Oregon                                                                                                            

How I spent my Bend vacation…I am so fortunate to be alive!

How I spent my Bend vacation;

If you have never been to Central Oregon you are missing one of the Great places in The United States. I first came to Bend about 4 years ago on a Mtn bike trip I was on. I was immediately sucked into the friendly bike culture and cool vibe; funky shops great food and 8 yes 8 micro-Breweries located in and around Bend, Deschutes being the most famous and in my opinion the best Stout and Dark beer producer in these parts, I’ll talk about the Abyss later on….  Biking is why I first came here but you can do so much more, Skiing , rafting , Kayaking, Horseback riding, Mountaineering, rock climbing, sky diving….the list is long and involves leaving the couch and experiencing life.  

This time around I am traveling through on my world bike tour so I stopped in Bend to hang out with my friend Ralph and his Family. I planned on doing some ridding and a lot of relaxing and so far I have accomplished both, thanks to Ralph and Carol’s kindness and hospitality. I spent the first few days updating the website and lounging around watching soaps on TV and eating Bonbons. OK not true well I have been lounging a lot. When Ralph had time we did our first Mtn bike ride together and my first in at least a year and a half….God I missed the feel of dirt under the tyres and the thrill of ridding fast off road (Yes Non-believers I do ride a Mtn Bike I even have Video to prove it.)  Ralph and I did a trail system that is called Phil’s trails.  We rode for about 3.5 hours and it felt like 2; the trails are fast, fun and have no serious climbs mostly gradual accent and fast fun twisting smooth as a baby’s but single track we covered about 25mi of the 100+ in the trail system…Phil’s trails are super fun, with some technical thrown in here and there for a bit of change up, the trails are best ridden early in the morning to avoid the crowds in the late morning early afternoon.

I had been in Central Oregon are about 4 years ago during my 3 month summer Mtn bike vacation were I drove through ten western States riding some fantastic trail. One of the areas I rode was a place called Umpqua National Forest. I rode part of the best trail I have ever ridden along the Umpqua River. The trail System Is called the North Umpqua Trail. The trail follows the N. Umpqua for 79 miles it is comprised of 99% true single track with a few small dirt road sections. I was so impressed with this trail and all of its diversity I had to come back.

 In any given section of the N. Umpqua Trail you will find fast winding single track that snakes through the moss covered trees, your riding on a fine bed of pine needles and underneath is smooth dirt making the trail flow with little effort suddenly the trail drops off to the side 200ft, you ride on the edge one mistake and your toast, the smooth pine needles give way to rock strewn dirt, you climb higher the rocks turning to sand then back to pine needles as you make the top of a hill and level ground, you look down at the river 500feet below and the sheer drop, your heart pounds from adrenalin brought on  by excitement, fear and steep leg busting climbs….. This is just 1 mile of the Umpqua river and it plays out like this for 79.

With this kind of vision in  mind I told Ralph about the trails and suggested we head down to Lemolo Lake, about 108mi south of Bend and ride the trail section called Dread and Terror a 13.7mi each way out and back. The seed planted it didn’t take long for it to grow inside Ralph like a fever and soon we were discussing days to go and if I could get the same bike I used for Phil’s, a NINER Full Bounce Betty, The bike was super fun, I got the bike from WEB CYCLERY here in Bend, OR. I had seen the name WEB Cyclery somewhere before, after a few minutes I remembered I had bought a trials bike form them a few years ago. The days to ride we planned so I headed back to W.C. to see about getting the NINER back and maybe even a deal on the rental.

