Branch out ride

In the past couple of years I've met quite a few area riders thanks to a local Pacific Northwest forum. The administrators have divided the forum into regions and invited active forum users to become moderators. I am a moderator for the Corvallis and Albany area, although our coffee club of riders is pretty mellow and don't require much moderating, except when riders from other regions come in and stir the pot. I get to watch the thread either fade away or on rare occasion monitor posts to make sure they don't get too heated.

I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to meet a Portland moderator when I returned a banner we used for the Independence Western Days Ride-In bike show. She mentioned to me her idea of a branch out ride. She would invite riders from Portland, Salem, Eugene and Roseburg to meet in Corvallis and ride to the coast. This would be an opportunity for the moderators and other members from different regions of the forum to meet and ride together. She asked if I would attend, posted the idea with a meet up place and time, mapped out a route and we ran with it. Although the ride was posted with 2 weeks short notice, we couldn't have predicted the weather that far in advance. Yesterday was the prequel to the heat wave we are suffering this week and pushed 96º in the valley. We had 14 bikes show up from as far north as Portland and as far south as Grass Pants, 3 hours away. This added to the 150+ mile ride already planned up Mary's Peak, over to the coast and back inland. To allow enough time for riders to descend on Corvallis, the official group ride didn't start until 1:00, which had everyone eager to ride for a cooler clime. We left and headed up to Mary's Peak hoping an altitude change would cool us off, unfortunately we weren't so lucky.





Everyone huddled in the shade of the restrooms to beat the heat but that wasn't enough so we headed down the hill and over to Waldport.



Being the only cruiser and the only one riding two up, we rode sweep so we didn't get very many pictures so the rest I'll borrow from the other riders who posted on the forum.

Gas stop in Waldport



Another rider bid farewell and headed south for home while the rest of us rode North to Newport.

The weather in Waldport and Newport was beautiful, the sun was shining and the temperature was in mid to high 60ºs. However, between the two points was almost too cold. Seal Rock always seems to be cold and foggy and although I know of a road that bypasses the coast I thought the leather clad riders may appreciate the coastal breeze. Those of us in mesh gear couldn't wait to make the 16 mile journey north to Newport for Starbuck's coffee. Yes, I was drinking a hot coffee not more than an hour after complaining it was to hot in the valley.



A few more riders dropped out and headed for the long journey home while the remaining group headed back inland via tourist traveled Highway 20 to Eddyville. We turned onto Highway 180 to take an alternate route to Blodgett where we stopped for water and drinks. We all decided to part ways as some riders still had a two to three hour ride ahead of them to get home.



It was an honor to play host for the afternoon, meet other moderators and forum members and I look forward to an invite to play in their neighborhood sometime. Let's just wait for this 102º+ heat wave to subside.


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