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Oregorgeous!
From the bridge to Astoria to the cozy coastal towns peppered in along the Pacific, Oregon has been magnificent. Former
Governor Tom McCall (1967-1975), who led the state in protecting its beauty via various land-use laws, the Bottle Bill (1),
and protecting Oregon's beaches from private development, once said "Don't come to Oregon. It rains; you'll rust."
Oregonians don't seem to mind the rain at all. I don't mind it all since it has been rain-free during my entire ride
through Oregon. Aside from a bit of crazy fast moving fog that started south to north and moved inland as the afternoon
wore on, the sun has been shining brightly. As I ride, I can't control myself and stop in almost every town to check it
out. In Seaside, I felt I needed a new shirt when I passed by the various outlet stores (My mom would be so proud, I went
shopping!). In Canon Beach, I stopped for sunset, Nahalem just because it was cute, Wheeler for the Salmon Festival,
Tilamook for the cheese, and so many other places for the views.
I was also quite impressed with the biker friendliness. I think Oregon has the most designated bike routes in the country.
Furthermore, they are including bike lanes in the plans for any new road construction or renovation. Some of the paths are
just shoulders of roads but at least the drivers, less the RVs, are well aware of bicycles and really do watch out for
them.
I am not sure if I could do 9 months of rain, but for this 3 months of beauty, I just may.
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(1) The Bottle Bill was the nation's first mandatory bottle-deposit law to decrease litter in Oregon. It is a known fact
that Bottle Bill states recycle 70% of their drink containers, even bottle that don't require a deposit. States without
the bill in effect recycle around 30%.
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