spot near Manning, vivid red trees resting on burnt orange grass stood in stark contrast to the lush green fields in the distance.

Arriving at Seaside, I headed to Sunset Beach, one of my favorite destinations on the Oregon Coast. Parking the bike, I meandered along the coastline, watching the grey and white seagulls as they circled the cloud-dotted sky above me and skimmed over the rocky beach.

Colorful green and blue seashells rested on silver and black mottled rocks and large pieces of dark brown and honey colored driftwood were strewn about, providing perches for the seagulls milling about. The light blue and aqua colored ocean waves swelled and broke on the horizon, and I ventured close enough to the water to get my boots wet. What a great day on the bike!