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Saturday, June 26, 2010
Baker City, OR to Council, ID
Thursday morning we biked an easy downhill twenty miles into Baker City with the goal of finding a large breakfast, a public library and a grocery store. Baker City was the largest town we had been in in several days, one we could have legitimately gotten lost in. A business building reached nearly twelve stories as we entered the outlying neighborhoods- the largest building I had seen since reaching the west coast. Baker city is surrounded by three mountain ranges: the Strawberrys (from which we had descended), the Blues and the Eagle Caps, all laced with snow on their topmost ridges. Baker's main road was two lanes going either direction and wide, with squat buildings on either side. We passed an artisan stationary shop, a record shop with an old typewriter in the window, and several cafes.
After breakfast burritos, updating our blog and loading up with food, we met up with the boys and headed down the road, nearly three hours later. The first twenty miles had variable wind, were uphill and in the middle of the desert, no clouds above us. It was hot and desolate. But as the raod continued we descended into a river valley, part of the Hell's Canyon area of Eastern Oregon. The ride was mostly downhill, sometimes with wind in our favor, sometimes against. We biked nearly forty miles to Prairie City, a small town just ahead of our single climb (1500 ft) of the day. The guys got blueberry pomegranate sorbet as the rest of us filled our water in a shop advertising souvenirs, clothing items, records, music, ice cream and snacks.
We put off the climb as long as possible, and then finally made our way towards it, an obvious and looming hill with long, steep switchbacks (7% grade) cutting across its side. The road was such that at each turn the climb stretched to the horizon, the road's sides only millimeters from meeting in the distance. Then you turned, and again the same sight leading up. However, it was past the heat of the day and the view was immediate and striking for its shear expanse, so we puffed our way up it.
Arriving a mile outside of Halfway, the town just after the descent, we opted to continue 17 miles (downhill) to the Snake River- also the border between Oregon and Idaho. We camped near the Oxbow dam at a Recreation Area, Chad and Chas jogging across the bridge to visit the neighboring state. That night we went to sleep almost immediately, having arrived in camp around 8 and exhausted after a 90 mile day.
At 6 am I woke up imagining someone was dragging a suitcase with broken small, plastic roller wheels across the gravelly asphalt in the parking lot. Opening my eyes, I realized the sound was instead the blast of a pressurized stream of water against the rain tarp of the tent. Sprinklers.
The park service ran the seven sprinklers directly surrounding our small cluster of tents for exactly three hours and eleven minutes- the amount of time it took us to move our groggy selves out from under their spray, pack up, eat breakfast, and leave. Turns out, we had accidentally camped in the 'Day Use' area, and the feds were working on new passive agressive techniques to keep visitors aware of the rules. So we parried by handing in an empty payment envelope.
The first twelve miles of the day's ride brought us along the Oxbow Reservoir (above the Dam on the Snake River) on the Oregon side. We crossed into Idaho at the Brownlee Dam, and began the steep climb up to the dam's top on Hwy. 71 to overlook the surrounding mountains, soft with grass like draped felt, folding up and away from the water on either side. For the next seven miles the road wound ina nd out of creases in the hills, at times only ten feet above the water. then we turned east up a valley following 71 and began a more consistent climb up into the hills. Two miles later we came along the Gateway Cafe, tucked in between the road and hillside. After ordering grilled cheese we sat and hung out with the guys (who got a later start out of the campground and had to catch up with us - in fact according to one guy at the cafe 'well, those girls have been here for ages. They just straight up kicked your asses!')
As we were leaving we met four college guys (three go to Seattle Pacific University, one the University of Washington), also doing the ride from Florence, OR to Virginia. They were carrying little weight, and joked with us about skipping lunch and dinner, then promptly smoked us up the hill. But we were both camping in Council so we figured we'd hang out with them later.
the ascent from the cafe was long (about 7 miles) and gradual, bringing us up to aroudn 4200 ft. again. From there we descended into Cambridge (pop. 450) in a scattered rainshower. Our welcome to Cambridge was the yelled proferring 'Go buy a car', and the sight of a taxidermied sheep with a rubber Obama mask stretched over its head stationed on the side of the road. We had a snack, I checked out the town Museum and we peaced. The final twenty miles on Hwy 95 were in a headwind, with a narrow shoulder and speeding traffic- many large trucks or semis whose tailwinds visibly jolted each of our bikes forward as they passed. Not comfortable.
