The First Days.....

Wednesday had most of us travelling by plane, train or vehicle to the Hillsboro Budget Inn coming in from various airports in the US and Canada.  The heat hit us getting off the train - it was a high of 90 degrees - the first week of real summer that had hit Portland, we were told.  By 5:00 p.m. everyone had arrived except Bernie and Anna who were visiting with relatives in Portland.  We were to take the MAX Light Rail system from the Portland airport which would bring us within 2 blocks of the Inn.  All of has had nothing but praise for the rail system that runs from the airport to all areas around Portland.  The bike routes through and around the city are very well used and cycle friendly - very impressive to see.  

After having happy hour in one of our rooms, we ventured out for some dinner and came back for a brief meeting to get our instructions/directions from our leader and called it a day - some of us had had a very long day getting up at 2:00 a.m. to catch flights early in the morning.

The early birds were up bright and early and at the local MacDonald's for breakfast on Thursday morning.  We were to be back at 7:50 for final instructions and group prayer before we hit the road.  We woke up to sunshine and somewhat cooler temperature - great for cycling.  By 8:30 we were on the road - 11 cyclists and 3 support people.  We had scouted out a grocery store where we could buy supplies for lunch so off the support people went and we loaded up and we met up with the cyclists a few kilometers down the road.    

The cyclists enjoyed the first 20 or so kilometers of easy cycling  before the challenge of the first mountain pass came into view.  Two mountain passes were crossed before we met up for a "tail gate" lunch date at 11:30.  By now the temperature had risen by quite a few degrees and the cyclists were sweating either from all the climbing or the rise in temperature so they deserved a well earned rest over lunch.  After lunch there were two more mountain passes to cross before we would arrive in Cannon Beach.  We could tell that we were getting closer to the coast because the temperature was dropping quite rapidly.  

While driving the last few miles into Cannon Beach we observed fog rolling from the ocean, something we had been told could happen.  We arrived at the Cannon Beach Hotel by 2:30 and were told that the sun would be coming out by 3:00 p.m.  - the prediction was right - the sun came out and we all ventured down to the beach to view the famous Haystack Rock towering 235 feet above the shoreline.  At low tide, we saw sea stars of many colours, anemones that open like flowers at the bottom of the pools and tiny hermit crabs that scurry along - all very interesting and indicative of God's beautiful creation.

Before the day ended we would find the group celebrating Bill's  birthday which was yesterday and Rita's birthday today by having coffee and birthday cake after supper tonight.  Some of us did the same last year in Europe - will we be making this an annual event?  

Cannon Beach is very much a resort town - tourists strolling either  the streets or  the beach.  Flowers abound everywhere - so many different colours and varieties.  Pictures will be forthcoming....

Total kilometers cycled today were 108......no flats......