Fifty Plus (50+) - An Oregon Coast (Inland) Ride

On Friday afternoon, a fellow rider and I decided to take one of our ‘inland’ routes.

We traveled by van about 6 miles inland (to shortcut a 12+ mile ride up the ‘bay’, one we do quite often) to the town of Toledo, and headed north on state highway 229 towards Siletz and then further north to a county park. Siletz is about 8 miles from Toledo, the park another 6 miles further along. This valley is only about 6-8 miles inland, and when the ‘coast’ is fogged in and windy, temps in the 50’s, it can be 70-80 here.

Siletz is the home of the Siletz Indian Tribe, which also operates a casino, Chinook Winds, located on the coast at the north end of Lincoln City. The state highway 229 continues north and then west, joining US highway 101 at Kernville, about 5 miles from the south end of Lincoln City, 10 miles from the casino.

Highway 229 is fairly busy between Toledo and Siletz, and then the traffic volume is much lower.

Pictures follow...

This is a ‘loop’ road off the main highway just outside Toledo. It is the ‘old’ road and winds along for 4 miles generally parallel to the main highway and gets us off it.

http://webpages.charter.net/skip_h/6-15-07/Yasekloop.jpg

This is a hill back on the main highway, a grade of about 1 mile, but not very steep.

http://webpages.charter.net/skip_h/6-15-07/hill_into_siletz.jpg

This is a shot looking up the Siletz River from the bridge in town. This river is fairly famous for Steelhead fishing.

http://webpages.charter.net/skip_h/6-15-07/siletzrvr@siletz.jpg

This is the highway just as it leaves Siletz. We are now on the lower traffic part. Kernville is back out on the ‘coast’

http://webpages.charter.net/skip_h/6-15-07/kernville24.jpg

This is the highway after it leaves Siletz heading north. We are now in the low traffic area. Small farms, livestock, horses, and some berry farms.

http://webpages.charter.net/skip_h/6-15-07/229_2.jpg

More of the highway. It is generally flat, but does have some ‘medium rollers’ in places. There are lots of hills all around, and as this area is still an active logging area, the logged areas can be seen on the hills.

http://webpages.charter.net/skip_h/6-15-07/229_4.jpg

That is all...well, almost. Maybe not quite as 'purdy' as the ocean views, but still pretty nice.

Very nice!! What is the total miles of the loop ride from Newport?

Beautiful area, probably less wind than on the coast.

Very nice!! What is the total miles of the loop ride from Newport?

Beautiful area, probably less wind than on the coast.


Shifty: Looks like it is about 21.5 miles one-way to beautiful downtown Siletz from the local bike shop via the bay road.

See the gmap-pedometer map I made:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1053744

You might have to zoom out as it looks like when I saved it, it was zoomed into the Siletz area.

There's another branch out of Toledo that goes up to a little place called Elk City. It's up the river from Toledo, off to the lower right in the zoomed back view.

Both of these routes are part of our local bike club's Lighthouse Century that will be on August 19th this year. I've got some more pictures to take, on the bay road and on the road up to Elk City.

So when are you coming over for your surfing lessons?