Five miles out of Council, huge thunderclaps sounded from across the hill, and we wheeled in to a local park to hurriedly pitch our tents before the rain. As we went to buy groceries however, the weather passed and we found ourselves chowing heaping burritos in calm weather. Today, we continue to Riggins! We may not have service or very spotty service for the next few days as we cross the state.
After breakfast burritos, updating our blog and loading up with food, we met up with the boys and headed down the road, nearly three hours later. The first twenty miles had variable wind, were uphill and in the middle of the desert, no clouds above us. It was hot and desolate. But as the raod continued we descended into a river valley, part of the Hell's Canyon area of Eastern Oregon. The ride was mostly downhill, sometimes with wind in our favor, sometimes against. We biked nearly forty miles to Prairie City, a small town just ahead of our single climb (1500 ft) of the day. The guys got blueberry pomegranate sorbet as the rest of us filled our water in a shop advertising souvenirs, clothing items, records, music, ice cream and snacks.
We put off the climb as long as possible, and then finally made our way towards it, an obvious and looming hill with long, steep switchbacks (7% grade) cutting across its side. The road was such that at each turn the climb stretched to the horizon, the road's sides only millimeters from meeting in the distance. Then you turned, and again the same sight leading up. However, it was past the heat of the day and the view was immediate and striking for its shear expanse, so we puffed our way up it.
Arriving a mile outside of Halfway, the town just after the descent, we opted to continue 17 miles (downhill) to the Snake River- also the border between Oregon and Idaho. We camped near the Oxbow dam at a Recreation Area, Chad and Chas jogging across the bridge to visit the neighboring state. That night we went to sleep almost immediately, having arrived in camp around 8 and exhausted after a 90 mile day.
At 6 am I woke up imagining someone was dragging a suitcase with broken small, plastic roller wheels across the gravelly asphalt in the parking lot. Opening my eyes, I realized the sound was instead the blast of a pressurized stream of water against the rain tarp of the tent. Sprinklers.
The park service ran the seven sprinklers directly surrounding our small cluster of tents for exactly three hours and eleven minutes- the amount of time it took us to move our groggy selves out from under their spray, pack up, eat breakfast, and leave. Turns out, we had accidentally camped in the 'Day Use' area, and the feds were working on new passive agressive techniques to keep visitors aware of the rules. So we parried by handing in an empty payment envelope.
The first twelve miles of the day's ride brought us along the Oxbow Reservoir (above the Dam on the Snake River) on the Oregon side. We crossed into Idaho at the Brownlee Dam, and began the steep climb up to the dam's top on Hwy. 71 to overlook the surrounding mountains, soft with grass like draped felt, folding up and away from the water on either side. For the next seven miles the road wound ina nd out of creases in the hills, at times only ten feet above the water. then we turned east up a valley following 71 and began a more consistent climb up into the hills. Two miles later we came along the Gateway Cafe, tucked in between the road and hillside. After ordering grilled cheese we sat and hung out with the guys (who got a later start out of the campground and had to catch up with us - in fact according to one guy at the cafe 'well, those girls have been here for ages. They just straight up kicked your asses!')
As we were leaving we met four college guys (three go to Seattle Pacific University, one the University of Washington), also doing the ride from Florence, OR to Virginia. They were carrying little weight, and joked with us about skipping lunch and dinner, then promptly smoked us up the hill. But we were both camping in Council so we figured we'd hang out with them later.
the ascent from the cafe was long (about 7 miles) and gradual, bringing us up to aroudn 4200 ft. again. From there we descended into Cambridge (pop. 450) in a scattered rainshower. Our welcome to Cambridge was the yelled proferring 'Go buy a car', and the sight of a taxidermied sheep with a rubber Obama mask stretched over its head stationed on the side of the road. We had a snack, I checked out the town Museum and we peaced. The final twenty miles on Hwy 95 were in a headwind, with a narrow shoulder and speeding traffic- many large trucks or semis whose tailwinds visibly jolted each of our bikes forward as they passed. Not comfortable.
