Day of the Birds

We saw so many birds today.  The Klamath Basin, which we biked through, is known as a bird hotspot.  It has numerous National Wildlife Refuges and beautiful Klamath Lake, the largest lake in Oregon.  Our day started with a long, frigid descent from Crater Lake into the flat basin, where the sun was shining and the air much warmer.  Hawks and kestrels were abundant, and we also got a great look at a prairie falcon!  

Photo credit: ebirdr.com

I wish I had taken this photo!  The falcon we saw looked a whole lot like this.

We filled up our water at Fort Klamath and set off on the west route around the lake.  It turned out to be perfect for biking.  Because that way is not the shortest route to anywhere, few cars passed.  And, because the road follows the edge of the trees, we rode in the shade as opposed to the hot sun of the prairie.

The road took us by Klamath Lake, where we saw grebes, pelicans, mergansers, more hawks and kestrels, cormorants, blackbirds, egrets, herons, gulls, and more!  Many were firsts for the trip list.  

We also went over Doak Mountain Summit, from which we could see Mt Shasta looming large and snowy on the horizon.

A few miles down the road, we both ran out of water.  It was hot today: in the 80s, a rarity in October.  Expecting to see a gas station at the junction of the big highway, we kept on pedaling.  But when we got there, no businesses were to be found.  We kept on; still nothing.  Eventually we turned towards the Klamath Falls city center and went a few miles off route to get some water.  The first place we came to, unfortunately, was Wal-Mart.  I'm disappointed, America.  The vast majority of people were overweight (with many wearing pajamas of some sort), and not a single person acted remotely friendly.  I hadn't been to Wally World in awhile, and I hope not to go again anytime soon.  But we were very thankful for the cold water!

At this point we were getting tired, so we biked a few more flat miles to the small town of Merrill, did some grocery shopping, and called it quits as the sun went down.  We biked 87 miles and probably saw over 30 species of birds!

A Day At Crater Lake, October 3

Today was full of adventures!  Some of the highlights were:

- eating breakfast while watching the sun rise over Crater Lake

- swimming in and drinking from the lake

- meeting and talking for awhile with two Swiss cyclists, Mario and Raffael

- hiking to the top of Mt Scott, the highest point in the park at just under 9,000 feet. From the top we could see Mt Shasta in the distance!

- biking to Cloudcap Overlook, the highest paved road in Oregon at just under 8,000 feet

- learning about flag trees, whose branches are all on one side due to constant, strong winds that make them look like flags in the wind

- hiking to Sun Notch and Tam doing a painting of the Phantom Ship

- biking the hilly 27 miles of the East Rim Drive

- ending the day with all-you-can-eat soup and salad. Yum!

Up to Crater Lake, October 2

We woke up this morning to frost everywhere.  It motivated us to get moving and on the road.  We got out of camp within an hour and went to the nearby post office to pick up a package.  We will be enjoying the goodies for weeks!  Thanks, mom!

Then we headed south on highway 97.  We had been anxious about the 30-mile stretch of this big road that we could not avoid, but it wasn't so bad.  We had a decent shoulder and even a tailwind for some of it!

The miles passed quickly, but we were still relieved to turn onto a smaller road up to Crater Lake National Park.  We ate a quick lunch at the junction then headed up the road.  We were greeted by a big hill up to Cascade Summit at about 6,000 feet.  

It looks steep, but it was really just very straight.  At the top we turned onto another road and, tired but excited, we entered the park!  The lake is only 7% of the actual park, so it took us awhile to reach it.  On the way, we talked with a touring cyclist who had come from Maine and spent the day riding the 33 mile road around the lake, and we passed through the Pumice Desert, which looked exactly as it sounds.  Up and up we climbed.  

The lake level is around 6,100 feet, and the caldera containing it rises up steeply to the edge.  So we had to go above 7,000 feet to see the lake.  But it was worth it once we got there.  

The lake was stunning: steep cliffs rising straight out of the rich, blue water, their reflections mirrored in the surface.  Furthermore, because we were up so high, we had a great vista of the surrounding mountains with the sun setting over them. A great way to end the day!

Autumn Chill

October 1! Autumn!

