Three mountain passes!

Alright, they were not all technically mountains, one was a butte, and there wasn't any snow on the tops, but we did three in one day (yesterday) going up over 4,000ft in total. The first climb was the most difficult, as we were still in a mostly desert area and there was a strong headwind. Riding with our new friends was a huge help, because they ride in front and break a lot of the wind with the enormous packs on the back of their bikes. On the way up we stopped at what I would describe as an "educational wagon." (A fake wagon with information about Malheur National Forest.) Apparently this forest is home to lots of interesting animals, including elk, bears and cougars, and contains the largest living organism on earth, an immense mushroom that is the size of many, many football fields. Just after the first summit we turned onto route 7, where there was a pipe spilling out fresh spring water off the side of the road. It is considered some of the freshest water in Oregon since it has been filtered through many rock layers, and it tasted great. Both of the next two climbs were challenging, but it was definitely worth the effort. We were rewarded with amazing views of snow covered mountains, and downhill descents at breathtaking speeds. In between summits we were spit out into an expansive quiet meadow without livestock or any humans, just a quiet river that had carved its way through the grasses. The scenery was simply spectacular.
Throughout the day snacks were vital for team moral. We consumed many snickers bars, jalapeno sunflower seeds, apples, and a delicious gorp made with pretzels, chocolate, nuts, and life cereal.
At the end of the day we cruised into a lovely campground by a beautiful mountain lake. It was swimming time!