You may have noticed some definite "Non-North Texas" scenes in my last few posts. Right now, I'm attending to some family business up on the west coast of Washington State. Specifically in Aberdeen and Ocean Shores. Still, we're fortunate that my parents have absorbed some "bikey" influence from their kids and acquired enough bikes that my cycling sister, Linda A, and I can tool around Ocean Shores. It was foggy this morning, which is a mixed bag. The fog mutes all the noises, making for a pleasant ride, but it also makes riding on the larger streets without lights a bit of a concern since Ocean Shores has more than its share of drivers who shouldn't be driving any more.
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| My Trusty Mount this Morning, a Nishiki Olympic 12, Owned by my Mom Since New |
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| Schwinn "Ruler" Bike Rides Comfy |
I've been riding two bikes. Initially, I rode my dad's Schwinn "Ruler" cruiser bike with old-fashioned spring front fork and really wide tires. Take it from me, these tires NEED more than 10psi in them! What's more, the Nishiki needs more than 30psi in its tires. Thankfully, my sister brought along a floor pump with a pressure gage because cruiser tires at 10psi don't look a whole lot different than cruiser tires with the 40psi recommended pressure.
Now, after finding an Allen key to move the seat all the way to the top, I'm mostly riding my mom's Mixte Nishiki Olympic 12. This is a very sweet riding bike that is almost entirely as purchased for my mom by my dad. It needs a bit of TLC, but not much more than that. Hugh could get this bike ready for a new owner in a couple of hours. At Ocean Shores, merely thirty miles away from the Hoh Rainforest, the bike could benefit from a set of fenders. It's either been foggy or rainy every time I've ridden it. Not a Texas wet, either, but the drizzly kind that goes on forever.
Anyway, while some of the roads have traffic going along them, with drivers that haven't really accounted for the fog, most of them are like the road show below. On such roads, you need a map, so you don't wind up going the wrong way entirely. Still, as long as you DO have that map, they'll get you where you want to go without much delay. Stop signs along such roads seem pretty optimistic, but we stopped anyway, just in case any motorists were lurking about who needed good examples.
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| Typical Ocean Shores Road on a Typical Foggy Morning |
There were, however, frequently interesting sights to be seen along the way, both from the local residents, and, something I rarely see in North Texas, DEER!
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| Gray Whale House Decor in Ocean Shores, Washington State |
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| Deer Abound at Ocean Shores |
Anyway, after passing by some of the local architecture, we arrived at a coffee shop, associated with a major, Seattle-based coffee chain, and went inside without using the drive-through.
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| Sharkey's at Ocean Shores |
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| Quintessential Espresso Stand - Note the Hydrant |
All in all, a very satisfying and relaxing morning...
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Starbucks is not the only Major Seattle Coffee Chain. Note the Roundabout in the Background. The Bike Lane Ends Right Before it, But Because We
Ignored the 50-Foot Long Bike Lane, We Had No Problems |
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| Linda A Contemplates the Beverage of Choice. Tully's Now Owns the Old Rainier Brewery in Seattle |
