Gil's Oregon Trail-Washburne State Park to Honeyman State Park ( Florence)

More on Sea-Lion Caves...Besides the Massive Caves which provide shelter for the sea-lions, the sea floor shape causes a big up-welling of deep water to the surface, bringing up nutrients and everything that eats them from plankton to krill to herring to salmon to sea- lions and whales. Scanning the rocks I see sea-lions on rocks maybe 30 feet above the sea... How did they get there? I later learned that sea-lions have more of legs than their relatives the harbor seals, so that they can actually climb up rocky hills. I can see some young sea-lions playing some kind of water-polo... or water rugby, judging by the tight scrum. A good resource for more info would be PEARL (Portland State researchers)

I am only the latest in a long line of explorers, starting with Bruno Heceta of Spain back in 1775. The caves were discovered by Captain William Cox in 1880. The SLCs have been a private operation here since 1932. I met 3 other  cyclists who'd come over from Utah. It is a popular stretch to pedal.

Arriving in Florence around lunch-time I stopped at the Little Brown Hen where I had the best fried chicken since the last time my mom cooked it for me. I ordered the " 3 Cluck" dinner. I liked a sign I saw there: "It's never too late to start your day over again." I also picked up a biker blessing/wish from one of my fellow bikers " Rubber  side down!" That's the way I hope to keep things.

At Honeyman S.P. I visited the dunes. It's like a mountain just moved in next door. Have you seen pictures where the Sahara is taking over forests in West Africa? My first experience out on the dunes was like visiting another planet... unearthly! Silence... the only movement being sand blown by the wind...the bones of trees that had finally given up the ghost here and there were washed up on this edge of the universe. Walking up these shifting mountains is strenuous and strength-sapping, The sand pulls at your feet as you lift one up while your other foot sinks and slides back down the hill. A lake in the park is slowly, slowly being taken over by the beach.

The following day I went swimming in the lake and while dripping dry in the hot sun I visited a bathhouse constructed by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). This program was enacted by FDR in 1933 in the midst of the Depression. It put to work 3 million men between 17 and 28. They were paid $1 a day and were required to send $25 a month back home to their families. They were supervised by the army, while the NPS and USFS provided planning and expertise. Each company had 200 men and went by names like Roosevelt's Tree Army, Woodpecker Warriors, Colossal College of Callouses...They built 89000 miles of telephone lines,3400 fire lookouts, Spent 6 million man-hours fighting fires, built 52000 acres of campgrounds, stocked lakes with 972 million fish, constructed 13100 miles of hiking trails, and planted 3 billion trees. The hand-carved rectangle stones you see on roadway edges are a trademark of the CCC.

Here's an interesting thing:

The 10 Commandments of the CCC

1. Obey officers.
2. Respect property.
3. Respect the rights and feelings of others.
4.Be Truthful,Trustworthy, and Honorable.
5. Be Thrifty, Faithful, and Industrious.
6.Be Clean and Healthy in body.
7.Use free time for wholesome activities of cheerful recreation.
8. Be Clean in thought word  deeds and morals. No profanity.
9 Attend religious services.
10. Be loyal to company commanders and all authority - to God and Country.

You know, maybe it would be a good idea to try again.

Here I met Adam and Pippa, a couple living in Britain, now cycling all over the world: Australia, New Zealand, Canada ( from Jasper through the Okanagan, following Hwy 20 over the Cascades via Port Townsend and Hood Canal then out to the coast. They are looking to ride all the way down to San Diego. Adam is a school teacher and Pippa works in Biotech and IT.

Before leaving I did a nature trail on Lake Woahink. First built by the CCC in 1938 and now recently restored 2014. Now is the time for blackberries and evergreen huckleberries ( I didn't need to pack a snack). On the lake there's a memorial bench to Dick Welle, who visited the park yearly with his family since the 60's and was a pioneer sand-boarder. Do you know surf and snow and sidewalks aren't the only things you can "board"? More later.