Covid Cross Day #50 Portland, OR to Clatskanie, OR
Covid Cross Day #50
July 24, 2020
Portland, OR to Clatskanie, OR 61 Miles
Start 7:03 AM Finish 7:13 PM
Ride Time 5:58
Ascent 1147 Feet
Descent 1273 Feet
Tour Total Miles 3964
I slept well in Uncle Taco’s garden last night on his outdoor pallet bed. He and Kim had made a fantastic dinner. Their friends came over we talked about shooting stars, COVID, and the Portland riots, which I was told took up a total area of four square blocks.
I woke up with the sun, the birds, and the garbage collection. I packed up and Googled my way back over to the beautiful Saint John’s Bridge. I passed rows of homeless camps along the bike trail in St Johns. I crossed back over the Willamette River and got back on US Highway 30. It was still early and there was a lot of motor traffic so I turned on my blinking red tail light. It felt sad and lonely being back out on the road alone. I missed Henry and Linda, and had hardly spent any time with Taco and Kim. The tour was basically over. I was riding to Astoria to wind down the clock and to pedal the full route. My heart was barely in it.
The first town I came to was Burlington. Other than a strip club, there wasn’t much there. I was riding on a four-lane highway, and the shoulder was twelve feet wide. The air was cool, and I was wearing my sweater. I continued down the highway and entered Scappoose, population 6592. I was ready for breakfast and not particularly interested in fast food options. I spotted Ichabod’s Restaurant, where I had to wait for a seat because of COVID occupancy restrictions. Once inside, I had the breakfast special with biscuits and gravy with eggs over-easy, pepper bacon, coffee, and orange juice.
After breakfast I continued west on Highway 30. The sky was overcast, and I was chilly. I put on my rain jacket and leg-warmers. There was a railroad track to my right, and lots of motor traffic on the road, including log trucks. I was dodging occasional bark pieces on the shoulder. The Columbia River and numerous channels and islands were out of sight off to my right.
The next town I came to was Saint Helens, population 12,883. I continued west and came to Columbia City, population 1946. I pedaled past fuchsia-colored wildflowers on the side of the road. Finally the Columbia River came back into view and I could see Washington State on the far side. The highway merged down to two lanes of traffic, and there was a a nice six foot shoulder for me to ride on. I passed a sign for Deer Island, no population listed and not much more than a trailer park.
I began to feel a little sprinkle outside of Goble, no population listed. Ocean freighters could be seen out on the river. I pedaled into the city of Rainier, population 1895. There was a giant wood chipping mill across the river, in addition to a large grain elevator complex and several ocean freighters. I looked for a place to get a beer, but couldn't find anything to my liking. I passed a lumber operation on the Oregon side and a large bridge across the river to Longview Washington.
Then the climb began. I had a 500 foot rise over a bump that cut away from the river. The highway was four lanes of high speed traffic with a three foot shoulder up against a guard rail. It wasn't much fun. The ascent was making me hot, so I pulled over at a viewing area to take off my sweater and leg-warmers. Not long after the break, I crested 550’ Rainier Hill.
I went to Alston Pub & Grub where, as I was leaning my bike out front, I met a local named Jason. Jason was a local beer aficionado, and had just received his training to become a brew master. He joined me out back at a picnic table, and offered me several local recommendations. I started with the Mac & Jack African Amber, which I greatly enjoyed. I had a few more, in addition to a 5 Alarm Burger. Jason and the bartender talked me into a Breakside Wonderlust IPA. After Jason left I worked on yesterday's report. My blog had gotten behind.
Back out the road I followed the ACA route which meandered off Highway 30 to Beaver Falls Road. Jason had also recommended this route. I rode alongside cascading Beaver Creek and saw an amazing swimming hole. It would have been a perfect place to swim, had it not been so cold. I was freezing, and was wearing my leg-warmers, jacket and sweater.
I met back up with Highway 30 in Clatskanie, population 1737. The next camping option was out of reach and I knew it was going to be a wild camping night. I stopped at Colvin’s Pub & Grill and had the Black Stout with fried Halibut with fries. I overheard a table of good 'ol boys talking about how the protesters in Portland should be shot.
I rode a few miles down the road and spotted a cow pasture to the right. I saw a gravel road that crossed the railroad track. There was a locked gate that was easy to wheel my bike around. I camped in a blackberry patch out of sight from the highway.
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