I’m about a month late getting this out. My last scheduled shuttle for the year was actually back in September. There’s still plenty of good cycling weather left, this last week being a case in point, but the days are too short, the nights (almost) too cold, and more so the weather too unpredictable to schedule a tour. I’m sure there’s still a few folks out on the coast, no doubt the year-round tourists beating it south before the rain arrives. But by and large now is firmly into the off-season. This being my second full season shuttling cyclo-tourists, here are some of my closing thoughts.

First, most people pack way too much. By now they know who they are. For those starting out and thus do not yet know, I have a hint. 22lbs.

Local knowledge and experience are priceless. No one is going to tell you to start your tour at the Astoria Column. Without a shuttle it would be a tremendous amount of work to pedal a loaded tour bike up to it. But if you are going by shuttle it is absolutely the best place to unwind and take in what you are about start. The typical trans-am route has cyclists taking Hwy 30 from Astoria to Portland. That is great if you are driving. If you are riding allow me to suggest OR202 through Jewell and Mist. If you must stay on Hwy 30, allow yourself time to catch the ferry to Cathlamet.

If you are headed south from Astoria, instead of US101 to Seaside take the back way using the Warrenton-Astoria bridge south across Young’s Bay and then catch Lewis and Clark Road. It’s a few extra miles, but Astoria to Seaside is short anyway. You’ll have plenty of time on US101 the rest of the ride, this detour is well worth it. I should warn that there’s one and a half tough climbs at the end, but after the last one it’s all downhill into Seaside. If you can’t do the whole Oregon coast the south is by far the best. Newport to North Bend and Port Orford to Brookings are unmatched in the world. If you are bike-camping plan one night for a little stealth camping on the beach. There are a few spots where the highway is up above the beach a ways and a couple cyclists squirreled away in a small dark corner without a campfire are never going to be seen. Now the south coast isn’t all that convenient, so in the interest of practicality I’ll also offer Tillamook to Florence is very nice and Florence to Eugene along OR126 is probably the easiest connection there is for cycling from the coast to the valley.

Finally, yes those are a pair of Bridgestone XO-1’s setting out for a tour down the coast. They made it all the way to Brookings, in fact. The orange one still has its original owner. The pearl one was on its first tour since being built-up from frame and fork off e-bay. Both were gorgeous bikes with very nice builds. Unfortunately my photo doesn’t remotely do them justice. In my defense was using a borrowed camera phone.

Until next summer, keep the rubber side down.