Five miles out of Council, huge thunderclaps sounded from across the hill, and we wheeled in to a local park to hurriedly pitch our tents before the rain. As we went to buy groceries however, the weather passed and we found ourselves chowing heaping burritos in calm weather. Today, we continue to Riggins! We may not have service or very spotty service for the next few days as we cross the state.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Phillips Lake Campground
Arriving at the lake hot and sweaty we decided to go for a swim/bath. Everyone washed off some of the dirt and sunscreen with Dr. Bronners and a few of us swam out to a wooden raft. As we were out on the raft we noticed that the trees in the distance were surrounded in a green haze, and that swirls of small green pollen particles were collecting in the water. The massive pollen clouds were an indicator of the approaching thunder storm. Swimming back to the dock, we managed to quickly set up our tents before the rain started pouring down. To stay out of the rain we cooked a delicious dinner of ramen and creative quesadillas under a small overhang by the bathrooms. The storm was just passing through, and after dinner we played a hilarious game the boys taught us called "signs" and built a blazing fire. Best part- campground was free!
In the morning we had an easy ride; 20 beautiful miles downhill into Baker City. In baker we got delicious food at a local cafe, did some shopping, and of course updated the blog at the local library.
:-)
In the morning we had an easy ride; 20 beautiful miles downhill into Baker City. In baker we got delicious food at a local cafe, did some shopping, and of course updated the blog at the local library.
:-)
Mitchell to John Day
This day started with an early morning climb during which the boys were kind enough to break the wind for us. After reaching the top of the pass we had about a 30 mile descent which was nice, but it was also disconcerting, because we were all mulling over the inevitable uphill climb to come.
Just before Dayville we took a 2 mile detour to check out the John Day Fossil beds. Rounding the turn to the visitors center we got a great view of Sheep's Head rock and some nice looking rock formations. After a great informational video we met up with the boys again (they had fallen a bit behind due to a tire repair) and left the visitor's center to head to Dayville.
We had a nice lunch when we arrived in town and we also met a woman who had recently put her house up on the transcontinental bike route. She mentioned there was a man a couple weeks ahead of us who was online dating as he traveled across the country. When he stayed with her he was going into town to have dinner with a local paleontologist who worked in the nearby fossil beds.
We thought about staying at her house, but then decided to go all the way to John Day. After some contemplation and realizing there was nowhere to camp in John Day, we decided to check out a local baptist church and see if we could stay in their church yard. We wandered in and found a pamphlet and called the pastor's number. The pastor's wife answered and she was incredibly gracious and offered us her second floor to sleep on and full use of her shower and bathroom. After her husband got home, and we had all settled down, we got to talking. We found out that they used to drive trucks together and have seen large amounts of the US. The pastor had actually just started to work part time as a fuel truck driver so he could spend more time at the church. We were very lucky to get to stay in such a welcoming home. After our 74 mile ride that day we all slept very well.
Just before Dayville we took a 2 mile detour to check out the John Day Fossil beds. Rounding the turn to the visitors center we got a great view of Sheep's Head rock and some nice looking rock formations. After a great informational video we met up with the boys again (they had fallen a bit behind due to a tire repair) and left the visitor's center to head to Dayville.
We had a nice lunch when we arrived in town and we also met a woman who had recently put her house up on the transcontinental bike route. She mentioned there was a man a couple weeks ahead of us who was online dating as he traveled across the country. When he stayed with her he was going into town to have dinner with a local paleontologist who worked in the nearby fossil beds.
We thought about staying at her house, but then decided to go all the way to John Day. After some contemplation and realizing there was nowhere to camp in John Day, we decided to check out a local baptist church and see if we could stay in their church yard. We wandered in and found a pamphlet and called the pastor's number. The pastor's wife answered and she was incredibly gracious and offered us her second floor to sleep on and full use of her shower and bathroom. After her husband got home, and we had all settled down, we got to talking. We found out that they used to drive trucks together and have seen large amounts of the US. The pastor had actually just started to work part time as a fuel truck driver so he could spend more time at the church. We were very lucky to get to stay in such a welcoming home. After our 74 mile ride that day we all slept very well.
our new friends!
