Day 7 Sweet all around!

What do you do when your biker dude has left, the interesting downtown stores aren't open and you've already played your online Scrabble? Well, I stopped in at the only place I found open at 9:30 in Bandon...the Cranberry Sweets store.  Apparently they have 150 original creations made locally and are famous for their free samples. By the time I left there, I had eaten more than I bought!

Other sweet surprises included cranberry bogs along the route. Bryan noticed the irrigation aspects while I tried to find a place to pull over for a photo. It is much easier for him to stop on a dime. However, I did stop at a myrtle wood factory to learn that this tree is limited to a narrow band in the area. These are very slow-growing hardwoods that are also found as a bush in Israel. While their finished products were works of art, I came away with a planed board for $1.50 to take to a friend in Outlook. He will be surprised!

As I continued on, there were so many beautiful views that I just had to stop several times.  Light traffic, a relaxed 55 mph, slow driver lanes and lots of turnouts make that pretty easy. Here are some of the views I had before meeting Bryan for lunch just out of Port Orford.

Seeing Bryan on the highway is pretty sweet too. He was enjoying the day, with the added challenge of some good uphill grades but felt strong and ready for the next leg. I was taking in the sights at Arizona Beach when I saw him zip by on the 101 above me. That yellow jacket is easy to spot. I continued my chat with a retired Wisconsin teacher who was a park host with her husband. Sweet job!

I had time to visit a second stretch of sand Gold Beach before connecting with Bryan again. We also exchanged stories with an experienced bicyclist who was on his way north on the 101. With another 45 km to go to our stop in Brookings for the night, Bryan headed out again while I did some beach combing.

From Gold Beach, there are so many great views of the rock formations, including Arch Rock. A short walk gave me the best angles for these photos.

Bryan and I always meet at the first tourist information or rest stop as we get to a town so today, I waited for him just inside Brookings. The motel room was booked and our bags unloaded, so I sat a picnic table and soaked up the sunshine while I read a book. He was glad to arrive at our destination at 5:45. Unfortunately, his tough climb just after we had met earlier left him pretty thirsty and hungry.

Before long, showered and fed, Bryan was ready to head for the local beach. We watched the sun set, hiked back up to the SUV and went hunting for the evening pasta feed. We had fantastic lasagna and ravioli at little place called the Black Trumpet Bistro. After biking 134 km, Bryan deserved it, but I may have to start an exercise program of my own if I am going to continue eating so well.

On a bad news, good news note.....Bryan discovered a failing sprocket on his derailler, but Brookings has a highly recommended bike shop. It doesn't open until 10 am, but we will still cross the border into California tomorrow. On all accounts, there is so much to see from Crescent City and on. Really? SWEET!