Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3

Mysterious James and I emerge from our three-night Cannon Beach odyssey to accidentally unlock our cycling superpowers, turning a modest Tillamook target into a shocking 52-mile triumph. It's the usual stuff: ice cream as performance enhancer, and the stunning revelation that hydration might actually matter. But with tomorrow's weather turning and our schedule still behind, will this newfound confidence carry us forward or set us up for an epic crash?

Key Highlights

• Morning departure from Cannon Beach with sunny weather (rain expected tomorrow)
• Arch Cape Tunnel challenge - one of the less enjoyable parts of the Oregon coast, but navigated successfully with proper lighting and safety gear
• Strong riding performance despite variable winds - tailwinds providing good speed, headwinds creating challenges around rivers and inlets
• Confidence boost as both riders felt strong throughout the day, a marked improvement from their struggles the previous day leaving Beaverton
• Hydration success - Tim credits focused hydration efforts for dramatically improved performance
• Cape Lookout State Park arrival - described as potentially "the best camp on the coast" with individual pod-like clearings and ocean wave sounds

 

Route Details

• Departed Cannon Beach early morning
• Climbed through Arch Cape Tunnel to Manzanita (20-mile checkpoint)
• Continued south past Garibaldi and Bay City to Tillamook
• Extended ride from Tillamook to Cape Lookout State Park
• Riders met at Safeway in Tillamook for resupply (chicken strips and ice cream)

 

Camp Review: Cape Lookout State Park

Pros: - Excellent location directly on the coast - Individual pod-like campsites with perfect flat ground - Beautiful ocean wave sounds - Great overall facilities

Cons: - Long walk to bathhouse/showers - Charging stations only have USB-A ports (no USB-C or standard 110V outlets)

 

Tomorrow's Plan

• Targeting Beverly Beach as the main goal
• South Beach as potential stretch goal (though 70 miles seems too ambitious)
• Weather forecast: overcast and cool - ideal "James and Tim weather"
• Still working out end-of-week logistics due to being behind schedule
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Technology MVP

Perplexity AI proving invaluable for route planning and logistics, including confirming their direct route choice over the longer ACA (Adventure Cycling Association) scenic route.

 

Statistics

• Miles Biked: 52
• Times Tim arrived before James: 2 (hmm… that's not normal. Foreshadowing…)
• Power of James's insane phone charger: 100 watts
• Consecutive nights at Cannon Beach: 3 (do I need to declare it as a part time residence this year?)

• • Flats: Zero