reedsport

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Reedsport
August 7th

48 miles

We woke up to a most scenic view of sea stacks and sea bridges. I showered in the bathroom Indian train style with my lota. The other boys made friends with the local firefighters and used the showers in the fire department. We chanted and did yoga on the rocks and then ate whatever we had to eat. The day started with a ride up a big hill. The book said it was a "lumpy ride" but it was still tough. We rode the huge hill and took darshan of hundreds of sea lions. That was at the top of the hill. It was always a satisfying feeling to ride down a hill going 35 miles per hour and see others struggle up each hill. It as satisfying on our part but also we felt empathy knowing how big of a struggle it is to go up that hill. Poor chaps. Only they knew what kind of struggles we will meet in the miles to come and only we knew what struggle they would meet later in the day. The rest of the day was flat riding through sand dunes. It was hot and dry. Earlier yesterday we met a group of 7 girls riding from all parts of America. We met them and pedalled very fast as to not end up camping next to them. They were all pretty fast riders so we kept meeting up to them at various times. This evening as we pulled into our camping area there they were! How did they pass us? I guess when we stopped they rode and when they stopped we rode. Something like that. We kept meeting friends like this along our way. Before dusk we stopped at a local skate park and met a few of the skaters. Our favorite one was this little boy who talked a lot and skated with his feet strapped in innertubes. We rode into a camp ground and some old guy started to wave us over. I guess he knew what we were up to. We hesitated to come over but he called us again and again so we came over. he was a nice guy and asked us what we were up to. We asked about sleeping on the sand dunes and he said it was a bad idea and better we stayed with him. His name was mike and he was living at this camping spot for the past month. He sold sea shells that were painted on and made little to no money. He said we could stay with him and if anyone said anything he would cover us by saying we were his kids. He liked us a lot and offered us cheap sodas and bologna sandwiches. We told him all about ourselves and he was very interesed. He told us about his early life meeting Hare Krishnas and asked us to chant for him. We had hot tea and chanted next to the fire. I think this evening was the first and only time we actually used out tent. Other than that we just bivey sacked it. We slept that evening being quite scared since mike told us all about some wild racoon and wild cat that attacked a few people the weekend before. We chanted Narasimha Mantras and slept close together.