• Dude, don’t rush – As prepared as I always think I am? I always rush when I travel, and when I rush I forget things. Like my rain jacket. That wasn’t awful, I coped, but it wasn’t ideal.
• Keep tinkering, my friends – Your gear is never perfect, and neither is your setup. This trip I experimented with a new mirror setup (an A+ til I lost it, so B- execution) and a slimmer backpacking style pack job. Both were huge improvements. So never accept how you do things is perfect… it’s a constant evolution.
   
• Oregon has great coastal transit – it doesn’t come often, but it links together really nicely. Dip inland to the Willamette valley and you get Amtrak as a bonus. TONS of fast forward options!
   
• I’m in the market for a new North Bend/Coos Bay area campground – Sunset Bay is fine, but in line with “keep tinkering” I think we can do better.
   
• Mid-morning breakfasts FTW – As someone who skips breakfast when off a bike, this seems to be the best fit for me. Don’t dawdle in camp, grab a bar and a caffeine pill (again for me here)… and get 10-20 miles in. Then grab a decent sized meal. Really helped space things out.
   
• Ride your ride – it’s so hard not to compare yourself to others. SO hard. There was one guy who pulled a 100+ mile day on a loaded bike and it got me thinking I’m a weak rider, etc. But… hey, I planned my trip this way! And I like stopping to take dumb videos! And see things! Yeah, ride your own ride… if 100+ miles is what you need to do (he did… he was meeting people in CA) then DO IT. If not, don’t!
   
• Fast forward tip – Giant duffle. Get one that folds up easily and can go on your rear rack on the bottom. Whenever you stop to hit transit, unhook everything and toss in the duffle. Then you only have two things… your bike and your bag. It’s *so much* easier to deal with.
   
• Bus tip for touring bikes – maybe your frame is a little longer, or you have a front rack, or fenders that are big. If the bus rack spring mounted thingy doesn’t get over your front wheel… and even if it does, because this ensures it… use a bungee or better yet a U lock to secure that tension arm on your bike. I had multiple drivers mention it and it gave me huge peace of mind as we bumped up and down 101.
   
• Don’t stress headwinds – I listen to these podcasts too and I notice i have a thing for mentioning the slightest headwind. You know what? They’re there. You can’t control them. Think of them like invisible hills (shoutout to Brock for that one). 
   
• Be in the moment – too often I found myself thinking about what was ahead, sometimes days in advance, rather than enjoying what was in front of me. Luckily I realized it each time… shook out of it and took a moment to enjoy. The stuff ahead will be there… savor what’s in front of you!

BONUS… turns out the gap has shrunk! There’s new bus service from Lane County between Florence and Yachats, so the gap is now only 46 miles between North Bend and Florence.