That's one down.

First trip is in the bag!

Liz, Rebecca, and I just put a bow on the Oregon Coast trip, and it feels great. When we dropped the guests off in Portland yesterday they were all in super-high spirits. Many of them asked about the next time they'd get to do a trip with us. All in all, things went very well. We definitely had some hiccups along the way, though.

I tried to post a few nights ago from the clifftop inn in Oceanside. That hotel was definitely the low point of the trip. The rooms were sub-par. The exterior looked like something from The Shining. The beds were spectacularly uncomfortable. Bleh. We did everything we could to boost guest (and guide) morale through this shoddy hotel experience, but there's only so much we could do. As the old saying goes, "you can't polish a turd."

The other downer that we experienced along the way was the horrendous traffic on highway 101. The Oregon coast has some phenomenal sights to see, but if you're going to see them by bike you just can't avoid a good amount of riding on the 101. Logging trucks, mud, dirt, and bad shoulders all combined to make more than a few of the guests a bit uncomfortable. The fantastic skyskapes, beaches, mountains, capes, and lighthouses definitely helped to make the guests forget the harrowing traffic.

Overall, though, the trip was a success. We had a great group of guests. I had a great pair of co-guides. The weather cooperated (for the most part). I'm very happy with how everything went. Once I get to my camera cord I'll upload some shots from the week. For now, Liz and I are going to explore Portland for a few hours and then drive up to Anacortes to start prepping for yet another trip.

A TT guide's work is never done...

<3