I left Bremerton just before 7 am and had a foggy ride to Shelton. The sun was coming up along Puget Sound and it was an eerie feeling. Filtered light peaking through the mist behind you as the fog comes at you in the darkness in front. Wandering into the unknown with very little Saturday morning traffic would have been unsettling. Thankfully a  few motorcycles were coming from the opposite direction.

I had mapped out a day of side highways down through Oregon that run parallel to the Interstate 5. This included a run from Olympia to Kelso on I 5. Riding down the Interstate is soul depleting! Maybe it is something in me that just prefers secondary roads. The fact that it was raining and a shade of grey that would resemble black may have been a reason for my mood. I stopped for coffee in Chehalis and checked my maps again on an application I downloaded for iTouch. Noted that a few miles south I could get off the Interstate and onto 411 south and cross the Columbia River at Longview.

I crossed the mighty Columbia and turned right. Somehow my plan had changed. I have no idea why I went right. It just made more sense then left and my mood suddenly shifted. I was heading back to the Oregon Coast again. This marks my third trip on the coast this year. This was also the best ride on it this year. The weather was overcast but dry. The bike was unbelievable. Heated grips, heated vest, one piece suit and a monster of power underneath me made this time different. Highway 30 turns into 101 at Astoria and the run was twisty with little traffic. The wind started blowing further down the coast. Bridge crossings at Lincoln City and Waldport became a little sketchy. These are amazing crossings that span over large river mouths into ocean bays. Leaning in one direction to buffer the wind while riding in the opposite has its moments. I motored all the way down to Waldport and collapsed into a no tell motel right on the beach.