Oregon and OUCH!!

New yard art for the tent: covered bridge in Corvallis: the new fearless leader, Pete, and his tribe.

The first night of Oregon Coastal Odyssey kicked off fairly uneventful. The tribe members arrived at Richardson County Park just west of Eugene, registered, set up tents and gathered for the map meeting. A great many repeat riders that we have not seen for a couple of years, and many first timers. We'll break them in!

Jack and I set up the kitchen and prepared a dinner of Apple and Cabbage slaw, spiced pork chops, Indian vegetable stew, Russian Fingerling potatoes & cappuccino nanaimo bars for dessert. All went well until I poured boiling potato water on my foot. OWEEEE! I am missing a few layers of skin. Jack doctored it with saline solution and covered it with tagaderm. It's kind of like a second skin; stops the hurt and keeps the burn sterile.

This is not the first burned foot to happen on the tours. 3 years ago I did the same thing on the Oregon Gorge tour. The burn was worse than this one. Jack was mechanic on the tour and fixed that one too. About nine years ago my BF Susan was filling in for me on Cycle Washington. Once again, potato water on the ankle and foot. She experienced a pretty major burn. I burned my hand on Cycle Washington one year. By the time we got to Montana Divide it looked like an alien was going to hatch. That's what I told the ER doc was wrong with me. He said it was the second alien that day. One of the job hazards that I would like to avoid!

The tribe was up and on the road this morning to cover 42 miles of rolling hills heading towards the Coastal Range of mountains. Local agriculture includes acres of Christmas trees, hazelnut orchards, corn fields and wineries. Oregon produces some great wines! Water stop was set up at a great little bakery, The Sweet Spot, in Monroe. The tribe munched down on Pecan Caramel rolls and chocolate eclairs. It's a must stop when you are headed this way! Wildlife spotting today included wild turkeys AND their babies, a flock of vultures and a grey squirrel.. Don't think we'll find any moose here.

Tonight we are camped at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Corvallis. The picnic table that we are eating at is made from a single tree: it is about 64 feet long! Just across the road a bit is the covered bridge pictured above. Oregon has, if I remember correctly from last year, about 13 covered bridges in this area. We will get to see a couple of them. We were able to ride for about an hour: my foot is a little too tender for much more right now. Tonight is pasta night to fuel up for a long 73 miles tomorrow. It will be worth every crank of the pedal: we will be on the coast in Lincoln City.

I am working on the menu for Farm Fresh you guys! It's going to be great.........