Photos Galore: Check out pics from my bike tours

I've been quite the archivist as of late!

I've managed to go through the numerous photos of bike tours that I've taken over the past few years. A handful have been posted here on this blog, but I've made a slew of new sets on my flickr page. So I urge you to check some of these photos out when you get a chance:

Portland to Vancouver BC Bicycle Tour May 2009

Willamette Valley Bicycle Tour August 2009

Trans-Oregon Bicycle Tour, May/June 2010

Olympic Coast Bicycle Tour, July 2010

Mount Saint Helens mini-tour, August 2010

Mt. Hood Mini-Tour, September 2010

Trans-Oregon Tour: Friday June 4

Interpretive display on the long climb on US 26 out of Prairie City up to Dixie Pass

Clouds, rain, mountains, grass, sky

Friday was a good day, but a long and strenuous one. I started the day later than I cared to, taking down camp in the rain. And soon after leaving Prairie City I began the 9 mile climb to Dixie Summit. It wasn't as tough as Keyes Creek, but it was still a workout no matter which way you look at it. And the Summit elevation was 5277 feet, just shy of a mile high by three measely feet. The highest I've climbed on a bike! (i've biked in Denver, so I have biked at this elevation before.)

A thrilling descent down through beautiful Ponderosa forest and then the start of the second climb to Tipton Summit. Not as high or long as Dixie, but still tough. Then down again and a cruise along a gorgeous valley. I stopped to take a photo, trying to capture the postcard perfect image that just smacks of "The West." Stereotypical, yes. But what the hey? I thought to myself "It don't get better than this." Then I heard the rumble of thunder, and turned around to see an ominous cloud approaching. Uh oh.

Trans-Oregon Tour: Thursday June 3

Snack break on the climb to Ochoco Summit

Ochoco Mountain scenery

Unwelcome on the up, welcome on the down

Butte in the Bridge Creek Valley

Painted Hills Country

Mitchell

Climbing out of Mitchell on US 26 to Keyes Creek Summit

Some things you see on tour you just can't explain

C

Box Canyon near John Day River

Sheep Rock on John Day River

Makin' Pancakes at the Dayville Church

Awesome stained glass at Dayville Church

Strawberry Mountains

It's Thursday evening (6/3) as I type this on my ipawd. Since I last left y'all, I biked for 3 days eastward along US26. We left Ochoco Lake Tuesday morning but only 6 miles in Kiran's tendinitis was too much for him to bear (despite mainlining Advil). So Kiran and Sharad had to scrap the bike tour, leaving me to go on solo.

The rest of the day was spent going up a ridiculously gradual and easy climb up to Ochoco Pass, elevation 4800 feet. I was greeted by a Ponderosa Pine forest at the top, and a screaming descent into Bridge Creek Valley, and more desert. I took a 14 mile detour to the fabled Painted Hills, which are indeed beautiful.

The day ended in the tiny town of Mitchell, population 100 (or so), and the place where RevPhil went to high school. Camping in the town park was free, but I opted for the luxury of a $40 room at the Oregon Hotel, where I could spread all my crap all over the room and use the free wifi (this iPod touch thingy is going to be a problem!) I hung out a bit with Tom, the guy from the navy, at the town bar/restaurant/whathaveyou.

Wednesday brought on the 6.5 mile climb to Keyes Creek Summit, elevation 4300 feet. It wasn't a brutal climb, but it was relentless, not leveling out one bit. The descent down to the John Day River was long, gradual, and beautiful, as 26 followed a creek through a canyon most of the way. A quick side trip to the John Day Fossil Beds Interperative Center, and a couple miles through Picture Gorge, and I was in the tiny town of Dayville, population a few, where I ended my day.

In Dayville I stayed at the Presbyterian church that doubles as "hostel" for bicycle travellers on the TransAm. The hostel is byo bed, so I set my sleeping bag and pad on the stage in the sanctuary. But the church provides Internet, shower, washer/dryer, and kitchen, all for free! Also staying at the church was Tom, and Tess and Lauren, both from Portland and on a several week bike tour exploring the far reaches of Eastern Oregon-on a tandem! They've been to even sparser populated areas than I have!

After dark we all headed down to the town park to talk about touring experiences. Wild animals to watch out for came up, and it was noted that this was cougar country. No more than a few minutes go by when we noticed a rather large animal moving fast down the main road. Was it a deer? Too low to the ground, not bouncy enough. Local dog? Coyote? Maybe. Or could it be...Well, it was a bit scary of a walk back.

Today was a fairly easy and uneventful ride to Prairie City. More on that later.

Trans-Oregon Tour: Monday May 31

Getting the bikes ready in Redmond

Crooked River Valley, Black Butte in the distance

Crook County Courthouse, Prineville 

Ochoco Lake

Today was a short day, only 30 miles. After a total of 130 miles over the previous two, with probably 6,000 feet of TOTAL elevation gain, Team Bike Tour felt it was time for a little break.