When I was here years ago WEB Cyclery was not around in the since that they had NO store front, today W.C. is a full blown retail store selling all the bike goodies. I went to the man who owns and operates the store, Kevin (sorry no last name, though maybe its WEB ???) . I told him I would like to rent a bike for a couple days and get some info on the Umpqua Trail system. Kevin is a super nice guy who took the time to get me set up, explained a bit about the Dread and Terror section we wanted to do and talked about riding I general. I also had encounters with most of his staff and they are all very friendly and helpful, which I have to be honest is not happening at a lot of shops these days and not just bike shops. The store is well lit with a good selection of parts and accessories. The shop area is large with at least 6 bays stocked with tools and parts to fix just about anything. The bike I rented is an XL NINER with the new SLX 10sp shift system. Even though I prefer the Rohloff hands down to Derailleur systems, the SLX was superfast shifting and crisp through the entire range, not always the case with Derailleur systems. I probably couldn’t of picked a better Demo bike it was a perfect choice for me and my current riding style, which is more long distance Mtn bike rides. I have been to all the bike shops in Bend, I was most impressed with the Guys and Gals at Web Cyclery; if you happen to be in the area this is the ‘Go to Shop’.

I’m so fortunate to be alive!

Ralph and I left on Wednesday morning with the idea we would be on the trail at the Toketee Camp ground by 11am, we were close. At 12pm we pedaled out onto the N. Umpqua trail section called ‘Dread and Terror’. We decided it's always better to end a ride on a descent so we chose to climb up the trail. The first section we did was Smooth fast pine needle single-track; it flowed up and down with a roller-coaster like motion. Sweeping turns passing huge Douglas Firs covered in moss, the trail tacky in the shaded areas and loose and dusty in the sunlit spots. We crossed many little streams some that flowed under the trail, across, sometimes an  actual part of the trail. As we rode the edge of the trail would come and go with large sections of the trail exposed to sheer drop offs ranging from 10-200ft straight down to the raging river below.  The trail turned rockier and loamy, in some sections it became somewhat technical but nothing un-ride able. It was on one of the loose dusty sections I almost died!

 I was trailing behind Ralph the trail pitching up suddenly and the edge dropping away to some bushes and a downed tree that was across the hill. Half way up Ralph’s shoe popped off his pedal so he stopped, I stopped just behind. I was balancing fine and even had a short conversation with Ralph about how my stopping was not his fault, when my left foot touched down the soil gave out from underneath me. I tried to move my weight to the right and unclip my right foot but it was too late; I started to fall off the bike and over the edge. The first thing I did was fall backwards head first, according to Ralph who watched in horror as I fell off the trail I did a somersault and a half then rolled over as I landed, the bushes and the tree stopping my continual plummet another 60ft to the river below.

When the dust settled I was on my back with the bike snagged on some bushes next to me, luckily not on me. I took a few seconds and went through the injury check list, since the only thing going through my mind as I fell was “how bad is this going to hurt”. I could move all my appendages and had no sharp pains anywhere so I concluded I was indeed alive and not broken. I managed to get myself upright moved my arms and legs, the left hand hurting quite a bit but not enough to stop me getting off the side of the hill. I got the bike untangled and pushed it up as far as I could so Ralph could grab it. Then I eased myself up and scrambled as best I could up the steep side until Ralph grabbed me and pulled me to safety, but not before I threw him the camera and had him take a picture of me on the side of the trail about half way up from where I fell.

Back on the trail I sat for a few moments and reflected on what had just happened. I looked down the hill while not a sheer drop it is steep enough that if not for the tree I would have made a sudden stop at the bottom, after a few more tumbles. Not sure I would have made it. As I sat my left hand became more painful as I withdrew from the sudden influx on adrenaline. We had planned on doing 2-3 hours and then doubling back so it was agreed we would turn around now at 2hrs. I remounted the bike which was unscathed not even a scratch  and gingerly rode the first miles back until my confidence returned.

On the way back I was keenly more aware of the trails edge and took a real good look at where we are riding. The trail follows the river with an exposure factor of about 70% along its length meaning you are riding with a drop off most of the time, paying close attention is paramount. We rode past many places where if I had fallen it would have been curtains for sure, I was cautious the rest of the ride back to camp.

