Ponkey

To Gold Beach, Oregon -- 57.7 miles, 12.0 mph, 1425 ft.

When Meg and I woke up in the wonderful ranch house of the Cooper's, Dex and Kylie were completely knocked out in the closed-in porch. So, while Mary was busy getting breakfast together, we just let them sleep. It was a fantastic meal -- eggs from their chickens, local pork sausage, fresh bread, homemade jam and fresh baked apple pastries. Simon and Mary had recently traveled to Columbia, so we shared stories of our South American adventures. We also learned that there is such a thing as a Ponkey. Put a pony and a donkey together and that's what you'll end up with. Their's looked an awful lot like the pony rather than the shaggy donkey mom.

The Ponkey

Since we once again were not in a big hurry, we happily accepted Simon’s offer to walk through the “enchanted forest,” a stand of 17 year old Douglas Fir trees that they are hoping to harvest sometime in the future. We continued across the road through a grove of poplars that would soon be coming down to make room for grassland and a small herd of beef cattle, then down to the edge of the property, which abuts the Coquille River. Just a century ago, the river was the primary means for moving lumber and goods to the rest of the state.

The Enchanted Forest of Douglas Fir

Future pasture land

By the time we rolled down the gravel driveway, it was 10:30. In Europe, that would have been a normal start to the day. For some unexplained reason, my energy was at a very low ebb. Pop Tarts, Cliff Bars, Coke… nothing seemed to help.  Fortunately, the grades were fairly gentle, the air was cool, and the wind was at our back. As we rode uphill at 6 mph, I mentally listed all the positives of the day: sunshine, cool weather, wide shoulder, no headwind, and great scenery.

Half way through the 60 mile day, we stopped at a BBQ joint in Port Orford. I was hoping the chili, fries and iced tea would help boost my energy level but no luck. In any case, it was still a beautiful day, especially this last section to Gold Beach, which now rose and fell along the coastal cliffs offering fantastic views.

We polled the kids before riding across the bridge into town as to whether we should camp or find a hotel. Surprisingly, they both opted for indoor accommodation. Fortunately, this suited their parents as well. Guess we're getting a little soft in our old age.

Bridge leading into Gold Beach