2015-07-31 Day 33: Campground Surfing, Nimrod to Fern Ridge Lake, OR

Miles Today: 54. Miles Total: 1897

We knew today would be a shorter day as Eugene just to our east is forecasted to shatter a 31 year record high with a forecast of 104 degrees. We started early and finished by 1:00. Then the fun started. We arrived here at Fern Ridge Lake to find a "Campground Full" sign posted at the entrance. We have seen this before. Campgrounds will almost always find a spot for cyclists. The campground's main office was closed until 2:00 so I talked with two of the Loop Hosts who referred me back to the main office. As we waited, we discovered that all the hiker/biker sites that are usually available for non car driving travelers such as us, had been rented by a church for the week. That did not sound good for us. When the office opened we first were told that the campground was full and they could not accommodate us. I pointed out that it was 104 degrees and that the next campground was 20 miles away. I also explained we did not need a picnic table or a fire pit. Just a spot on the ground anywhere to throw our tents. One of the ladies in the office over heard the conversation, caught up with me after I left the office, and told me to wait around for a minute. She then went and made some arrangements for us. My thanks to Duane and Theresa for literally hosting us by letting us put our tents on their host site and for opening up their refrigerator full of cold drinks for us. So, our travels for the day end well here at Fern Ridge Lake.

I should note for you Oregonians, I expected a small county park here at the lake. I was completely wrong. This campground is huge with several loops. The swimming area is fantastic and the marina is filled with beautiful sail boats. This place rivals any of the excellent Oregon state campgrounds that I have seen in the past.

So we are positioned perfectly, 62 miles from the ocean, to get this thing done by 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. My thanks to Debbie, Elise, my parents, Marion, and of course my wife for making the long drive down to Florence to cheer us onto the beach. That will transform a special moment into a perfect moment.