| Date: September 19, 1999 | | Location Canada to Mexico - #10 - Westport to Bay Center | | Where: Bay Center KOA, Washington | Sunday - Jim writes
Some of the intriguing things about bicycle touring are the surprises that each day brings. We often recount in the evening some of the events of the day that came as a complete surprise. Some days exceed our expectations in scenery, food, and attitude. Other days do not. Try as I can to give you a positive report of Sunday it seems lost with one bad experience at a KOA. We had great expectations---it was our choice for camping because it had showers. (Have I mentioned that there is nothing quite like a hot shower to wash away the sweat and grime of the day?)
The bottom line is that they charged 5 tired cyclists $8.00/each to share one camp space. $40.00 for a campsite, to people who are used to paying about $4.00 for a hiker/biker site does not digest well.
Not only that, but the wind changed that evening, and I do refer to the weather not just the emotional climate at the campground. The wind turned and blew off of Willapa Bay. The 80-degree temperature dropped to the 50s. Then the dew started to accumulate. Forced into the tent by the damp, wind and darkness, we lay and listened as the dew shaken by the bay breeze from the alder leaves dropped just like rain. Not exactly what we had expected earlier in the day when we were in Raymond and the thermometer read 82 degrees.
Drivers for the most part have been courteous, with one major exception, a lumber truck driver with no traffic in either direction on a straight stretch of road, came perilously close to us in our bike lane. When I displayed his IQ to him with a single digit, his brake lights suddenly lit up. Luckily for him he continued driving. There is nothing quite as dangerous as adrenalin charged cyclist---that was my take at the time anyway.
Tomorrow we'll be back in Oregon looking for more surprises.
Your wandering cyclists
Jim & Jeanette
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