We were feeling a little uneasy about some of the encounters we had had with the Mitchell locals, as we were rather exposed in the middle of the city park. Much to our delight, around 7:00 that night three young men in matching white jerseys and black bike shorts rolled into our camp! There were two brothers, Chad and Jared Lawver, and their friend Chaz. All three are from Ohio and attend the same college there. Chad will be a junior, Chaz a senior, and Jared just graduated this spring. They are also traveling across the country, and expect to end up in Virginia around the same time that we arrive in Maine. We discovered that we actually have the same route as them until we hit Yellowstone! So they may appear in our blog for at least the next few days.
Our new friends are exceptionally easy-going and friendly, and they have quite an appetite for baked goods and top ramen. Interestingly, they are all riding trek road bikes with carbon forks and stays, and yet are carrying about 50 lbs of gear EACH on their rear panniers. For example, they have a hatchet, solar-radio, camp chairs, mini camera tripods, backpacking packs, climbing shoes, and fishing poles on top of the essentials (writing this from Baker City, they just stopped at the post office this morning to mail home some of their weight - Jared has already broken two spokes in the past two days...).
So we had a fire in the Mitchell city park with our new friends and decided to continue riding with them, and we've been riding together thus far! They've even broken the wind for us all day for the past two days (and given how much stuff is tied to their bikes, that's a lot like drafting a talkative semi-truck that loves to yell at cows).
So those are our new friends, check out their picture on our blog a few photos down! More tales to come.
-Amie
Our new friends are exceptionally easy-going and friendly, and they have quite an appetite for baked goods and top ramen. Interestingly, they are all riding trek road bikes with carbon forks and stays, and yet are carrying about 50 lbs of gear EACH on their rear panniers. For example, they have a hatchet, solar-radio, camp chairs, mini camera tripods, backpacking packs, climbing shoes, and fishing poles on top of the essentials (writing this from Baker City, they just stopped at the post office this morning to mail home some of their weight - Jared has already broken two spokes in the past two days...).
So we had a fire in the Mitchell city park with our new friends and decided to continue riding with them, and we've been riding together thus far! They've even broken the wind for us all day for the past two days (and given how much stuff is tied to their bikes, that's a lot like drafting a talkative semi-truck that loves to yell at cows).
So those are our new friends, check out their picture on our blog a few photos down! More tales to come.
-Amie
Mitchell: a Ghost Town 'Mostly Dead'
Monday, June 21
Day 6, approx 40 miles, summitted Ochoco Pass (elev. 4,720ft.)
The day's ride began at a Boat Launch in Ochoco National Forest, the site of Tamara's exhilarating crash. We cruised through rolling hills and one moderate climb, all in the high desert of Central Oregon. Sage and the occasional juniper and ponderosa pine dotted the passing land. Cotton seeds floated through the air when we neared groves of Cottonwood trees growing on the river's banks.
Our day ended early at the town of Mitchell, around three in the afternoon. According the U.S. Census, Mitchell has a population of 170. According to Paul, a slim man with a scraggled beard, sun-leathered skin and yellowed teeth, the number comes closer to 130.
Mitchell was founded in 1873 on the premise of a blacksmith's shop and post office, but by the turn of the century was overtaken by five separate lumber mills harvesting ponderosa pine. It reached a peak population of 451 in the 1950s.
A sign off of Hwy. 26 advertises the Mitchell Business Loop. As you enter, a closed and empty building with a white sign advertising 'Groceries' appears on the left, opposite a cafe selling 'shakes, burgers and pies'. As we approached, the cafe owner sat on a concrete stoop smoking cigarettes with Paul, of the census confusion. She had a jade green necklace, and long brown braids framing a pale neck and sweat shining face.
We asked for shakes.
'You want shakes? Well my machine isn't workin' right. I turned it on this morning and the spigots just wouldn't go. It's from 1957, so I suppose I might have to get it serviced.'
Later, we asked when the grocery store closed across the street. She said six years ago the owner died. As it turned out, the (deceased) owner of the grocery store was also the owner of at least a third of the town- closed houses, former bars ('The Pink Spur'), filled the main street. Most were still on sale from the day he died. No one seemed willing to invest in property in Mitchell.