We woke up to the most decadent breakfast I think I have ever had, prepared by Marsha.  Waffles (with secret ingredients), fresh fruit, yogurt, omelets, orange juice... It was the best way to start the day that I could have imagined.  Then Marsha drove us back up the hill, stopping to grab some California maps on the way.  We commented to each other multiple times that she in John are some of the genuinely kindest people we know.  Thanks again!

We started out moving fast, trying to make it to a post office about 40 miles down the road before it closed.  It turns out they closed much earlier than we thought, so we had no chance of making it.  All the better, really, so we could relax and enjoy the solitude and beauty of the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway.  

Few cars passed, and Tam and I rode next to each other, talking and listening to music.  The weather was clear, another crisp fall day. We stopped a number of times at info boards in turnouts, learning about all kinds of interesting geographic features.  One board told of the eruption of Mount Mazama, where Crater Lake is now, over 7,700 years ago.  The eruption covered everything in up to five feet of pumice and ash!  Because the pumice's high porosity means it loses heat faster than other rocks, some areas, especially basins, are colder than they usually would be.  These areas are populated only by lodgepole pines, which seed better than the predominant ponderosas in cold weather.  Pretty neat!

Only lodgepole pines down there (the rest are dead from a 2003 fire)

We're camping tonight at a forest service campsite just off the road.  Should get cold: 27 is forecasted.  Then 71 tomorrow!  Then 26 again tomorrow night.

Back To Bend, September 30

Yesterday we met a nice couple, Marsha and John, who invited us to their house in Bend.  Unfortunately we had just come from there, but then they offered to drive us to Bend and back up the hill to our trailhead!  Can't refuse that!  So we hiked a few miles out and got picked up by Marsha.  She had apples and sandwiches for us in the car, which was fantastic by itself, then we went to their place and hopped in the hot tub!  It was wonderful to hang out there for the afternoon.  Then we had dinner, a magnificent spread of great food and interesting conversation with John, Marsha, their daughter Hilary (who's our age), and Hilary's friend Elena.  And then we had a big bed to sleep in!  We are truly thankful for their generosity.

John, Marsha, and Topsy

Elena is a nordic skier who is currently training to represent the under-23 American team for the world championships!  Check out her website here:

Beaeliteteam.wordpress.com

Using John and Marsha's computer last night, I was able to upload my pictures to flickr.  Check them out under Gallery!

Clear Skies Sept. 29

When we woke up today the sky was perfectly blue, not a cloud in sight. Seeing these conditions I excitedly threw some things in my backpack and started to hike. Feeling great after my rest day yesterday, (during which I read Cheryl Strayed's book Wild) I headed up south sister. Soon the lake we're camped by turned into a far away blue circle and I had incredible views of the landscape below. 

Moraine lake (our campsite)

Perhaps it is so impressive because it was created by a combination of volcanos and glaciers. Standing out from the rest were Mt Bachelor and Broken Top, two beautiful mountains. All the way up it was perfectly clear, and the view just got better and better. Near the top I saw another female hiker making her way down. She told me that she turned back because of the thick clouds up top. I could see some clouds starting to blow over, but decided to continue and see for myself.

Highest alpine lake in Oregon 

 I'm glad I did! By the time I made it up to the summit it was clear again- the clouds had blown through. It was so neat to see the other two sisters and several other huge and snow capped volcanic mountains in the distance. 

The other two sisters!

No one else was around, it was just me and the crazy wind, the snow and the jagged mountains. I let out a joyous woop woop!

The snowfield up top.

On the way down I saw a few others heading up, but the trail was much less crowded than it was for Danny yesterday since today is Monday.

Views on the way down.

 Back by our lake I met Marsha and John, a friendly couple from Bend who were out for a hike with their dog. We chatted for a bit and they offered to have us over at their place! So kind!
The rest of the afternoon I spent painting and reading. Danny came back from a short hike out in the direction of Green Lakes and we shared stories from the day. What a beautiful place we are in.

The South Sister, September 28

The South Sister

We didn't sleep much last night because the wind was so strong.  Even with all the guy lines staked out, we worried about the poles breaking.  Fortunately nothing broke, and upon waking up, as the wind was still howling, we built a large windbreak around the tent with piles of dead wood.  Then we ate breakfast and crawled back into the cushy sleeping bags.

