Florence to Triangle Lake, OR

(Ridden July 19th). Via Hwys 126 + 36. 41.4 miles. We kicked off the second part of our trip today with a spectacularly beautiful ride from the Pacific coast up the Siuslaw River valley. The weather was a perfect Colorado-type summer day with bright blue skies and warm but not oppressively hot. We were treated to mile after mile of green hills, the clear blue water of the river, massive pine trees soaring overhead all with very little traffic (it's too bad every day can't be a Sunday). It was a pretty steady climb all day, with a steep section at the end, but nothing we had to struggle over.



We managed to find a camp site in Triangle Lake, despite the sign announcing "Campground Full". (The woman who manages the place told us she always saves room for cyclists since we don't always have the option of just going on to the next town. In this case there are no motels or even other campgrounds for at least 30 miles. And, she told us, she has found that cyclists are good tenants.) We are camped alongside a stream that is a popular place for families to bring their kids to play in the water (which is only a couple of inches deep here). Just below our camp site is "Slippery Rock" where older "kids" can slide (on a tube or otherwise) down a long rock 'slide' into a good-sized pool. With the ideal weather the place is packed today with people actually sliding and onlookers (generally older folks who have learned that they are mortal after all). We are definitely in the latter category but are really enjoying this place. The only downside is that the ground water has sulfur in it. While it's fine to drink it smells bad (they call it "fart water"). Oh well.