Otherwise, Mitchell had a general store, the Pine City Cafe, a tidy white clapboard hotel, and a city park- our camping space- with swings and picnic tables and a small pavilion. Huge bushes of sage grew up next to the river near our tents- the smell wafting across the park as we sat and gave back massages, read books.
Later, around six, we were visited by a group of locals, two women and a man somewhere ambiguously between the ages of twenty and forty. The women continued into town, while the man and a small boy ran across the campground to sit next to me and Claire.
"Y'all camping?" And before we could even give him an answer he jerked his head towards the women walking away, "Them two's my cousins. They're drunk, and one of 'em's trying to sleep with me." He laughed. We got awkward.
Kyle, had bleached blonde hair and bounced his leg frantically while he talked. He was unable to tolerate spaces of silence over ten seconds long, and as Claire and I talked as little as we could manage, that meant he kept up a pretty constant stream of conversation. He was seeing a girl in Mitchell, and had family there but otherwise worked in Portland. The boy with him swung from a tree branch as we talked, skater shoes hanging heavily off his feet, and told us he wanted to be an artist.
After a little while, the two women came back up the main street and joined us too. They were both missing teeth, one dressed in a pink tank top and jeans, with her brown hair in a scrunchy, had only three on the front top of her mouth.
'Where you headed to?' She asked. We told her Maine. She didn't know where it was.
'Well, I don't know much about much. I quit school. Then I moved to Vegas.' Her female companion, a blonde, nodded and shoved a twix bar, held tightly in her fist, into her mouth. After a few minutes they left.
We decided one night would suffice for Mitchell.
Fifteen minutes later, however, three tall blonde college boys rolled up on Trek road bikes, creaking at the end of a long ride. From Mt. Vernon University in Columbus Ohio, Jarod, Chas and Chad have become our traveling buddies for the next week or so, as we all continue to Yellowstone. There, they will (at least as planned), head south to the Tetons, across Kansas, and to Virginia, while we keep our northern route through northern Wyoming and South Dakota.
Day 6, approx 40 miles, summitted Ochoco Pass (elev. 4,720ft.)
The day's ride began at a Boat Launch in Ochoco National Forest, the site of Tamara's exhilarating crash. We cruised through rolling hills and one moderate climb, all in the high desert of Central Oregon. Sage and the occasional juniper and ponderosa pine dotted the passing land. Cotton seeds floated through the air when we neared groves of Cottonwood trees growing on the river's banks.
Our day ended early at the town of Mitchell, around three in the afternoon. According the U.S. Census, Mitchell has a population of 170. According to Paul, a slim man with a scraggled beard, sun-leathered skin and yellowed teeth, the number comes closer to 130.
Mitchell was founded in 1873 on the premise of a blacksmith's shop and post office, but by the turn of the century was overtaken by five separate lumber mills harvesting ponderosa pine. It reached a peak population of 451 in the 1950s.
A sign off of Hwy. 26 advertises the Mitchell Business Loop. As you enter, a closed and empty building with a white sign advertising 'Groceries' appears on the left, opposite a cafe selling 'shakes, burgers and pies'. As we approached, the cafe owner sat on a concrete stoop smoking cigarettes with Paul, of the census confusion. She had a jade green necklace, and long brown braids framing a pale neck and sweat shining face.
We asked for shakes.
'You want shakes? Well my machine isn't workin' right. I turned it on this morning and the spigots just wouldn't go. It's from 1957, so I suppose I might have to get it serviced.'
Later, we asked when the grocery store closed across the street. She said six years ago the owner died. As it turned out, the (deceased) owner of the grocery store was also the owner of at least a third of the town- closed houses, former bars ('The Pink Spur'), filled the main street. Most were still on sale from the day he died. No one seemed willing to invest in property in Mitchell.
Otherwise, Mitchell had a general store, the Pine City Cafe, a tidy white clapboard hotel, and a city park- our camping space- with swings and picnic tables and a small pavilion. Huge bushes of sage grew up next to the river near our tents- the smell wafting across the park as we sat and gave back massages, read books.
Later, around six, we were visited by a group of locals, two women and a man somewhere ambiguously between the ages of twenty and forty. The women continued into town, while the man and a small boy ran across the campground to sit next to me and Claire.
"Y'all camping?" And before we could even give him an answer he jerked his head towards the women walking away, "Them two's my cousins. They're drunk, and one of 'em's trying to sleep with me." He laughed. We got awkward.
