B. Carfree

Yesterday was my birthday. To celebrate, I decided to go for a bike ride (big surprise). Since it has been years since I last rode a double century and I had never done one in winter, I went out into the coast hills and rode a double.

Since I knew there was no way I could finish during our ten hours of daylight, I started at midnight so that my night riding would also be my freshest, fastest riding. Unfortunately, the fog was a bit thick in places and I actually had to slow down on a couple of climbs for safety, or so I tell myself.

I had a great time. The first car to pass me did so 135 miles into the ride and I only had 14 cars pass me all day. I can't wait to do this again, maybe this month.

BluesDawg

Wow. Congrats! 135 miles before seeing a car and only 14 in the remaining 65? And people think I ride in low traffic. That's pretty amazing.

Phil85207

Carfree.
Quote I had a great time. The first car to pass me did so 135 miles into the ride and I only had 14 cars pass me all day. I can't wait to do this again, maybe this month.

Where did you go. What was your route. Do you have a Garmin. I would love to see where you did it.

B. Carfree

I don't have a Garmin. Here's a Mapmyride of the locale. https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/27755946 I did the loop portion twice and then added some small local loops and bike paths on the way home to bring the mileage up to 200. I thought it would make an overly confusing map to include all the details.

The roads that make up the loop portion are all BLM chipseal through what are called the O&C lands. This land was set aside for the rail companies that were supposed to build a railroad from Oregon to California. When they didn't come through, the government took them back. They were logged pretty intensively until the spotted owl issue came up and are now recovering quite nicely. I spent most of the ride either alongside a river or creek or climbing to the next watershed.

Bare Feet

That was quite a birthday ride! Hard to imagine . .especially the leaving at midnight part. On mapmyride you mention bears and cougars: did you run into any any of these alone in the dark? Heck, and I worry about deer!

Congratulations on your double century

Artkansas 

D**n. You are 200 years old? Happy Birthday.

stapfam

Course he's not--He only feels that age this morning.

BikeWNC

I bet.

Shifty

Well done! That's a hell of a ride, and one that is so isolated feeling. For all of the loop portion of the ride there is nothing but forest, no houses, stores or people (unless a logging crew is working the area), I can certainly understand not seeing any cars for the 135 miles. It was a beautiful day for the ride yesterday, but it was pretty chilly for the beginning I would imagine.
You had to carry all food and water with you for the whole ride, that would add to the work of crossing the Coast Range crest four times.

Rick@OCRR

Sounds like a wonderful ride! I've started doubles as early at 3:30AM, but never at Midnight!

What was your total time for the double?

Congratulations on your first double of the year! My first for 2011 isn't scheduled until March.

Rick / OCRR

B. Carfree

It took me a little over 14 hours, which is about what I expected.
The bears (all black and non-confrontational) are not active yet this year. There was cougar-sign (scat) and I did have something splash into a roadside pond in the dark about ten feet from me, apparently startled by my lights. I would think it was a beaver slapping its tail as it submerged except that I heard whatever it was get out on the other side a second later. I yelled at it and rode on but didn't relax for a minute or two. I've come across fresh cougar kills but have never seen a cougar. If I ever do, I hope it is from a fair distance.
Actually, about three miles from Esmonds Creek Rd. there is a rather hidden domicile. The people who live there are friends of friends. I haven't met them yet, but if I needed help I wouldn't hesitate to call on them. Other than that, the only people on the loop are in the Esmonds graveyard.