I a cool water bottle with a water filter built in at a hardware store in baker city. That's a weight off my mind as I can now drink stream water as I ride. They also serve great ice cream here so I treated myself. My Brookes saddle is stRting to crack so I thought I'd get one like this lol!
Thursday, 28 June 2012
This fantastic adventure continued today. I woke up to the sound of motorbikes leaving to go back to Denver..then set out in the direction of baker city. It turned out to be another tough ride as the heat of the day kicked in and I was faced with three passes of over 5000ft and an endless hunt for water. The scenery got better as the day went on and I followed
The powder river. I have learnt that the word pass is code for pain and torture on the climbs here lol! I met some ladies touring on trikes going to Idaho. I found water at a fire stTion but only after I drank it realized it was heavy with iron so I rode several miles to a campground to get clean water and decided to make baker city to.igjt. the climbs are hard on my knees but the downhills are amazing! They go on for miles and miles. I saw lamas and longhorn cows . In baker city I met a great guy who is riding in the races here this week. Jody gave me lots of cool riding tips and a free floorspace to sleep on in his motel. I ate a tuna salad..well two actually as this was the first fresh salad I have found so far. This place is so cool and the people I meet are all so friendly. Why can't it be like this in the UK?
Today started late. I had thought to stay a day extra at the church and rest
My knees but coulnt as a bunch of lids arrived for bible class. Itool a slow ride along the river to my Vernon and onto prairie city. I was really tired and my knees were complaining. I stopped at a gas station and bought food as my map said no more stores for a long while. It was wrong and I carried the weight of the food I bought up Dixie pass..ouch. the pass I a ten mile climb up to 5277 ft and my knees were not having it. It took me all afternoon to make the summit and finally the campsite at the top. Along the way I had Lunch with a cyclist riding from Eugene to Idaho to see his girlfriend. I thought she must be worth it lol! The day was dominated by that one climb but I was rewarded with a stunning view . I took a video of it and forgot to tKs. Pic. Finally I found a campsite in the woods at summit where I met josh and Valerie cooking on a log fire . They are from Denver and had been motorcycling.g around Alaska. They cooked me a hot dog. It has been a very tiring day a.d my legs are overdue a rest. I only rode 53miles today mostly in sunshine but with some heavy showers In the morning. It's 8.30pm and I'm in my tent trying to keep warm as it is pretty cold up here.
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
In the church I am staying at this is the map on the wall where transam cyclists can mark up where they are from. The church opens its doors to cyclists doing the transam route and it'd a real godsend for a tired rider. I recommend any rider to stay here as it has all you need and all they ask is a donation in the box.if you can afford it. It has a computer and free WiFi a kitchen shower and communal room and its right on the 'main drag' in dayville which for an eastbound rider is after a long stretch of nothing but heat and hills and great scenery!
the best thing about a cycle trip like this is the freedom to do anything when I like totally independant and self reliant. Also each day is different..last night I swam in the lake, tonight I sleep I'm a church and tomorrow will have another adventure for me. Every corner of the rides so far have had me reaching for the camera, around every bend is something amazing and new. Alone in the wilderness on a bike I see large birds of prey above, maybe eagles, there have been deer at the roadside and roadworkers say hi and cheer me on. The easy rider style motorbikers often wave and as each tv passes me I know inside that I am doing something more special than simply driving across. I get to see and speak with the real people of Oregon and they have been so friendly. On a bicycle I see a hundred times more than from a car, and I live each mile taking in the sights sounds and smells of this wonderful state. I am lucky to be doing this I know but I also took the right decisions and made this happen and I. So pleased I did. No matter what happens over the next few months I will have such great memories from here. If Ny one out there wishes they could ride this trip my advice is to stop wishing and start doing...this is the trip of my life so far. To my friends who read this I hope you are good and hope this blog goes just a little way to sharing with you the amazing trip I am on here.
Just as a side note..there are lo.g stretches here with no phone signal and WiFi is not always as good a signal as I have here in the dayville church. So texting and blog updates may have gaps lol!.. ok time to get a hot shower and sleep on the floor here:)
Sent from my HTC
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