Kyle, had bleached blonde hair and bounced his leg frantically while he talked. He was unable to tolerate spaces of silence over ten seconds long, and as Claire and I talked as little as we could manage, that meant he kept up a pretty constant stream of conversation. He was seeing a girl in Mitchell, and had family there but otherwise worked in Portland. The boy with him swung from a tree branch as we talked, skater shoes hanging heavily off his feet, and told us he wanted to be an artist.
After a little while, the two women came back up the main street and joined us too. They were both missing teeth, one dressed in a pink tank top and jeans, with her brown hair in a scrunchy, had only three on the front top of her mouth.
'Where you headed to?' She asked. We told her Maine. She didn't know where it was.
'Well, I don't know much about much. I quit school. Then I moved to Vegas.' Her female companion, a blonde, nodded and shoved a twix bar, held tightly in her fist, into her mouth. After a few minutes they left.
We decided one night would suffice for Mitchell.
Fifteen minutes later, however, three tall blonde college boys rolled up on Trek road bikes, creaking at the end of a long ride. From Mt. Vernon University in Columbus Ohio, Jarod, Chas and Chad have become our traveling buddies for the next week or so, as we all continue to Yellowstone. There, they will (at least as planned), head south to the Tetons, across Kansas, and to Virginia, while we keep our northern route through northern Wyoming and South Dakota.
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!
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!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
WE FOUND STRAY KITTENS. All of Dan and Claire's dreams have now come true
Monday, June 21, 2010
NO CELL SERVICE!!!!!
But not to worry. The gals are safely in Mitchell, Oregon with great weather, intact bikes, free camping, nice restrooms and firewood... but no cell service. Amie called us from the Mitchell store phone and asked that we post these facts for all the parents expecting a call tonight.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
days 4 and 5
So.... we're back in Bend again, here's a quick recap of how we got there:
On the 18th after heading back to my house in Bend for the night we spent a relaxing evening getting clean and re-organized after our first couple days of real riding. The next morning, we all mobilized around 8 am and drove back to the point where we left off in Sisters. We were joined by both my parents and brother, Anthony, as well as a Corso family friend, Cal Mukumoto. From Sisters we made a decently quick 40 mile ride to Prineville. On this side of the Cascades, the climate shifts from temperate, rainy, dense forest, to juniper-studded hills, wide grassy farmland and rocky mesas and canyons. We were chased by a rain cloud for a few miles, but for the rest of our ride the weather held.
In Prineville my parents generously paid for a campsite at an RV park/campground, where they had stashed a car full of food and treats! The rest of the day became very rainy but we spent most of it under a fully-equiped pavillion, sitting around a fire pit and grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. Around 8 my parents packed up and left, and we retired for the night in a tiny, rustic cabin that we were provided for no additional fee! There were even 5 sleeping spots.
The morning of the 20th we decided to take things leisurely, and had a nice sleep-in. After unanimously choosing to forego our showers, we packed up and headed back into the center of Prinville to a breakfast place recommended to us by the RV park hostess. We had to battle an extreme father's-day crowd, but Brother's family diner ultimately treated us well, and we all devoured trucker-style breakfasts.
After breakfast, on our slow, fat way out of town we swung by a Rays for the day's food and then continued our journey toward the Ochoco mountains of eastern Oregon.
Unforunately, after about only 10 miles of cycling, we experienced our first pile-up! From the back of the paceline, I watched Tamara pull off into a very wide shoulder as she made the move from the front to the back of the paceline. She had done such a good job leading that Claire held out a hand for a quick high-five... unfortunately, in the process of acknowledging this gesture, Tamara's bike made an odd swerve. She caught the swerve but ended up nicking Dan's pannier and then taking a tumble. I broke in time to not go over the top, but I didn't help the situation by falling on top of Tamara with my bike. Luckily Tamara was just fine - shaken up but only a little scratched.
