Rain sucks but hotels rock

Yes folks that's right we're in another hotel :) No, we only rode 80 miles today but 60 of it was in non stop rain and the only way I could get myself to keep going was to think about a hot tub. We found it too in the greatest hotel EVER (pretty much). If you ever are in Lincoln City, OR do yourself a solid and stay at the Surftides Hotel. www.surftidesinlincolncity.com

For less than the Best Westen down the road, we got an ocean view, hot tub (!!), and a great clean room, WOO HOO! It's so nice to know that tomorrow we can wake up, put on dry clothes, have a dry breakfast and not freeze in the process.

Back up 14 hours to our morning... we did put on wet clothes and pack up our wet tent in the wet rain and eat a wet oatmeal breakfast under an eve that wasn't wet, but was cold! We must have looked as sad as we did last night because a ranger let us into the meeting hall and cranked up the heater as hot as it would go! Oregonians are so cool.

We started back up the hill to the 101 south and were on our way. It was in the first 30 minutes of riding that I was brought to my childhood days of the Oregon Trail computer game. You all know it, I even bet Polly age 12 knows it. I never made it all the way to the end of the game because I spent too much time trying to cross the rivers and I would never know what to do with my sick family members... well today I was the sick family member and we thought about our options... leave her behind, trade her for a few cows, or shoot her and put her out of her misery. Lucky for me Scott didn't want to carry a gun for 1,200 miles! What is my problem you ask? I had no idea until it was too late, but I spent the first 300+ miles with my saddle too high which lead to a super sore Achilles tendon which has lead to an immobile lower left leg from mid calf down. I've gone from descent, fluid pedal strokes to mashing my feet up an down getting most of my power from my hips (many may know this is not good!) Scott lowered my saddle 2X today and I could start to pedal without wanting to throw up in pain, but I still think bartering me for cattle could have been a better choice! I've been icing, massaging and have an ankle wrap for tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes.

Despite the pain we road 80 miles today and we'll have to keep the miles up if we want to get home! The goal is to be in California by sometime on Sunday and I think we can do it... More rain tomorrow, but the rest of the week should be nice :)

The "Really, Did We Just See That" award today goes to... a cow just starting to give birth in a field on the side of the road! Really!? Just one pair of legs had started to emerge as we road by... wow.

On that note, I'm out!