Shut Up Legs Tours

Here is the book with the highlights of this trip. It is not cheap at about $20 but I don't make a dime. Blurb is expensive to publish and I did it just to give away a few to friends. But, if you are doing this trip or parts of it you might it find it valuable. Vicotoria, San Juan Islands and Oregon Coast by Michael Sojka | Make Your Own Book

If you are a "cyclist" you will most likely laugh. This video explains why serious cyclists do what they do. Though it is written to be funny, it is actually very close to what many serious cyclists think.... Cycling Explained

Originally I had planned to camp at Tree of Heaven campground tonight. Somewhere along the road I decided that idea was not so great and that I wanted to eat and sleep at home tonight. I think when I got to the Klamth River market called Quigleys and was looking for food that nothing looked good and so I called my wife from the pay phone there since there is no cell coverage and told her my plan. It was going to be a heck of a ride but she could pick me up in Yreka at the Mexican restaurant Casa Ramos. And, I had done the 35 mile ride from Yreka to Mount Shasta a hundred times so that did not seem like a big cheat. Check out the State of Jefferson flag flying in the low position. The State of Jefferson was a short-lived secession movement to try and get some politicians attention and more money sent up this way in 1941.  I get to the turnoff for 263 which is a beautiful road next to the Shasta River and find out the road is closed. That means the only way back

I had thought about this day a lot starting a month before the trip at least. Back and forth went the decision making process. Should I stay in Cave Junction or ride through to Happy Camp over the little used backroad from O'Brien. Since it was an extra 10 miles past the turnoff to Cave Junction and I had not figured out where to camp there, I decided to go for Happy Camp. The mileage was a doable 75 miles but there was 7500' of climbing which was far and away the most of the trip. It did not help that morning that I had a headwind all the way along 199. It is a narrow road right next to the Smith River. This is where the middle and north fork of the river come together. Raft race? Sounds fun! Now, I cross back into Oregon for a little while. Bridge about 8 miles outside of Happy Camp over Indian Creek I tanked up on sorbet, iced tea, and other surgery liquid things in O'brien which this picture shows in entirety. It was hot now - the hottest weath

This was going to be a very short day at only 28 miles. I would be crossing back into California and was somewhat sad to leave Oregon. The Oregon Coast had been everything I thought it would be and more. The other cycle tourists had been fun to talk with at the campsites and I knew it would be unlikely to meet more at this time. So, I spent some time at the beach by the campground this morning doing Tai Chi and taking pictures. The fog was just lifting and was creating some really fun light, shadow, and surreal effects.  This was going over the bridge at Brookings, Or  There was a group of touring cyclists in the site across from mine - yea! They had driven down from Reno and started in Fortuna and were going to head north into the headwind until they were tired of it and come back. Nice group that shared their mosquito repellent with me - good thing as the skeeters were fierce there. This had to be the most beautiful campsite of the trip with 250 - 30

This was July 4th so it seemed prudent to get on the road early which is what I did. The plan was to ride the 25 miles to Port Orford and have breakfast there. Leaving Bullard Beach I took the scenic bikeway road and ended up on a dead-end out by this inlet. Very pretty but not the way I wanted to start the day. I got back on route and enjoyed seeing the city of Bandon which seems to be suffering from overbuilding. There was lots of for sale signs everywhere. Very pretty views of the coast from several of the properties. Something, though, felt a little hollow about this place. I would need to spend more time here to know if that was a valid observation or not. This silly looking sculpture was along the road going out of town. Pedaling into Port Orford I see a restaurant and a guy walking towards the front door. I ask him if it is any good and says yes and it needs to be since it is the only place for breakfast. I noticed he has some strange Chinese herbal liniment formu