She also chose a very convenient location to take a spill, since we found ourselves next to a parking lot, bathrooms and trash cans. We patched Tamara up and were about to keep rolling when we realized that her wheel had essentially "tacoed" (or "waffled"....lucia... :) and was bent thoroughly beyond our repair. Knowing there was no bike shop in Prineville, and the next closest was in John Day, over 100 miles away, we realized that we needed the abundant bike shops of Bend to solve our problems. In another unreal turn of luck, we were approched in our parking lot by a couple from Bend, who was actually planning on returning home with their boat and RV at that exact time. They loaded our bikes and bags in their boat and we rode back into bend in an RV with the couple, their high-school aged daughter, and an adorable old golden-retriever named Kirby. It turns out they even live only blocks from my house! We gave them our blog address, so if you're reading this post, thank you SO MUCH!!! You guys saved our butts today.
Home yet again, we just finished finding Tamara a new wheel (Thanks Sunnyside!!) and are relaxing until tomorrow morning when we will be driven again, by my exceptionally tolerant parents, back to the location where we stopped riding today.
We're currently watching Harry Potter 6 and waiting to pick up some Thai take-out! Rough life.
Happy father's day to all and we're looking forward to some sunnier days ahead.
On the 18th after heading back to my house in Bend for the night we spent a relaxing evening getting clean and re-organized after our first couple days of real riding. The next morning, we all mobilized around 8 am and drove back to the point where we left off in Sisters. We were joined by both my parents and brother, Anthony, as well as a Corso family friend, Cal Mukumoto. From Sisters we made a decently quick 40 mile ride to Prineville. On this side of the Cascades, the climate shifts from temperate, rainy, dense forest, to juniper-studded hills, wide grassy farmland and rocky mesas and canyons. We were chased by a rain cloud for a few miles, but for the rest of our ride the weather held.
In Prineville my parents generously paid for a campsite at an RV park/campground, where they had stashed a car full of food and treats! The rest of the day became very rainy but we spent most of it under a fully-equiped pavillion, sitting around a fire pit and grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. Around 8 my parents packed up and left, and we retired for the night in a tiny, rustic cabin that we were provided for no additional fee! There were even 5 sleeping spots.
The morning of the 20th we decided to take things leisurely, and had a nice sleep-in. After unanimously choosing to forego our showers, we packed up and headed back into the center of Prinville to a breakfast place recommended to us by the RV park hostess. We had to battle an extreme father's-day crowd, but Brother's family diner ultimately treated us well, and we all devoured trucker-style breakfasts.
After breakfast, on our slow, fat way out of town we swung by a Rays for the day's food and then continued our journey toward the Ochoco mountains of eastern Oregon.
Unforunately, after about only 10 miles of cycling, we experienced our first pile-up! From the back of the paceline, I watched Tamara pull off into a very wide shoulder as she made the move from the front to the back of the paceline. She had done such a good job leading that Claire held out a hand for a quick high-five... unfortunately, in the process of acknowledging this gesture, Tamara's bike made an odd swerve. She caught the swerve but ended up nicking Dan's pannier and then taking a tumble. I broke in time to not go over the top, but I didn't help the situation by falling on top of Tamara with my bike. Luckily Tamara was just fine - shaken up but only a little scratched.
She also chose a very convenient location to take a spill, since we found ourselves next to a parking lot, bathrooms and trash cans. We patched Tamara up and were about to keep rolling when we realized that her wheel had essentially "tacoed" (or "waffled"....lucia... :) and was bent thoroughly beyond our repair. Knowing there was no bike shop in Prineville, and the next closest was in John Day, over 100 miles away, we realized that we needed the abundant bike shops of Bend to solve our problems. In another unreal turn of luck, we were approched in our parking lot by a couple from Bend, who was actually planning on returning home with their boat and RV at that exact time. They loaded our bikes and bags in their boat and we rode back into bend in an RV with the couple, their high-school aged daughter, and an adorable old golden-retriever named Kirby. It turns out they even live only blocks from my house! We gave them our blog address, so if you're reading this post, thank you SO MUCH!!! You guys saved our butts today.
Home yet again, we just finished finding Tamara a new wheel (Thanks Sunnyside!!) and are relaxing until tomorrow morning when we will be driven again, by my exceptionally tolerant parents, back to the location where we stopped riding today.
We're currently watching Harry Potter 6 and waiting to pick up some Thai take-out! Rough life.
Happy father's day to all and we're looking forward to some sunnier days ahead.
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