Touring - 101 or ACA route in Southern Washington?

I'm planning a ride from Bellingham, WA to Newburg, OR. The route I am planning goes through the Olympia NP.

I now have the ACA maps for both the Washington Parks and Pacific Coast routes. They meet in Elma, WA and then the Pacific Coast route follows US 5 inland down to the Columbia River ferry at Cathlamet.

While I am willing to do this route, I am wondering what it is like to continue following 101 down the Washington Coast instead of going inland as the ACA route does. I would still cross the Columbia at Cathlamet by riding a east from 101 along Hwy 4.

Does anyone who has ridden these routes have any advice on which ones to ride? I plan to leave Bellingham August 20, or so.

Thanks,

Ray

You going to Portland , after the Westport Ore ferry landing? if not, , know ..

The road west of the Wauna Paper company, to Astoria winds,
and has less shoulder,

And the wood chips come over that road in trucks.

You going to Portland , after the Westport Ore ferry landing?

My plan was to ride out to Astoria on the coast and then down to Tillamook and then over Hwy 6 and 8 to Newburg, where my friends live.

Ray

WA4 to the Megler-Asoria bridge is not that bad .

inland route follows the Rails that Amtrak uses

May be a Curt Cobain memorial in Aberdeen, by now..

Frankly, it doesn't much matter. 101 is too far from the ocean in southern WA to see much of anything. The ACA route isn't such great shakes either, except you have an opportunity to sidetrack to Mt St Helen's. The scenery will greatly improve in Oregon.

except you have an opportunity to sidetrack to Mt St Helen's.

Yes....

This (very hilly) route would take you through some beautiful forest on paved forest service roads....just look at the street view, amazing!

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/36654528/?open_ive_done=1

But that has NOTHING to do with the coast.

Why not do the entire loop around the olympic peninsula? I'm not sure why the ACA route skips that.

Why not do the entire loop around the olympic peninsula? I'm not sure why the ACA route skips that.

I am planning to do the loop around the Olympic Peninsula. The ACA Pacific Coast route goes down along Hwy 5. The Washington Park route includes the Olympic Peninsula route.

My question is which way to go after the Olympic Peninsula.

Ray

Sorry Ray.

I did provide you with a suggestion for where to go after the peninsula, but it is way off route (but IMO a nicer option out of centralia). Depends on how much time you have and what you want to see.