Decision day. I could have stayed out a couple more days, but really had no destination. I stopped at the Forest Service office in Waldport to get a map, but then proceeded on to highway 34.
Once got out on Alsea highway I could smell the barn and there was nothing stopping me. I was a gorgeous day and there was very little traffic. I stopped the Blackberry campground, but it was far to early to camp. I stopped again at the Salmonberry campground but this is a county park that charges too much for one cyclist. So I kept going.
The climb up Alsea mountain was a killer coming so late in the ride. Definitely steeper than anything on the coast. Got home before dark and had a nice long day to show for it.
So Stage One of my Coast Tour is complete. Don't know when I'll do the south coast. Probably not next year. Riding the coast is wonderful, but I've spent lots of time on the coast and there are a lot of other places I have never been. So maybe something new next year, and then the south coast.