Same Ocean, Different State

I arrived in Brookings Oregon this evening around 6:30 pm after yet another wonderful day of curves. I am staying at a nice little place called the Ocean Suites Motel. I have what is really a small apartment with a separate bedroom and little kitchen area. This is down by the Chetco Harbor. I can walk over to the beach or restaurants though it has a blue collar feel here by the docks. I can here the horn and bell out on the outer channel marker from here in my room.
     But about the rest of the day. This first picture is from a view point below Ft Bragg about 10:30 this morning. I really think that between Morro Bay (Cayucos) and here in Brookings Oregon could easily have been three days instead of two. I am totally blown away by the Hwy 1 between San Francisco and here. I have always had people refer to the road up through Big Sur as the stretch  of Hwy 1 they know about. But It is much tighter and your speeds have to come down to 15 to 20 mph more often on this upper stretch. It is simply rugged, beautiful curvaceous curves, a plethora of pulsating pavement, delicious attention grabbing piece of road that is better than anything I have ever ridden, and I have chased curvy roads all my life, on motorcycle and sports cars. Because tourist traffic was light, and people pull over in pull outs if you seem to be faster, I got to ride it just as I wanted, and one of the tricks is if you are behind a local, they will fly down the road and when there is tight drop down into a river bottom, they know how fast and when to brake. I followed a large truck that was the Mendocino Bookmobile and I am here to tell you I was glad to be behind that truck rather than in front, that librarian was a driving fool, wow. Above Ft Bragg you finally leave the Ocean for good and climb  up into the dark forest for a half an hour of tight curves up and down a couple of ridges until you get out to Leggett and there is the sign I didn't want to see. End of Highway 1! So turn out onto 101 for a few hours to here. Through lovely Eureka and Crescent city. Temperatures inland got up to 91 degrees but cooler down in the 70's when close to the ocean.
      This may be considered the "shoulder season" but this weather has been wonderful  and I have yet to take out my rain suit, or see a cloudy day. It looks like I may see some later this week, but I plan a couple of days around Brookings, a couple around Newport and a couple up in the Astoria Area. Then it will be staying with a friend in the Columbia River Gorge for 5 days before I face going back to Colorado and if I can get over the passes home. I saw a Facebook posting of a blizzard up at the Eisenhower Tunnels like yesterday or the day before. Can't ride in that.
      But tonight, here by the Chetco River and the Pacific Ocean that all seems so far away. I have made it to Oregon, which was my goal and I am very content. It couldn't have gone any better.
Will by the Chetco River.

Chetco River boat basin