Today's ride was good. Mostly level, a little rain,and the scenery of the Crooked River Gorge. Today was also the last of the "sizable" towns we'll be seeing for awhile. Sisters (cute but touristy, population 1800) was passed through yesterday, and today was Redmond (has a Fred Meyer and a brewpub, population 20,000) and Prineville (depressed, population 9,000). Now it's a few hundred miles to Baker City, the next sizeable population center. Just tiny towns, high desert, and mountain passes in between.

And we are camped just before the next climb, Ochoco Pass,elevation 4'700 feet. Team Bike Tour (plus Ron, one of our Redmond hosts, who joined us for today) decided to camp at Ochoco Lake County Park ($5 hiker/biker sites, hot showers), rather than 20 miles up the road at the summit due to Kiran's leg pains and it would be cold at the top. And we got company! Besides us 4, there's a couple on a tandem, two touring dudes we ran into yesterday, and yet another dude fresh out of the Navy. All of them are attempting to ride across the country. We're just trying to ride across the state.

Ochoco Lake is beautiful, and we're camped under juniper trees. Tomorrow promises to be interesting, no matter what.

Trans-Oregon Tour: Monday May 31 (in the morning, though)

That's right Vermont, Oregon's got covered bridges toooooo

Cascade panorama

The climb on US 20 to Santiam Pass

Crossing the PCT

One summit down, many more to go...

Crusted over snow at the summit

The scene of the burn

Entering Ponderosa Pine territory

Of course we stopped!

Day 3 of the tour is about to begin! The last two days Kiran,Sharad,and I biked from Eugene to Redmond, OR,where I am now. Yesterday was the epic climb over Santiam Pass, 4800 feet high! The climb was a workout, about 25 miles of going up and up. But the bomb down was exciting! Now I'm on "the dry side" of Oregon, though rain is in the forecast for the next several days.

One mountain pass down, about 6 more to go!

Today will be an easier day, as we are only going to Ochoco Lake past Prineville.

Trans-Oregon Tour: The Start!

Salem Southern Pacific Station

On the train

I'm typing this from a fancy electronic device (fancy!)from a "brewpub"in downtown Eugene. Took the Cascades train from Portland at 6:15 pm. Bid my sweet baby April adieu,because I won't be back until Pedalpalooza!

On saturday I depart by bike with Kiran and his friend for a bicycle excursion into Eastern Oregon! We'll follow the fabled TransAm bike route over the Cascades via Santiam Pass. Then eastward through Redmond and Prineville onto US26 and into Painted Hills country. More mountain passes and into Baker City.

I'll press onward through the Wallowas and Blue Mountains, then Eastern Washington wheat territory where I'll catch a train in Pasco.

Should be fun!

I'll post when I can.

The Bike Tour That Never Ends...

So, I've got two and a half weeks off from work, starting this Wednesday and going to Memorial Day Weekend. Whenever I have this much time off from work, I travel. No ifs, ands, or buts. I don't relish "just bumming around home" if I have the opportunity to go somewhere.

But where to go? Initially I was planning on doing an Eastern Oregon bicycle tour. Even though I've lived in Oregon for 8 years, I've only really seen the west of Cascades half. East of Cascades--the dry side--is still a mystery. It's beautiful out there, so I'm told, and what better way to get to know it intimately than on two wheels?

Well, the problem is that early May is still "iffy" weather out there. I'd be going over several mountain passes in the 3,000 ft or higher range (about 1,000 metres or higher for you Metrikids). And when I checked the weather last week, ALL the passes were still getting snowed on, snow still piled on the sides for the road, temperatures around freezing. Now I've done some snow riding, but I didn't relish the idea of biking over snowy, icy, and cold mountain passes and having to CAMP near them.

Well, what to do? The clock's a-ticking!

I could take a train somewhere else. California? Just went there. Midwest? Nah, not right now. How about closer to home? The Oregon Coast is beautiful, but I've already done it. I will do it again, but not right now. Same goes for the Gorge. Plus, it's always there, so I'll be doing a few tours in it during the summer. I wanted to explore some unknown, uncharted territory.

How about the reaches of the Olympic Peninsula? All those rain forests? The setting for "Twilight"?

The general idea is this: start biking north on Wednesday, using the inland route that hugs (but doesn't use) I-5. I've biked this bit before, but oh well. Then after Centralia, head northwestward to Elma, then northward along the Hood Canal (uncharted!) to Port Townsend (charted.) Then cross over via ferry to Whidbey Island (uncharted!) up to Bellingham and then cross the border into BC and hang in Vancouver. (I've been looking for an excuse to go back up, since the last couple visits were sub-par.) Then cross via ferry to Victoria on Vancouver Island and then again via ferry to Port Angeles, Washington. Now I'll be following US-101 along the west side of the Olympic Peninsula down the coast all the way to Astoria, Oregon!

I'm planning on biking the whole way (minus ferries and a possible bus ride from Vancouver to the ferry terminal--if you'd try to bike it, you know why), which would make this the first door-to-door long distance tour I've ever done. Of course, I might go a bit slow on the westside of the Olympics, so I may hop a bus from Astoria, or cut back inland at Aberdeen to get to the Centralia train station. I don't know yet. And yeah, it can be a bit wet. I know that.

As for the route, here's a general idea: View Larger Map

Well, it should be fun. Wish me luck! I might update this thing a couple times as well.