Seal Rock, Otter Crest, and Sheep in the Hatch
My what a day! Seal Rock, Otter Crest, and Sheep in the Hatch! Life is always an adventure on a bike. Today’s ride was chock full of gorgeous scenery, great riding, and good food as I travelled south to Creswell and then followed the Oregon coastline heading north.
I had a craving for my favorite breakfast sandwich, so I headed south to the Creswell Bakery this morning to fuel up for a long day on the road. All the stress of the week melted away as I bit into my crunchy ciabatta roll topped with melted Tillamook cheese, a fresh egg fried over easy, and home-cured bacon. The desert was just as wonderful – a blackberry fruit tart with a crispy sugar cookie shell, almond paste, and juicy blackberries.
As I was savoring my food a Toyota Prius with two women pulled up and I heard what seemed to be the sound of sheep bleating. My curiosity got the better of me, so I walked behind their car and sure enough – there were two sheep in the back of their hatch! Apparently, the sheep had been abandoned by their mothers at birth and the women had nursed them back to health so they could be a source of wool for the ranch they belonged to. I befriended one of the two-month old sheep – his name was Fergus – before going on my way.
From Creswell I took back roads along Camas Swale Road and Territorial Highway and then proceeded on highway 126 west to Florence. I love the tight twists and turns at the beginning followed by lush green forests and then the Siuslaw River as you pull into town.
After gassing up my first stop on highway 101 was at Seal Rock. What a scenic stretch of coastline with jagged cliffs, multi-colored rocks, rolling waves, and wet sand. I feasted on half of a cold roast beef sandwich from the bakery while soaking up the sun.
From there I headed north through Waldport and Depot Bay to Otter Crest Loop. I love this one-way winding road that hugs the cliffs and provides million-dollar views of the Oregon Coastline. There are several good spots to pull over for photos where the lush greenery frames the rocks and beach bellow.
The last stop for the day was at Road End State Recreation Park where I followed the little footpath down to the beach and sat on a log admiring the view. I had saved the cheese and bread from my sandwich earlier and snacked on the last of these baked goods while I listened to the sound of the waves as the tide came in. It was also great to meet a couple friendly riders from the Salem Riders Group who said hello and shared some of the adventure stories.