          I awoke to stiff joints, bruising, a few cuts and scrapes and an eagerness’ to ride more of this fantastic trail; yes it tried to kill me, but all is forgiven because this trial is sweet. We headed down the river about 12miles to do a couple different sections of the trail that said “moderate” on the hiking scale so we figured it was “Moderate” on the Biking scale as well…it WAS kind of. The trail started with a long loose shale section tough to ride but not extremely steep. The edge was there the entire ride and even more exposure than most of the first day. We did about 11miles up and then turned around and rode the last section back to the road and the road the rest of the way back to the truck, more because of time than trail conditions but I must admit we were both tired, even though my legs felt 100% my body was beat from the fall and I was tired all over. Back at the truck we celebrated having survived the trails and spent 2 days riding epic single track in a beautiful place. I will have to come back and try and ride the entire Umpqua trail 79mi. If you are ever close to Oregon make a trip to ride this trail it will change your idea of what single track riding is and can be it is THAT GOOD!!!!!  I promise if you live you'll want to come back again and again.

Today is Saturday and I am back on the road after a week and a half off. I woke up this morning stepped outside turned right back around and shut the door; it’s freezing cold outside and misting rain. Why today?  The day I planned on leaving…WHY??? No one knows! It’s just the way it is. I said goodbye to my Friends Ralph and Carol, braced for the cold, turn the pedals around and pushed on  south down the 97 towards the Crater Lake turnoff in an ever colder rain. Luckily; my first day back the road is mostly flat, no wind just drizzle and cold only 48 degrees, plus my wind chill of -2 so 46 degrees I am not having fun.

I think about going back to Ralph's, staying in a nice warm house with a soft bed and a shower, waiting until Monday when the weather is supposed to improve, but I am 20mi away and the Bicycle tourist mantra is “never go back” we hate to tack on unnecessary miles. I push on into the cold gray day. Mile after mile tick away and nothing changes. The cold is still there and the rain is a drizzle. I finally find a place to camp outside of La pine, too bad I picked the road everyone wants to go down and shoot things. I must have set up camp next to a gun range the shooting went on until after dark, and resumed at seven thirty in the morning. It rained in the night; as the temps fell to below freezing the rain on my tent fly was frozen as was the vapor on the inside wall of the fly.

August 29^th

Since the sun was coming over the trees I was slow to pack, I wanted the stuff to dry before I put it away. Packed and ready to roll I made my way back to the road away from the gun range and the barrage of bullets being wasted, back to the cars and trucks with the good bad and ugly shoulder and the straight flat road. Back to the same as yesterday, no wait today was different! I have sun and blue skies 0% rain little wind and a new day ahead of me. The road is straight and flat with a slight side wind and I am making good time. I meet another cyclist on the road and we have a chat about the roads ahead and are perspective tours he is a nice fella from Portland on a 3 week jaunt. I turn onto the 138 headed to Diamond Lake though I doubt I’ll make it there today. The 138 is a bizarre road when you look at it head on the road looks like it rises sharply in the distance but as you make the miles you realize it’s actually shallow  the climb is not steep just long.

Half way up I find a nice spot down a dirt road to call it a night. The spot I chose must be used by hunters; I found a large bar tied high across two trees probably to hang the deer from? As I was setting up camp I kept hearing sticks break in the woods slowly getting closer, I have to admit I was getting a bit creaped out so I started to pack my bike and just as I put the first item on the back I was stopped in my tracks there in front of me was a giant hairy big eared Sasquatch…not really it was a deer. I stopped moving and just watched as the deer tried to figure out if I was alive or just a part of the landscape it’s ears going back and forth, it’s head moving up and down as it scanned the scene it, left quickly and made no noise unlike its approach. The rest of the night was uneventful and I awoke to gray skies and the threat of rain.

August 30^th

I packed quickly as the rain started to come down and headed back to the climb I left yesterday. So I climb this long hill, at the top I turn around to peer at my concurred foe and damned if the road doesn’t look like it goes up hill as you look at it head on it seems to rise sharply in the distance….wait didn’t I just say that??? Like I said this road is weird, I climbed but looking back it looks like I descended then climbed…HMM.