The plan for our short backpacking trip was to hike all the trails near our base camp at a little lake, including the climber's route up the 10,358 foot South Sister.  Mountaineering is less fun when it's cloudy and raining, and the forecast said today would be the least cloudy day out of the next few.  Even so, the clouds looked ominous and we couldn't decide whether to stay or go.  We were also both pretty tired and would have been fine just napping and resting all day.  Then around 10 am, the clouds lifted a little bit and gave me a view of one of the glaciers high above.  I had to go.  Tam chose to stay, so I set off hoping the weather would subside.

I walked through expansive alpine meadows, following the trail among old, gnarled trees and tiny montane flowers. At times I was joined by chickadees and ravens, but most frequently my only partner was the howling wind.  I could see nothing above me except clouds, and the trail disappearing into them.  I went up and up, faster when I got cold and slower when the view started to emerge behind me.  It's hard to keep up any speed when a landscape begins to reveal itself behind you; the temptation to stop and look at the ever-changing scenery is too great.  After just an hour or so of steady walking, I could see Mt Bachelor, its top blanketed with a saucer-shaped lenticular cloud, and countless mountains and lakes to the south and the west.  The east was still just clouds.  Up and up I went, passing people who told me they had turned around: too windy and cold, and no views.  But as I continued, a wonderfully strange thing happened.  I would hike up into the bottom of the clouds, then they would recede and again I could see out.  Then I would catch them again, and once more they would retreat.  The trail ahead still disappeared into the mist, but generally I had an unimpeded view of my surroundings.   A contrast, it seemed, to everyone who was in front of me.

I reached a ridgeline at one point, and there in front of me lay a glacier, the highest alpine lake in Oregon at its toe.  I followed the ridge up steeply now until the lake was a blue marble below, my traction underfoot turning gradually from sandy dirt, to red volcanic scree, to snow.  The snow was just a day or two old and a foot deep in places, but the trail was mostly packed and made for relatively easy going.  And the clouds were clearing further!  I reached the top of the ridge after a bit and walked along the edge of what looked to be an icefield, perhaps what once was the spout of this dormant volcano.  I soon reached the summit.  The view was spectacular in all directions; Broken Top to the east, endless mountains to the west, and the Middle and North Sisters jagged and icy to the north.  Even farther were Mts Jefferson, Washington, and Hood, their classically volcanic forms rising out of the ground.  And the best part was that the only clouds were far below and the wind had ceased too, making for a comfortable summit stay in shorts and a light jacket.

I stayed a few minutes then headed back down.  I had no idea what time it was, but I guess I moved pretty fast because I arrived back at our campsite at 3.  Tam said she hadn't been up to much, reading and sleeping, mostly.  For the rest of the day, we enjoyed some sleep, dinner, a colorful sunset, and catching up over the phone with our friend Connor.

The only photos I have from this mountainous jaunt were taken with my camera and will be uploaded to my flickr page (click the Gallery tab above) as soon as I am able.

Broadcasting From the Wilderness

About the last post, where I said we wouldn't have internet for a few days... Just kidding.  Turns out we have 3G from our tent in the "wilderness."  Go figure.  Anyway, here's Sept 27:

After packing up and saying goodbye to Rosemary and Will, our wonderful hosts for the last two nights, we headed to the post office.  We sent home our clipless shoes and a few other things, and though having one less pair of shoes seems like a small change, we both remarked how we felt freer, liberated by one less thing to haul around. I can't express how excited we are to do away with more stuff!

On the way out of town, I saw a bike shop and remembered I wanted to check my chain; I had had it for only about 2,000 miles, usually about half the life of a chain, but I'm glad I checked, because it was stretched over 0.75%: time for a new one.  Riding loaded wears through them fast!  All this took time, of course, and by the time we actually got going it was almost noon.  Our destination: the Three Sisters Wilderness.

We left the city behind and climbed up and up into the Deschutes National Forest.  Even though we were leaving civilization, plenty of cyclists were out and about.  Almost every car that passed had a downhill or mountain bike on it, and we saw a plethora of road cyclists, too, going much faster than we were.  It was a perfect fall day for riding: crisp and clear, but not too cold that going up a hill couldn't warm us up.  We had a whole lot of hill to warm up on: 20 miles and over 3,000 feet of elevation.  From the top we could see Mt Bachelor and the South Sister, their peaks cloaked in clouds and their flanks dusted with fresh snow.

