Pacific Northwest - Eugene to Coast

Hi i was just looking for bicycling trip information or recommendations. my friend and I were talking about talking a ride to Florence this weekend and just wondering if anyone one has any information about it. you know like routes, if bike lanes exist, hills, ect.

Here's a look at the grade you will encounter along OR 126. The pavement is mostly good. Sometimes there are shoulders and sometimes not. Medium heavy traffic on this major route through the coast range... log trucks during the week, motorhomes on weekends.

I have wanted to do a side trip off this route. Cross the Wildcat Bridge at Austa and follow the old Stagecoach Road down the Siuslaw to Swisshome and then hook up with OR 36 back to OR 126 at Mapleton. The Stagecoach road in very narrow - less than a lane in spots - but there is almost no traffic. About 75% is fairly decent blacktop and the rest is very good hard packed gravel. The scenery is awesome. There are no services of any kind between Austa and Swisshome.

http://www.pbase.com/billd9/image/66325071.jpg


The Wild Cat Bridge crosses the Siuslaw River at the Austa boat ramp.

http://www.pbase.com/billd9/image/41242590.jpg

Bill

thanks, this is awsome

Take Crow road to Territorial, turn left then right on Wolf creek road. Take Wolf Creek Road to the Siuslaw River (just past the County Jail Forest Work Camp, and follow the signs to Gardiner over Oxbow Pass and Smith River Road. When you come out at Gardiner, follow highway 101 16 miles north to Florence.

When you leave Crow you need to have food and water with you, there are no services between Crow and Gardiner. It's a beautiful ride, start early, days are getting shorter.

You will find this bridge about 5 minutes or less off Shifty's route. It's worth a looksee.

http://www.pbase.com/billd9/image/41243095.jpg


From Eugene, go west on highway 126 to Crow Road, turn left (southwest) and go to Territorial Highway. Turn left (south) go to Battle Creek Road and turn right. The bridge is about 100 yards from Territorial Highway.

Yes, see the Coyote Creek Bridge. It is currently closed for repair and maintenance, but not for too long.

There are many other covered bridges in our county, I'm always happy to ride and show them to you all.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/telehammer/bridge2.jpg

I just might take you up on that, if the offer is still available next month. Right now i think i have managed to book all my weekends for the next four weeks :( . I work down in Lowell so i know where two of them are, where are the rest?

I recently took the Florence to Eugene route tjhrough Deadwood and over Low Pass. It was the best ride of my life. It should be even better with the fall colors changing. No traffic (once you leave 126).

.................... where are the rest?

These twenty are in Lane County.

Lane Bridges (http://www.co.lane.or.us/about/bridges.htm)

Then there's:

Cottage Grove (http://www.el.com/To/CottageGrove/cgbridge.html)

Douglas County (http://www.co.douglas.or.us/countyinfo/bridges.html)

Jackson County (http://www.greencity.org/bridges.html)

Linn County (http://www.chuckhawks.com/linn_county_bridges.htm)

A list of all of them (http://www.dalejtravis.com/cblist/cbor.htm)


My favorite on the North Fork of the Yachats.

http://www.pbase.com/billd9/image/36452085.jpg

THAT is a beautiful bridge Bill, I've not seen it, now I'm going to find it!! I've ridden the road up the Yachats River, now I know I haven't gone far enough, Thanks! Your photos are fantastic.

For those interested, the Covered Bridge Century in Albany OR is a nice ride. The century crosses five covered bridges along the way, and it's a beautiful ride. Starts in Albany, goes east to the foot hills of the Cascades. It is in August each summer.

THAT is a beautiful bridge Bill, I've not seen it, now I'm going to find it!! I've ridden the road up the Yachats River, now I know I haven't gone far enough, Thanks! Your photos are fantastic.
.......snip....

Thanks for the compliment. It is a little hard to find... no signs or anything. Go east on Yachats River Road from Hwy 101 for 6.7 miles. You will come to a small concrete bridge with a T-intersection. Yachats River Rd. is paved and goes to the right. RD. 805 is gravel and goes to the left. Turn left, follow the gravel road .4 mi. to the bridge. A huge Sitka Spruce overhangs the bridge.

I usually take Clear Lake to Lawrence, L on Butler, R on Sheffler, R on Poodle Creek. Then take Hwy 36 to Mapleton. It's a much less traveled route than Hwy 126, though a little longer. The worst part of the route is from Mapleton to Florence. I can't imagine a worse road surface. Not to mention the headwind! I've also done the Smith River Road to Gardiner route. The problem, as previously mentioned, is the lack of services as well as the rough road surface for the entire route.

Cottage Grove (http://www.el.com/To/CottageGrove/cgbridge.html)
My relatives built one of those bridges.