hodadmike

I've got a tour planned in a couple of weeks from Seattle to Lincoln City OR. I'm taking the STP route into Oregon and finishing off with the coast route, both of which I'm familiar with. I'd like to try a new route between Clatskanie and Wheeler: google map
Has anyone ridden these roads? Any comments?

hodadmike

OK, let's try this map.

adventurepdx

I haven't ridden all of that route, but from what I've heard from others who have:

hodadmike

Hmmmm... that's a lot of gravel. May reconfigure my route.
Thanks

adventurepdx

Unfortunately there's not much in the way of options if you want to go that way. Besides a network of forest roads, most unsigned and gravel, the other main option (or really, only option) would be using 26/58 from 103 to Wheeler. 26 is very busy and shoulders aren't always great. 58 is said to be also busy, with no real shoulders.

Jeff Wills

I rode Foss Road a while ago (ten years-ish) and it was OK. Very broken pavement and gravel. I was fine on my mountain bike with slick tires, while my partners were on recumbents with fat tires. We made it a partial loop by riding back to 26 on 53/Necanicum Hwy. This had good pavement all the way- the only problem being the stretch on 26.

An all-pavement alternative would be to take 202 almost to Astoria, then down Lewis & Clark Road to Seaside. Take 101 the rest of the way to Nehalem. Pick your poison.

hodadmike

I remember Hwy 26 as being pretty treacherous, so I'm gonna ditch that idea. What is Hwy. 4 from Longview to Puget Island (Cathlamet) like? I can take the ferry to Westport and finish on US 30 to Astoria. I recall US 30 having good shoulders, though heavy truck traffic at times.

Jseis 

A good road with much lower traffic than 30 or 26. Initially out of Longview west...take Industrial way all the way to west Longview and SR 4 (i.e., don't turn south on to the Ranier Bridge, head straight west (and avoid Ocean Beach Highway in west Longview). SR 4 can have a few to many log trucks and a few areas with tight shoulders. One hilly area over Little Cape Horn to Cathlamet. Cathlamet to Ferry has one bridge, a bit tight and not quite 1/2 mile long but its a real low use area so shouldn't be any issues. Ferry is nice.

Best tool for checking out a Wa state road.

https://srview.wsdot.wa.gov/srweb/srweb.htm start on SR 4 Mainline and go to last photo at bottom (otherwise your in Willapa Bay at the real "start" of SR 4) then jump ahead in 100/100 increments, or pick a cross street from a map and jump to it. I started at Coal Creek then flipped ahead a few miles for this view.

here's a view west of Longview.

Jeff Wills

When I've driven it, I didn't see any shoulders on Hwy. 4. I think it's more practical to cross the Columbia at Longview and then head up Highway 30 to Astoria. Or take 47 to Vernonia & Mist, then 202 to Astoria like I mentioned before.

(OTOH- Jseis sounds like he's been there lately.)

hodadmike

That's a great site for checking out any hwy. in the state! The eastbound shoulders of hwy. 4 look much better than westbound. Reminds me a lot of Hwy. 14 between Washougal and Maryhill.

30 looks like the safest and swiftest; if I had more time I'd like to do 202.

Jseis 

Just be aware..Or 30 gets a lot of swift traffic of all types. Summer season is Fridays west and Sundays east. It has good shoulders...filled with junk occasionally due to highway debris (gravel, woody debris typical). The straight stretches west of Cathlamet tend to prompt passing...be aware of cars and trucks coming east at high speed while passing slower east bound traffic. I'd have my niterider 650 on full blinky.

also..one of my complaints to WashDOT is that centerline and fog line stripe positioning is critical to providing cyclists with a consistent shoulder lane..this is particularly critical on blind curves. Unfortunately...this arguement has to be made from all uses (ped, highway safety, etc) because legally...WashDot can't "create" a substandard bike "lane".

(For you take the laners...go ahead and take the lane on a tight right hand sweeper where a log truck can roll through it at 55-60 and the time between him and you is measured in what...3-8 seconds?)

Jseis 

Columbia River Bar from the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

Jseis 

Cape D.

hodadmike

Great pics and thanks Jseis and Jeff for the advice.

fietsbob

Lots of Astoria Traffic west of Longview, crosses over to OR 30 so Wa 4 loses traffic volume


Knappa-Svensen to Astoria , west of Wauna TP mill, NB, the roads are windy and lose the shoulder

and the wood-chips travel By Truck.