Moving on into Oregon...
After Jedediah Smith State Park, Michael headed to Wonder, OR, where he stayed at a KOA campground (couldn't find a place to camp), where he hung out with the owners of campground who were new to the business after getting out of the short-haul trucking business. Michael is honing his excellent skills of just listening and learning (notice the picture above where he is chilling out - everything is cool, man!). He learned a lot about the realities of the short haul business and how much they love environmentalists. Not.
After Wonder, he headed to Richards State Park, which is north of Shady Cove (for those of you following along on a map). Went next to Diamond Lake (two shots - one of his campground and one of the lake), which was approximately 160 miles and mostly uphill for 3 days from Jedediah Smith. Took a much-needed rest day. After which he rode for ~ 100 miles to Bend. Was there for 2.5 days and looked everywhere, but could not find anyone that he knew!
After leaving Bend, he camped on a forest service road near Prineville. Kept on moving to the northeast, passed Pendleton and then Baker City, OR. For the most part, his path is pretty unorthadox (yeah, what a surprise), taking a diagonal across Oregon, using the smallest roads as possible. Averaging 65-80 miles/day, and has met quite a few interesting characters along the way. One was a woman (19 year-old) from Quebec, and a guy named Trevor who has been without a car for 14 years and was traveling from Missoula Montana to Northern CA for a music festival - hauling a trailer.
Most cyclists that he has met are NOT self-supported (that is, they are staying in hotels and eating out). Next to the Washington Boder via Enterprise, OR.
1 comment:
Michael!
Great work making it to Montana already! We must have passed you somewhere on the highways in Oregon (we were the car speeding by, kicking up rocks and throwing our beer bottles out the window - hope none hit you). Kidding, of course, but we were in that area around the same time, and though of you every time we saw a bike loaded down with bright yellow bags.
Just wanted to send our support and encouragement. It was an honor and a pleasure to host you along the way. You got through Northern CA just in time - if you were here now, I'm sure the smoke filled air would have been quite unpleasant and even slowed you down a bit.
Hope the flat prairie lands provide you with some relief (a little pun intended)...and at the least interesting conversation you're hoping for. We'll check in again soon...good luck, and take care!!!
Erin, Fawn, and Maddie in Arcata
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