A few miles later we arrived at Devil's Lake, our trailhead, and converted from biking to backpacking.  It was a nice change to be living simply out of a backpack.  We hiked steeply uphill for a few miles through pine forest, each trunk and branches streaked with neon green lichens.  

While walking, we discussed an objective standard by which to measure "good" and "bad."  I have never been able to come up with one definitively.  In a book I recently read, Wendell Berry, farmer and writer extraordinaire, argues that the standard could be health: of people, family units, communities, ecosystems, and all their components.  I agree with him, but it gets messy when considering that one such unit might be harmed by the continued health of another, as is the case with humans and, well, everything else.  And when we have these conflicts, decisions must be made according to personal judgments, which does away with the objectivity.  Maybe there is no objective standard of good; maybe it's "I know it when I see it."  What do you think?

Anyway, by this time the sun was setting and gave us a light show over the trees as we hiked.  

Soon after, we set up camp, ate a quick dinner, and dove in the tent.  It's cold at 6400 feet!

Bend, September 24-25

September 24

We had been warned the night before of a mountain pass to start our day, and indeed, a few miles in, we started to climb.  We went up and up, gradually in places and steeply in others.  Soon before entering the Ochoco National Forest, the pine forest around us turned into a charred mess.  

It had burned earlier this summer, and the air smelled of a campfire that had just been doused. A light rain began to fall, and the wind picked up as well, a mild headwind.  Even with the inclement weather, we were at the top before we knew it.  

A short, chilly snack break at the top had us hoping for a big downhill into a warm, flat valley.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen.  Because the wind had picked up even more, we had to pedal hard to maintain any speed. A short while later, around 1 pm, we pulled off the road for lunch.  We realized we had cell service for the first time in a number of days and were only 44 miles from Bend, the site of bike shops and good breweries.  We decided to go there tonight, even though it would make for a long day of cycling.  

Even though the downhill from the pass persisted, so did the headwind, and progress was moderate.  Coming out of the forest, we had entered ranch lands with a high desert landscape: juniper, sagebrush, and a clear view for miles.  We passed through Prineville, battling traffic along with the wind, and shortly after, turned off the main road onto some small farm roads.  Anything to get off the heavily trafficked main road!  By this point, we were pretty tired.  60 miles down, 20 to go.  Why was the wind still blowing in our faces?  

20 long miles later, we turned into some suburban roads.  The sun was going down; a few more minutes and we would have had to turn on our headlamps.  But we arrived safely, and Rosemary, the warmshowers host we had contacted, greeted us warmly.

September 25

Errands.  Tam got a new shirt, replacing her very holey green one, and we both replaced our clipless pedals with platform pedals and Power Grips (fancy name for straps that go over the top of the shoe).  

The old shirt

Great to see the small, outdoorsy city of Bend and to re-orient ourselves with the world after the remote past few days.

Bend.  Photo credit: entrepreneur.com

Oregon! September 21-24

Sept. 21st
Goodbye Fabulous Farm
We wake up at 5 AM to a loud screeching outside our tent.  Peering outside, we discover that it's coming from two Great Horned Owls perched on a nearby telephone pole. Pretty cool, but still annoying when you're trying to sleep.  We actually get up around 8 and make an amazing vegetable curry for brunch. It included 14 different types of veggies, all fresh from the farm! We spend the rest of the morning working on small projects, playing and singing music, and talking to our good friend Karis on the phone.  So excited to visit her when we get to Ventura.
It's late afternoon when we're ready to roll out. It's very sad to say goodbye to Liz; we've had such a wonderful time here! But we must continue on.  So many thanks to Liz and everyone at the farm for being so generous and welcoming.  What an incredible place to live and work!

This photo was taken by 4-year old Hazel

Just down the road, we realize we have to turn around because we forgot to pack the bread and hummus we'll need for the next few days. After removing multiple goat heads (nasty spiky things) from our tires, we actually are on our way out of Walla Walla.
The road we take passes little farms and orchards. We stop at one recommended by Liz to purchase delicious apples. Crossing into Oregon entails crossing "State Line Road." Our easiest state crossing yet!

