Category: Cycling

A short window of opportunity!

by Mountainstroh (Tony), posted in Cycling, Oregon Coast Life

When I am at work and talking with other insurance companies, quite often I get asked by the big national insurance companies where the Mighty P, the company I work for, is based out of. Almost invariably, when I say Seattle, I hear. “Does it REALLy rain there all the time?”

I of course say YES IT DOES! We want people to think it looks like this

We try not to let people know that a lot of the time the Northwest really  looks like this!

If keeps down the crowds you know.

However, for as much as it does rain in Seattle, the Oregon Coast gets even more. Which makes it challenging to to be a cyclist here… Continue reading “A short window of opportunity!” →

New Decade, New focus and a New Name

by Mountainstroh (Tony), posted in Cycling, Oregon Coast Life

Way back in the way back days, before the Mountainstroh Blog, shoot, even before I am sure I knew what a blog was, I become a cyclist. It was December 2007, and I got my first real bike.

Who knew how far it would take me…. Continue reading “New Decade, New focus and a New Name” →

A reason to stop

by Mountainstroh (Tony), posted in Cycling, Nature, Oregon Coast Life

When I first started riding, it was all about the miles. I was new to the bike, a young strapping 44 and finally found a sport I was good at. I could climb any hill, cycle all day long, and seemed never to get tired. I was the wind.

Fast forward 11 years. NOT so strapping, sure as hell ain’t 44, but I can still climb anything you throw at me. I don’t go as far, but for good reason.

I am now the Oregon coast cyclist, I stop for amazing views, whales spouting and, as you can see here, to watch a bald eagle soar. I keep track of the miles, but now I ride for the experience, for the memories, for the life around me.

I am still good at what I do, and will keep doing it till the legs wear out. The bike is and always will be a time machine, making me feel younger and stronger than I truly am.

In my heart I truly hope that sometimes the eagle stops to watch me as I conquer a vicious headwind or make it over a steep climb. Maybe, just maybe, he smiles at me, as I do him when he soars.

The eagle and I are kindred spirits. Riding the winds, seeing the world and living the life. It is good to be free!

Cycling the Yaquina River

by Mountainstroh (Tony), posted in Cycling, Oregon Coast Life

Everyone knows how much I love cycling along the Oregon coast. The majority of my miles this year have been between my house in Lincoln City, and Newport. Its a 25 miles stretch of road, much of it with views like this! Oh and yes there is a whale spouting!

I tell people all the time that I ride this route every chance I get, and I never get tired of it. There is ALWAYS something that makes the ride worthwhile.

There are times I want something different. Like today, since I was watching the Seahawks in the morning, I wasn’t able to ride until the afternoon. I try too avoid HWY 101 on Friday’s after work and Sunday afternoons. There are just to many people driving big ole Winnebagoes they aren’t used to.

So today I decided to ride the Yaquina River. Continue reading “Cycling the Yaquina River” →

Spotting the spout

by Mountainstroh (Tony), posted in Cycling, Nature, Oregon Coast Life

We’ve all been there. When you do something a lot, and you are good at it, you forget what it was like when you were just learning.

I am reminded of this a lot on the Oregon coast.  It may surprise you to know I am not talking about bike riding. I am talking about spotting whales.

Continue reading “Spotting the spout” →

The Weather is changing

by Mountainstroh (Tony), posted in Cycling, Oregon Coast Life

Here we are at the end of our second summer as coast kids. The days are getting shorter. The mornings are a little cooler, and we are getting more rain. Shoot we got two inches between Saturday and Monday morning.

But it is NOT raining all day everyday, so there is still ample time to get outside, and so I have! Continue reading “The Weather is changing” →

Look and you will see

by Mountainstroh (Tony), posted in Cycling, Nature, Oregon Coast Life

I’d love to take credit for the title of this post, but I can’t. Our buddy Tom, after seeing a video I will be sharing a bit later on.

He was referring to nature. He has spent many a day in the mountains and near the ocean. He has learned, as have I, that just looking around, paying attention, and getting out of the car can reveal wonders many would have missed. These last few weeks have proven this time and again here at the coast! Continue reading “Look and you will see” →