After our 80 miles from Waldport to Coos Bay yesterday, we rented a small car and my brother and I drove 100 miles to Cheshire OR where our grandparents lived when we were growing up. Grandpa finally passed on a few years ago, but his children have been working to do for the old house all that grandpa had wanted to do but didn’t know how or didn’t have time.
It was amazing to see with 48-year old eyes what is frozen as preteen memories of summer weeklong visits by my brother and me. These grandparents took my mom in as a teen and considered her their daughter. We were as close to them as our natural grandparents. (Divorce and remarriage gave us four of these). There is just something about visiting places from childhood to stir ancient long-forgotten memory.
Memories from day 3:
• Enjoying a hearty breakfast in the small coastal town of Yachats (while we dried our jerseys across the street in the town laundromat.)
• The amazing blueberry buckwheat pancakes Dad and I enjoyed.
• Some sizeable ups and downs on 101. Just before Sea Lion Caves, we rode high enough to come up out of the fog layer. Looked like heaven.
• Coasting down a few long, curvy grades at 40 mph, taking up the whole lane and keeping up with traffic. Exhilirating!
• My brother and I parting ways with Dad in Florence as he made his way to a one-way car rental in Eugene. He was tired of fighting a rear tire that broke 9 spokes and kept loosening others!
• In three days, finishing 230 miles in 60, 90 and 80 mile legs! It’s been amazing to discover how much I’ve been able to do.
• I’ve decided that I could have shot enough pictures on this trip so far to produce a coffee table book: “Roadkill of the Oregon Coast.” I’ve sadly seen just about every imaginable critter along the way.
• I continue to be amazed by the dozens of rivers, streams and “cricks” we’ve passed along our route so far. And most of them are crossed on bridges built decades ago with beautiful design and unique character. (By contrast, I’m aware of only one year-round flowing river within 50 miles of our home)
• Life wins! The greenery grows up through the asphalt along the side of the road.
• As I said a day or two ago, I’m loving life at bike speed. The unhurried pace allows me to see, to think, to pray more spaciously.
So, you are saying that 80 mph is unhurried?! God’s time is certainly different than our time!
Should have said 80 miles a DAY. Very decent pace…