August 2010: Motorcycle Trip

Dad and I continued our annual tradition of taking his Harley out for a ride again this year. He asked where I wanted to go and I asked to head south on 101 to Otter Rock, where the Devil's Punchbowl and also one of the Mo's Chowder restaurants are.

Dad is so good at planning these trips. He not only maps out the route and checks for construction and road closure notices, but he also figures out where we'll stop every couple of hours--rest stops, view points, Dairy Queens--so our butts don't get too sore.

It was a clear, hot, sunny day inland, cooler with fog on the coast: perfect for a ride. I must be getting better at riding on the back of the bike, despite infrequent practice, because this year I didn't have as much trouble staying upright as I remember having in the past.

As in previous years, we took Hwy 22 West to Hwy 18 and stopped to stretch at the HB Van Duzer Forest State Park rest area before continuing on to Hwy 101 South. We drove through Lincoln City and Depoe Bay and stopped again at a wayside/view point/park...I think it was Boiler Bay State Wayside, before Depoe Bay. There were lots of people out, seagulls, a nice view if you like cloudy weather (as I do). Dad took lots of photos.

On 101 South again we drove around Rocky Creek State Wayside a bit and then took Otter Crest Loop down into a little vacation resort called Otter Crest. Very posh, nice swimming pool, semi-private beach you could walk down to via stairs cut into the cliff face. There was a restaurant there too--The Flying Dutchman--where we ate. The restaurant was clean and I liked our waiter--cute, tattooed, had personality--but the food was a bit overpriced for the quality in my opinion.

After lunch Dad and I walked down the road and found Otter Rock and the Devil's Punchbowl, where he took more photos and I wandered around. We saw we could get back to Otter Crest by descending to, and then crossing, the semi-private beach, so that's what we did. It was a lovely little beach, just a half-moon shaped bit of sand nestled between two rock outcroppings.

Then we got back on the bike and headed back the way we came. The trip was pleasant and (thankfully) uneventful. Hooray for father-daughter bonding time! =*)

Click here for more photos of this year's motorcycle trip.