PCC: Six Days and Untold Adventures Along the Oregon Coast
By Jay Stilwell
Getting away from the office seems harder and harder to do these days, and my “bucket list” seems to get longer as time goes by. So when I heard about the 2010 People’s Coast Classic (PCC), a six-day cycling event to raise money and awareness about arthritis that takes participants along the Oregon coast, I found my reason for some seriously overdue saddle time.
Photo courtesy of Eva Elliott / Arthritis Foundation
Lighthouses can be spotted all along the Oregon coast.
To make the trip happen, several things needed to be on track. To enjoy this 363-mile ride, I first needed to make a serious commitment to consistently train throughout the spring and summer months. Riding 150 miles a week for three months, with several longer rides in between, helped ensure I was physically prepared. I also needed to raise $2,500, which meant that I couldn’t be shy about asking my friends (and their friends), our clients, and my long lost aunts and uncles for money. Email, snail mail, phone calls and being on the bike every day became my summer routine. With only three days left before the ride I finally reached the donation requirement and soon found myself heading towards Oregon.
Cycling is one of the recommended activities for the millions of people suffering with arthritis. When the western chapter of the Arthritis Foundation was looking for a new fundraising event, cycling seemed to be a natural fit. The selection of the Oregon coast, with its scenic vistas, crashing surf, and challenging topography, helped solidify their decision. Named the “People’s Coast” for its miles of public beach access, welcoming little seaside towns, and highway 101 paralleling the ocean, it is one of most popular cycling routes in the country. The event began in Astoria, a port filled with fishing boats and the magnificent Astoria-Megler Bridge that spans the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington (it is the longest uninterrupted truss bridge in North America).
Photo courtesy of Eva Elliott / Arthritis Foundation
Crossing bridges provided many photo opportunities.
As we headed south, towns such as Seaside, Garabaldi, Tillamook, Newport, and North Bend became familiar as we pedaled towards the finish in Brookings. Along the route we stopped to enjoy lunch at the Rogue Brewery, a visit to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, did some whale watching, and petted the small animals at the West Coast Game Park. Fully supported, we didn’t have to carry luggage or worry about finding a place to stay; the Arthritis Foundation took care of that for us. With wide shoulders and several side roads along the way, there were many moments where I felt I was one with the sea. The many bridges we crossed and the numerous lighthouses that dot the coast provided multiple photo opportunities. One of the biggest challenges wasn’t the up and down topography, but rather the RV campers that seemed to appear out of nowhere, packing a strong draft as they passed by.
As the week progressed, I got to ride with a diverse group of cyclists that, for their own reasons, had signed up for this event. Some were not even taking part in the PCC, but were self-supported and heading to San Francisco after beginning their trip in Vancouver, B.C. Among the participants, there was Jeff, an Amgen executive and top fundraiser who was planning to ride all the way to Los Angeles. I traveled several days with Alex from Team Pfizer, who carried double duty, riding during the day and lecturing at various community arthritis education outreach events staged in towns we overnighted. The MacTavish family, Bruce, Lindsay, and Tara, were creating new memories — one of their fondest ones was cycling together in Europe back in the ‘90s.
Photo courtesy of Eva Elliott / Arthritis Foundation
Riding single file over one the many bridges in Oregon.
My favorite person wasn’t a rider. Chef Gina and her yellow Hertz chuck wagon had never been part of a bicycling event before but she learned quickly what it took to feed hungry riders burning lots of calories for six consecutive days. She would be up two hours before everyone, cooking breakfast, then packing up and racing to the next camping spot to begin preparing snacks and dinner. Throughout the week she greeted all of us with an honest and friendly smile, making sure we didn’t go hungry while she worked back-to-back 14-hour days.
Towards the end of the ride we rolled passed the sea lion caves and the picturesque Heceta Head Lighthouse in the quaint town of Yachats. At the southern end of the Oregon coast, traffic became lighter and the distance between towns greater. However, a bad storm with strong wind and heavy rain was forecasted to hit as we were to arrive in Brookings. And it was right on time as I was only twenty miles from the end when it made landfall, and those last miles became the longest stretch of the whole trip. My pace slowed to a crawl and the sag wagon offered me a lift, but after 357 miles I wasn’t going to let the last twenty do me in. Finally arriving at the finish line, soaked to the bone, hungry, exhausted, and ready to put my bike away for the season, there was Gina, greeting me with her smile and words of encouragement. After some warm food, a hot shower, and dry clothes, I regained my perspective and a feeling of gratitude for overcoming the ride’s many challenges and the sense of accomplishment that comes from reaching a goal.
Photo courtesy of Eva Elliott / Arthritis Foundation
Jay Stilwell travels along the Oregon coast while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
This year’s Amgen People’s Coast Classic takes place September 11-16 with new two-, four- and six-day riding options. I strongly encourage you to look into it, the scenery, camaraderie and the cause are all worth it. For more information visit www.thepeoplescoastclassic.org
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