Big Happy Campy Family

You see the strangest things on the road.

Not much to report until lunchtime when I hit Bandon.  David texted me that everyone was at a cafe with great food.  I couldn't find it so I lined up at a place that had a huge lineup.  The Bandon Fish Market.

As I waited for my food to be delivered, a couple chatted me up and said they make the trip to Bandon from Portland every year for the food.  She said the shrimp, which I ordered based on the recommendation of the lady who took my order, was excellent.  And they were perfectly cooked as expected!  The clam chowder was so-so, and I made it better by adding Tabasco.  I downed it all with a Vanilla Creme Soda.

David found me eating, and had a great burger at the cafe.  So it seemed like Bandon was a hotspot for good food!

I found these really cool art pieces made from crap that floats onto shore because people are idiots and treat that ocean, too often, like a garbage dump.  The seal was cool...

But the fish was the best!!!  And the art store was outside of town.  I suppose this was advertising?  Or commissioned?

I decided to take the recommended detour and check out more if the coast.  I decided to ride into a bunch of seagulls when I got to my first stop.

The view was cool.  I never get tired of seeing the water.

And this was on the way back in, which is a weird place for a lighthouse, which I think is better on shore than inland.

As I continued on the alternate, I met Sherine, although I didn't get her name then.  She was coming out of a viewpoint.  I asked where she was going.  She said, "South!"  I thought I'd try again and asked where she was coming from.  She was from Oregon but started in Washington.  I said, "Fair enough," and sped down a hill, but a while later I let her catch up, but this time she sped by after answering my question.

I stopped at Misty Meadows got some jam and fresh blueberries.  They had their own Welcome to Bandon sign.  Maybe to confuse people?

I always wondered what people do if their horse is too tall and they need a place to stay overnight.  I found the answer...

Many miles later, I saw the art place with the ocean debris sculptures.  You can send them debris you collect/find!

I've seen spark plugs, a kids bike helmet, and even picked up and kept a matchbox car that had been run over a few times, but this was the coolest/creepiest. A doll head with eyes that were a bit wonky.

I finally made it to Port Oxford, and they had a boat filled with plants as part of their sign.

I saw Sherine outside a grocery store and swung in to say hello.  I got a picture of her with her rig.  She said she had only spent $25 since she left Washington, quite a contrast to my non-budget ways, aside perhaps from camping.  She stayed in people's backyards or on the beach or anywhere she could get away with it.  She considered joining us at camp, but when she saw a secluded street she ventured off and I continued on.

I wasn't super hungry so when the wait for fish and chips was 30 minutes at the Crazy Norwegian, I opted for the chowder.  It was delicious in every way, and it was perfect since I wasn't that hungry.

I didn't climb this hill for the ocean view...

Which was fine because I still got to see it!

I decided to stop where these people were looking out at the water on a descent, and I was glad I did.  They had spotted some whales and I was treated to the view if their blows.  They left and I stayed for about 10 minutes just marveling at the beauty.  I saw one whale do a half-dive-crash.  You can see the blow of water I this shot.

It was shortly after that I got to camp.  And Angus shouted "Adam!" When I rode by.  Turns out it was more economical to share a campsite which was Daniel's idea.  So it was David, Daniel and Mikaela as usual, and added the Waterloo boys Angus, Dorian and Victor, as well as never-met-before Marisa and Danny.  Humbug Mountain would be a great place for us.  We were one big happy campy family!

A little later, Mikaela started doing leg raises for lower ab work, and so I started doing tricep dips and push-ups after Marisa joined her.  Then we started talking about burpees and at one point there was a jumping jack circle with some of the boys.  Must be the sea air that made us crazy.  Or maybe it wa the 60 miles.