I stopped at the turn to Diamond Lake to put on more clothes for the decent, it was 48 degrees and raining I was already cold, wet and not looking forward to the long cold miles ahead. I made the turn onto SR 230 and saw a sign for a Lodge at Diamond Lake thinking about being warm and dry I made the turn found the Lodge after 3 miles and its warm inviting fire. While I was eating lunch I made the acquaintance of 3 PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) hikers named Adikin, Lips and Chiefs Daddy. Adikin and Chiefs Daddy had beards about as big as mine; Adikins blonde hair gave him a light colored beard with tinge of red while Chiefs Daddy had a dark beard that was a reflection of his long black hair giving him the appearance of a Biblical figure. We are all in the lodge for the same reason it is cold, raining and the lodge has an awesome fireplace. A pretty girl approaches the table and asks if we are PCT hikers and which way we’re headed, the trio explain that ‘they’ are hikers and I chime in that I am cycling… turns out Jessica is as well.

Jessica joined our table and the 5 of us continued talking about hiking biking and the joy of living outdoors for so long, well as long as it’s not raining and cold. Jessica offered to share her room with me for a split in the rent which is $89 a night so $45 to have a warm dry place, I said it sounded fair but I was going to wait until the rain stops to make a decision…the rain never stopped I took the room. In the course of the conversation Jessica also invited the rest of the group to stay the night so there were 5 of us in one room. I was offered the bed so I took it, though sleep didn’t come easy with all the other people in the room Jessica next to me, well I was wrapped in a body sock and she was hugging the other side of the bed so it wasn’t like we were touching noses so don’t get the wrong idea.

In the morning we exchanged email, names and cards with the PCT hiker and bid them a fare-thee-well. Jessica planned on climbing up to Crater Lake to stay the night on the edge, I was going to head down the mountain towards Grants Pass, but the idea of actually riding with someone for a day was too appealing, I headed to the Lake with Jessica.

Let me tell you a little about Jessica; she is a southern Californian who just picked up cycle touring in the last year. She is also a very talented artist as well as an Art Teacher. She really impressed me with the way she is documenting her journeys, she is sketching and painting different scenes in her day, writing a journal and adding pictures to the pages. Jessica showed me her work and it is fantastic, such a unique way to document her travels and share them with the world in the process inspiring those around her. As soon as she gets her website up I’ll post it so you can all enjoy what she offers the world through art.

August 31^st

We wanted the temps to warm up a bit so we packed slowly since we had no plans on leaving until 10am, it was 36 degrees at 8am and I was not going out in the cold so soon. On the road I was soon alone again since Jessica was much faster than me on the climbs, but it didn’t matter since we would meet up at different points along the way. Back tracking is a real NO NO in the cycle tourists mind so I was a little apprehensive about climbing back up from were I came but I was thrilled to be riding with someone so I made the climb. We stopped at the entrance for the obligatory photos of the sign then made our way to the gate house. I tried asking the Forest service worker if they offered a 2 for 1 cyclist deal, she coldly told me “NO it will be $10 for the 2 of you” Normal price!! I paid said thank you and she said NOTHING not even your welcome or enjoy the park…she must hate her life!!

It is 9 miles to the crater 15 to the lodge, so using my powers of deduction I was able to surmise that we had a 9 mi hill to climb if we wanted to see Crater Lake. The weather outside could not have been better for cycling 65 degrees, blue skies and lots of sun. We climbed steadily for a while the road pitching up and down for the first 6 then a slight downhill that crossed a section known as the Pumice Desert, a light brown meadow of rock and ash stretching to the hills behind it; brown a deep contrast to the surrounding emerald colored hills and the deep blue sky. The Pumice Desert behind the road turned skyward, last 3 miles were all up a 6% grade and I was slowing down due to the altitude at 7300ft. I made the crater rim, fell off the bike and crawled to the edged to look over. Standing there I said to the guy next to me “Well they said it was a large hole filled with water….and so it is, I guess I climbed this hill for nothing, well got to go back down” his face was in a mild state of disbelief so I laughed and let him of the hook.

