Friday 10 July to Sunday 12 July

Friday

I have not had a good internet connection for the last few days. It has become difficult to update the blog when the internet signal is weak. I have written several paragraphs, and downloaded pictures when the signal is weak and somehow the file gets corrupted and the blog deletes the information I have input. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, so instead of fighting the system I'll just wait until I have a good internet connection. 

Ever since I started riding on Hwy 101 I have been waving at all of the logging trucks that have passed me in both directions. Today on three separate occasions logging trucks that have been coming up on me from behind have blown the horn so I knew they were coming not sure if this is a coincidence or they were just being friendly. 

After breakfast I headed down Hwy 101.  A few miles down the road I caught up with the two guys I met at the restaurant last night. We rode together for a couple of miles until we came to the intersection where I headed to the coast and they were going to stay on 101 which was the shortest route to the bike shop. If the repair was going to take long I would see them at the bike shop at 9 Saturday morning.

Along the Moclips Hwy. Looks like they used some type of machine to cut back the trees 

Along the Moclips highway I stopped at a salmon hatchery.  They were raising Coho and Steelhead salmon. A tank comprises two of the narrow tanks.  There are 6 tanks for each type of salmon. 

 The salmon are about 2 inches long. There are about 125000 salmon in each tank for a total of about 750000.  At 9 months old, the fish are divided into 12 tanks and at 14 months, 24 tanks and at 18 months they are released into the river behind the hatchery.

A little trivia

Once I reached the town of Moclips  road turned south.

Do you think the wind predominately comes off the ocean?

The weather today has been overcast with periods of very heavy drizzle. After a while I was cold so I stopped in Copalis Beach and got a room in a small motel.  After a long hot shower I went to the only restaurant in town for dinner.  The special of the day was prime rib, baked potato, and a large salad for 14.99 and the piece of prime rib was huge. I met one of the locals and we played pool after dinner.  Neither of us were any good but we had a good time chasing the balls around the table.

Saturday

I heading to the bike stort in Hoquiam. I start out in a light rain the it stopped then started again for about 10 miles. Rain jacket on then off, wind jacket on then off for the rain jacket on then off.... I was going down a long hill and there was a big drop in temp then gully washer of very cold rain. Wind jacket was on AND the rain jacket went on. I rode that way to Hoquiam. Stopped for a quick breakfast took off the wind jacket. The bike shop owner was very nice and he had the master links I was looking for.  He informed me the two guys that were in his shop yesterday for the shifter repair paid for the master links. What a pleasant surprise!

The remainder of the day I rode with my rain jacket on. There was a very heavy mist, light rain for about a hour after leaving Hoquiam. Then further down the road, every 3 to 4 miles the heavy mist would instantly start then stop 5 minutes later. I got to Westport soaked and ready for a hot shower, 30 minute nap and I'm ready to go out exploring.

Westport. Lots of restaurants and tourist shops. Lots of charter fishing boats in the marina 

 

Gray Head lighthouse. The tallest lighthouse on the Washington coast. 

Sunday

Headed out with a heavy drizzle again. Then I came across this sign and I say to myself "self it is going to dry up in 4 miles 😊 

lots of people fishing along the coast 

A strong wing from left to right,  the tide flowing right to left, sand bar about a mile offshore created some interesting waves

Lots of great scenery

All along the Washington coast there have been lots of wild blackberries. Great free fruit. I'm sure I have been getting my daily allowance of fruit in just blackberries.

South bend Washington area claims to be the oyster capital of the world.   One of the information boards in town says one of every  six oysters taken world wide comes from this area. This is just one of many piles of oyster shells