We bike through the town of Milton-Freewater, and then into the golden hills. As first there's a lot of ups and downs, but then it flattens out.  We even have a bit of a tailwind! With the help of the good weather we reach our destination, the town of Pendleton, quicker than expected.  We find a small grassy spot along the river that runs by the edge of town. Perfect to enjoy dinner and spend the night.

Monday Sept 22nd
Pedals in Pendleton?
As we're getting out things together in the morning, we realize that the bearing on one of Danny's pedals is very loose- perhaps about to break.  Since this will be our last sizable town before Bend, we decide to purchase a spare pedal here so we don't get stuck down the road. Easier said than done.  The town has two bike shops, but they're for motorbikes, and the sporting goods store only sells guns.  We finally see a bicycle in the window of an antique store, which of course, is closed. Tells you something about this town. Luckily, a friendly policewoman stops to help us and directs us towards Bi-Mart, where we're able to track down a set of pedals.
It's past 10 when we finally ride out of town. 9 hot miles past farms and fields brings us to Pilot Rock.  It's 80+ degrees in the shade today- a typical temperature for June in this region, not September! We sit outside of a gas station and drink lots of cold water.  95% of the people who go in and out are wearing an article of clothing with camo print on it. Seems like hunting is quite popular here.
Once we leave town, we're immediately surrounded by dry, grassy hills, speckled with sagebrush and large mulleins.  It's hot and hilly.  We stop for lunch at the junction between 395 and 74, where we're able to find a bit of shade.

After lunch, we start riding on 74, and find, to our great enjoyment, that there is very little traffic- maybe one car every half hour. So nice to get away from the loud trucks! We've been climbing up all morning; now we go down, then back up again, then down, then up.  This final long up brings us to the top of Franklin Hill, Elevation 3,456ft. Someone has annotated the sign so that it now reads 13,456.  That's more what it feels like. From up here we have a clear view of the dry golden hills in every direction, a landscape too textured for farming but perfect for ranching. Danny describes the hills as a bunch of hands placed next to each other because they have such interesting shapes.

At this point, we're running low on water and going so slowly that we're losing daylight. I'm tired, but doing my best to ride fast.  Luckily, there's only one more hill before the town of Heppner. As we roll into town, the sky flashes with lightning and the temperature drops. We're grateful to have water and a nice little park to camp in.

Tuesday, Sept. 23rd
California Love!
At the gas station we meet a friendly guy who points out the better of two routes we've been considering on our map. He says this one will have less traffic and is a bit shorter.  We fill up water and grab some groceries before heading to the post office. Here we meet a few more nice older folks, who ask about our trip, and point us towards the historical courthouse. Apparently, it's the most photographed courthouse in all of Oregon. There's an unexpected Irish influence in town.  A giant shamrock is painted on the main intersection, and we pass "Hepner's own Blarney Stone!"
At the post office we receive zippers from Mountain Hardware to repair our sleeping bags, and an envelope full of love letters from people at High Trails. It makes our day to read these notes! I'm smiling from ear to ear. Thank you everyone! (Extra hugs to Lisa.)
As soon as we leave town, we start to climb. We see the occasional farm, some cows or horses, but mostly just barbed wire fences and dry golden grasses.

A blasting headwind greets us at every turn of the road, and makes every pedal that much more challenging. After about 4 miles of up, we go down, then up again, this time for 8 miles. Just over the crest of this hill we roll into Hardman- what the locals of Hepner told us is a ghost town.  We find ramshackle buildings, lots of abandoned cars and pieces of junk.  I see one old man emerge from a shack, the disappear again.  A few dogs bark at us.  It's kind of creepy, so we don't stay long.
Thankfully, our road begins to descend, and takes us into lovely forest. How nice it is to be among trees again! The fall foliage is beautiful. Down the road a bit we find a park, with picnic tables and water! What a nice surprise.  We stop for lunch.
A bit reenergized, we start to climb steeply up through the forest. It's cooler here, with a bit less wind.  We enjoy the silence and lack of cars.
After 12 miles of up, we reach a sign that says: Summit, 4,600ft! Hooray!

A long downhill takes us through the forest, and then out into a huge valley. The scenery is spectacular! Before us are desert hills, terraced and carved, painted in yellows and reds, dotted with sagebrush and juniper trees.

The high desert at its best. At the bottom of the valley we find the small town of Spray.  There's not much here, but there is a park where we can set up our tent.