I found Jessica sitting on the edge painting so I took a few pictures and gathered some stuff for lunch. We sat on the edge behind a row of trees that kept us out of the wind, spread out before us a massive crater filled with the bluest water I have ever seen set against a Azul sky; con trails streaming across its canvas they seemed to stretch on for days. After lunch we felt ambitious so we headed to the lodge another 6 mi away unfortunately mostly up hill. Jessica got a coffee while I contemplated the route I would take down, the road I wanted was right by the lodge and would deposit me to SR62 or I could return the way we came and take the original route down the 230. It is 4 o’clock we are sitting on the edge of the crater the temperature starting to wane in the ever shifting light. A decision needs to be made stay or go? I informed Jessica that the temps at night would be in the low 30’s she didn’t have the gear for cold like that, she decided it wouldn’t be fun to be so cold, we got back on the bikes and retraced our steps back to the 138.

The decent was almost as bad as the climb. The winds had picked up and the temperature with the wind chill was freezing cold, I had on most of my layers to fight the sting. We met a couple of cyclist coming up the long climb a couple in their late 50’s, loaded down blasting music as they made the climb. We stopped and talked for a few minutes then let them go on , they had a good climb left and the sun was getting lower in the sky. Lower down as we crossed back over the Pumice Desert we ran into another cyclist, the most I have yet seen in one day. The cyclist was headed down to the Mexican Border following the Adventure Cycling “Cascades Route”. He was riding a co-motion S&S coupled bike and so he immediately noticed the couplers, when I told him who made it he recognized Bilenkey Cycles as a S&S coupling builder, he said “cool bike”  said goodbye turned the pedals and was on his way up to crater lake.

Jessica and I found a spot at the intersection of the 138 and Crater Lake Rd. We set up camp ate dinner and then had a good long discussion on everything from legalizing marijuana to marriage to President Obama, it was nice to have someone to talk to at camp it made the hours before bed go faster. If anyone has a chance to meet Jessica she is a wonderful girl with great talent and hope for the future. Good things are going to happen for her, she has the fire inside.

Sept 1^st

I awoke to the sound of rain, this can’t be right I thought the forecast said clear and sunny for the next few days, yet at 3 am the sky had let loose a quick spattering of rain. Checking to make sure I put on the rain covers I asked Jessica if she had heard the rain she said yes and that her bags were in the tent with her. The first light of day had my eyes open it was 6am and the rain was still coming in spurts. I lay in bed until about 7 gather my stove for breakfast and make hot water for the 2 of us.

Jessica packs her bike to leave, I am staying right where I am. If the rain is coming down I will keep my tent up and have a warm place to sleep later if it doesn’t stop. I say good bye to my new cycling friend, head back to the tent to play the waiting game. I figured at noon I would make a decision. It was eleven am when the first bits of sun broke through the clouds, I started to get my self packed and ready to leave. By the time I was on the road it was twelve thirty, the sky looked a bit darker than before but no rain was coming down.

I climbed for a while before the road made its downward angle mile after mile I flowed downhill following the Rogue River towards the I-5. I had gotten a late start but as I descended the air became warmer and the clouds all but disappeared from my view. The trees also became much taller and older looking an air of nobility among them, like they were the old guard. This road number 230 is known as an Old Growth scenic route, so along great stretches are the most beautiful old growth trees. The roads are super nice so I was able to make 54mi I crossed over the rogue and found a nice place to camp with an amazing savanna of knee high golden dried grasses and tall lone standing trees, all I needed was a pride of lions moving swiftly through the grass and David Atenberry narrating it all as it happens. I found out in the morning while leaving I had actually camped in a state park, except the camp ground was on the other side of where I was, oooooops!!.

