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Today’s the day! On day two of cycling from Seattle to San Fransisco, we finally reach Highway 101! But we ran across a few hiccups along the way.
Shelton to South Bend, Washington is the third of nearly 30 daily diaries of our cycle trip from Seattle to San Francisco.
If you missed day zero, getting to Seattle, you can read it here. Day one, our first day on the saddle for the PCH can be read here. Each post in this cycle series will contain the daily journal entries that we kept via Track My Tour, photos captured throughout the day, and the exact route, duration, and elevation gains for the given ride.
Read Our Complete Guide to Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway Here
Let’s dive into Biking the Pacific Coast Highway, Day Two, Shelton to South Bend, Washington.
Cycling Shelton to South Bend, Washington
Using all our water supplies in the morning left us hitting the road a bit nervous about our water situation. We didn’t realize how much water we’d go through the first day on the bike and then for dinner, breakfast, and dishes. However, when you’re put in nerve-wracking situations, you typically find great people to help out!
We came across a small convenient shop/gas station and met the sweetest couple. They explained that a lot of cyclists come in extremely thirsty, as they too underestimate how much water to bring along the first day out of Seattle. They have a special spot where they allow cyclists to fill up their water, free of charge!
An absolute lifesaver for this bit of the ride!
It was the only time we were short on water. But that wasn’t the worst of the day.
Heather, got a flat, and we didn’t realize Maarten, who had rode ahead, had all the patches with him! Luckily, we managed to find an extra tube in one of our packs. That was certainly the last time we’d ever make that mistake!
Biking Shelton to South Bend Day Two Quick Facts
- Miles // 59.63 miles
- Saddle Time // 5 hrs 52 min
- Elevation // 1,508 feet
- Accommodation // freecampsite.net in South Bend
- Water //convenience store and in town
- Food // restaurants in South Bend and convenience store on ride.
Pacific Coast Highway Day Two Journal Entry
Wednesday 5 Aug 2015 21:26
Day 2: Today was another good day. We got off and riding at 9:30 from our primitive campsite. Surprisingly, we ended up using all our water supplies and weren’t close to a source. So we ended up cycling down the road about six miles and found an old couple who was running a convenience store so that we could ask for some water from the tap. They kindly allowed us, chatted for a little then went on our way.
For lunch, we stopped at a local burger shop in the city of Elma. From there we continued onward. Just a few miles down the road Heather said that her back tire was feeling funny and wanted me to look at. Sure enough, she had a flat tire caused by a huge chunk of glass. Maarten had all the patches so we had to just change the whole tube. Shortly afterward we got onto HWY 101! This is where we will be for the next 4 or 5 hundred miles before going onto HWY 1 in California. Anyways, we are now in the town of South Bend, WA.
Today we cycled 59.6 miles with an elevation gain of 1,508 feet even though Heather’s is a little different. Our total distance so far is 133.98 miles.
Cycler’s Tips for Shelton to South Bend, WA | PCH Day 2
- Leaving the Shelton area, you’ll most likely be low on water. Be sure to stop at the first chance you get to fill up all your water sources. This is the only part of the ride where you’ll go for miles and miles without a shop or water source around.
- You’ll hit Highway 101 today! Take some time to celebrate and take it in!
- Today is a long day… but take it easy. No reason to rush through the 60 miles! There are many great spots to stop and photograph your journey!
- There’s a really cheap campsite in South Bend that we found on freecampsites.net. However, there aren’t proper bathrooms there, so you’ll have to use the public bathroom in town instead, which closes overnight.
- South Bend is a cute little town. Home to “the world’s largest oysters”, it’s nice to spend an evening in the tiny town itself.
More on Cycling the Pacific Coast Highway
Cycle Rules in Oregon | A Bicyclist’s Manual
Did you know, in Oregon, as a cyclist you’re technically considered a car and must oblige by vehicle road rules? Use that knowledge as confidence to take over the lane when there’s not a safe shoulder and really own the road!
Our Complete Guide to Biking the Pacific Coast Highway
This post contains our gear list, all our daily journal entries, FAQs on cycling the PCH, and downloads to make your PCH cycle trip easier!
Next Daily Journal Entry on our Pacific Coast Highway Bike Tour
Interested in seeing what the next day of the tour holds? This post is for you! Learn about our 15 miles of cycling in the rain, the FOUR MILE long bridge we crossed over, and our first experience with Warm Showers (and the 17 other guests)!
Previous Daily Journal Entry on our Pacific Coast Highway Bike Tour
Running out of water, wild camping in the middle of nowhere, and getting into a groove. Day one on our trip from Seattle to San Fransisco was great!
Camping for Free on your Bike Tour
Interested in learning more about camping for free on your bike tour? We’re sharing ways to find free camping, what you need to know about free camping, and even our favorite places!
Have questions about day two, Shelton to South Bend? Need a bit more information about the trip as a whole? Or have a better place to camp than what we did?? We’d love to hear from you.. start a conversation below!