Wednesday, Sept. 24th.
Journey Thru Time
Our day doesn't start well when Danny gets a flat tire rolling out of the park.  Oh well, even after fixing it we're on the road earlier than yesterday.
The road we begin to bike on is one of Oregon's Scenic Byways, "Journey Thru Time" presumably called this because of the interesting geological history of the area. This section of the road reminds me of Idaho's Highway 12.  We follow the John Day river and find beautiful scenery around every turn.  

We we see huge osprey, great blue herons, quail, and kingfishers. The first 13 miles are a breeze. I can't say the same for the next 25. We turn south on 207 and immediately start climbing out of the river valley.  This is not a flat section of the world! The "hills" here are worse than many of the mountain passes we have done. We round one twisty switchback after another.

Looking Back

After 5 miles or so our road curves and enters a new valley.  Here we see pronghorn antelopes,- two babies nursing from mom, Scrub Jays and Townsend's Solitaire- two new bird species! We also pass hills streaked in pale green, perhaps a copper deposit?

When we're tired and hungry we stop for lunch.  Although there was no summit sign, it so happens that we stopped at the top of the pass! It's almost all downhill to the town of Mitchell.
Mitchell is of particular interest to me, since I biked through here 4 years ago on my way across the US. Since there was so little activity the last time I was here, I'm surprised to find that it looks much the same. Everything is still closed and boarded up except for the grocery and a small cafe. There's still a park where we can camp, and an old empty cage where they used to keep a bear as a tourist attraction. Apparently they get enough tourists coming through here to see the Painted Hills that the small businesses have been able to continue to cling to life.
We're tired from all the steep climbs we've done over the past few days, so we decide to stop and recuperate with some chips and salsa.  So nice to have the rest of the afternoon off.

Liz! Walla Walla, September 18-20

Walla Walla Sunset

September 18

We were invited by Julie to come in for breakfast, and we sat down to a wonderful spread of scrambled eggs, pancakes, and bacon (for Cameron).  It was a delicious and fantastic way to start the day!  After breakfast we said goodbye to Julie and Curt, thanking them profusely, though never enough, for all their hospitality.

The headwind was already strong at 9 am.  A few miles up the road we met a Swiss cyclist named Max.  He was headed to Walla Walla too and decided to bike with us.  The more the merrier!  The going was slow even with drafting in our group of four, but eventually we arrived at Lewis and Clark Trail State Park and sat down to a long lunch.  

We passed a truck carrying a single, enormous windmill blade

Back on the road a few hours later, the wind was roaring.  We put our heads down and went up and down a few big hills, keeping a consistent pace.  Finally, around five pm, we turned off the highway and onto some smaller roads.  Our excitement built as we approached our destination, and upon arriving at our old friend Liz's farm, we were so happy to share big hugs and eat a lot of pasta with fresh veggies.

September 19

We cooked up some potatoes for breakfast and reviewed a crude map of South America drawn by Max.  He told us about his favorite places, inspiring in us wonder, excitement, and anxiety for the road ahead.  Though we were staying to spend time with Liz, Max was to meet his brother in a few days and had to go. Cameron decided to go with him towards the coast rather than head south with us.  It was hard to watch him leave after spending the last weeks together, but I am hopeful and optimistic that our paths will cross again soon.

After the guys left, Tam and I ran some errands.  Most exciting, her new pack was at the post office, purple and shiny.  Thank you, Osprey, for your fantastic warranty!

A delicious lunch, a short nap, a tour of the farm with Liz, and cooking gnocchi with Tam rounded out this restful day.

- Danny

September 20

We got up early and fueled ourselves with left-over gnocchi before hopping in Liz's truck. A couple hour drive brought us to one of her favorite hiking destinations, the Wallowa mountains. We then hiked up through peaceful forest and past gurgling streams into a gorgeous alpine meadow. The leaves were starting to turn vibrant shades of yellow and red, and simply lit up the mountainsides. Our destination for the day was mirror lake, a blue green gem nestled just under the spectacular peak known as Eagle Cap. We ate lunch by the lake, played with Liz's energy-filled 9 month old dog Charlie, and enjoyed freezing swims. What a wonderful place! It's already dark when we start the drive home.  

-Tam