March 1: Three Amigos- A Peak From Up High

From spectacular mountain top vistas to stormy seas, today’s ride showcased some of the very best of Oregon’s natural beauty. However, the biggest thrill for me was hitting the road for several hundred miles with two of my favorite buddies. Read more of the details here.

Leaving Oregon City early this morning, Leo Guzman Fernandez and I followed the Willamette River west though a thick blanket of fog and south along the Canby-Marquam Highway through rolling honey-colored fields, orchards of barren fruit and nut trees lined up like sentries, and farmlands dotted with red and brown barns.

Heading west on highway 20 into Philomath, we met up with Gene Lord and continued along highway 34 to the Mary’s Peak turnoff. The ride up to the highest point in the Cascade Range was quite a thrill as shade from evergreen trees on both sides of the rugged mountain road obscured potholes and debris in the way. Skirting piles and rows of loose gravel, thick branches strewn all over, and deep holes in the asphalt, at one point my body went airborne but my hands kept me on the bike.

My breath caught in my throat as I gazed to the right near the summit to see waves of yellow grass framing a rippling sea of blue mountain peaks layered with crisp white blankets of fog. Passing a bed of snow, I pulled into the partly loose gravel parking lot to take in the view of Willamette Valley and the Cascade Range stretching out in the horizon.

After descending the mountain, we followed the Alsea River west to the coast, snaking back and forth with the contours of the winding body of water through the lush green trees towering above us.

Crossing over the Alsea Bay Bridge and heading north on highway 101, we pulled over to take in the spectacular panorama of the story seas, with white frothy waves crashing against the brown rocky, orange and yellow colored sand dunes, highlighted by scrubby green brush and grey and black spindly tree branches.

After passing Seal Rock we turned east into Newport and parked at the Local Ocean Restaurant right on Yaquina Bay. Our “Moqueca De Peixe” Brazilean Stew was chock full of fresh rockfish, scallops, wild prawns, and Dungeness Crab floating in a bed of green-curry coconut milk sprinkled with red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and onion. I savored every delightful spoonful. My rich dark-chocolate dessert with thick cream, honey, and berries hit the spot.

As we headed east right at the Bay’s edge, I reveled in the sensation of following so closely to the smooth, silver-blue body of water, thinking that it felt as if we were skimming over the surface.

I have to say, there’s nothing like riding with two friends whom you’ve already spent so much time on the road. We are easily able to communicate our needs and work as a team. At one point, Leo saw me trying to shove the end of my sleeve back in my winter glove at a stoplight. Without even asking, he pulled over so that I could properly fix it. Later in the day, when Leo passed a slower moving car in front, and all three of us were able to seamlessly pull back fully on our throttles and safely pass, I felt tears of joy welling up in me, seeing one good friend in front through my windshield and another in my rear view mirror.