September 2^nd

I tip toed my bike out of the State park and hit the road. Climbing up a pass in the morning was a good idea; the air was crisp, the scent of fall, the mist rising off the ground next to me made the uphill feel like less work than it was, it was almost pleasant.

          My goal for today is to make Grants Pass, and then hopefully beyond so I can find a place to camp. I was expecting a climb today because of all the descending I have done it just has to happen, the road didn’t disappoint. I climbed for about 35min up a 6% grade which brought me to a sweet downhill leading me into Gold Hill I stopped for a lunch at the local grocery then continued on to Rogue about 17mi  away. I didn’t stay to long in Rogue just long enough to go down the wrong road for a few miles back track and cross a cool new bridge witch looked like half a wheel, the way the ‘spokes’ on the bridge were crossed and the way it was tensioned very neat.

I made Grants Pass around noon and set about looking for a Starbucks to do some internet work, can you believe there is NO Star Bucks! So I went to McDonald's they also are supposed to have free internet but NO internet! Being that it was 95 degrees I set about finding a cheap motel took a shower, watched some TV sent emails and crashed out. Tomorrow was more narrow road.

Sept 3^rd

I made an early start to avoid the heat that was sure to Blast into Grants Pass as the day wore on, and made my way to the Highway 199 also known as the “Redwoods Highway”. The shoulder out of town was great wide smooth and free of most glass and wire, not that I have had a problem my Schwalbe Marathon tyres have had 0 issues. The flat road soon gave way to hi9ll and I climbed steadily for about an hour, as I wgas rounding a turn I heard a noise in the woods to my right then I saw the 2 dogs that were trying to get done the embankment to get to me. The growling barking snapping dogs found a way down and came at me I grabbed my Dog Deterrent Stick off the bike and started swinging, the noise of the Graphite rod swishing through the air kept them back as well as my yelling. Soon an guy showed up on the side of the road calling to the dogs, but the dogs were having none of that they wanted a piece of me and at least one was following me as I tried to climb away from the situation. Along the ridge he ran barking and snarling trying to get down again and resume his attack, I stopped and got out my Bear Spray and Warned the owner that if the dog came any closer I was going to blast it he said “so be it”. I had the forethought to turn on the camera hoping if anything happened I could get it on tape in case I actually did get a shot off with the Bear Spray. I yelled and the dog kept running along the edge of the road, in the distance I could see the edge meeting the road I knew this was the place he would try to get close and bight at my ankle again so I readied the Bear Spray. Sure enough he came down to the road and as he turned his head away for a split second I blasted him. My aim was a little high so he didn’t get the full blast but the noise was enough to scare the shit out of him and he took off into the woods and never returned, I hope he learned a lesson and doesn’t chase anyone again.

I rode a little further, my heart is trying to beat it’s self out of my chest and escape down the road a bit faster than I am going, my breathing heavy with a mixture of fear and Adrenaline I stop and assess the situation, I have survived my first dog attack. Calmed down I continue on making my way to Cave Junction. Along the road is a cool place that makes wood art out of Burl’s of wood I stop and spend a few minute looking around, there are Tree houses and inside the store are every manner of object made of wood including a very cool Bicycle.

I speak with the owner who says he’s been making art for 37 years and it shows around the place it is the coolest stop I have made so far. Cave Junction has a great Restaurant/Store called ‘Taylors’ they serve an excellent fresh made burger as well as a huge variety smoked meat sandwiches and they sell all manner of fresh meats and smoked meat I was in heaven. I stocked up on some Landjeager sausages then headed over the local park to take a nap until the heats subsided. I read or slept for about two hours then hit the road in search of a place to camp. Ten mile outside of town I found a great spot behind a gate tucked in the woods. I was extremely tired for some reason maybe the rush of the attack or the need for a day off, not sure I ate and hit the sack early.  Tomorrow I enter California.

Updated on the California Page