Day 4 - June 18: Belknap Springs to Bend
Days Mileage: 58 miles
Miles since Pacific Coast: 211 miles
Well, today was a real milestone day! We did our first major climb...climbing up to McKenzie Pass a 5,325 foot elevation summit with an uphill of 22 miles to get there from our start. I was not sure I could do it since I'd never ridden at that elevation before.
But much to my surprise, I and all our party made it successfully to the top, arriving by noontime. The western side of the Cascades is very wet, mossy and green but when you cross to the other side it is significantly drier, more sparse and eventually you enter the high desert area around Bend. A dramatic change. As you see from the photos it was very rainy, cool and wet in the morning's ride and very cold at the summit of Mckenzie Pass and then warm and dry in Bend. Today it was in the 80s in Bend whereas in Belknap it didn't get much above 50.
Day 5 is a day of rest in Bend to stock up for our 5 days of riding/camping in Eastern Oregon. There are no services or internet or probably cell phone service so you may not hear from us for a few days.
June 20: Ochoco Divide, OR
June 21: Mt Vernon, OR
June 22: Unity Lake, OR
June 23: Vale, OR
June 24: Boise, Idaho
We expect to arrive in Boise on/about June 24th. See you then.
Days Mileage: 58 miles
Miles since Pacific Coast: 211 miles
Well, today was a real milestone day! We did our first major climb...climbing up to McKenzie Pass a 5,325 foot elevation summit with an uphill of 22 miles to get there from our start. I was not sure I could do it since I'd never ridden at that elevation before.
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| Before leaving Belknap Springs we decided for a group photo in front of the modest bear. So we were modest, too. |
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| At top of Mckenzie Pass in front of the Dee Wright Observatory. |
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| Ed, Cathy, me, Steph and Tom at the top of the Dee Wright Observatory, Mckenzie Pass. Mt Washington and Mt Jefferson in the background. |
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| A mysterious masked man in front of the McKenzie Pass elevation sign. |
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| Our first major climb. 5,325 feet elevation |
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| Our lodging in Bend. Pitching a tent in a friend's backyard. Greg and Cathy on the left. Tom and Steph quarters on the right. |
But much to my surprise, I and all our party made it successfully to the top, arriving by noontime. The western side of the Cascades is very wet, mossy and green but when you cross to the other side it is significantly drier, more sparse and eventually you enter the high desert area around Bend. A dramatic change. As you see from the photos it was very rainy, cool and wet in the morning's ride and very cold at the summit of Mckenzie Pass and then warm and dry in Bend. Today it was in the 80s in Bend whereas in Belknap it didn't get much above 50.
Day 5 is a day of rest in Bend to stock up for our 5 days of riding/camping in Eastern Oregon. There are no services or internet or probably cell phone service so you may not hear from us for a few days.
June 20: Ochoco Divide, OR
June 21: Mt Vernon, OR
June 22: Unity Lake, OR
June 23: Vale, OR
June 24: Boise, Idaho
We expect to arrive in Boise on/about June 24th. See you then.
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