Cross Country Recumbent
Friday July 18, 2003. Prairie City OR to Baker City OR
Start time
|
6:27 am
|
End time
|
~2 pm
|
Miles
|
71.3
|
Time pedaling
|
5:18
|
Average speed
|
13.4
|
Odometer
|
459
|
This was a tough one. The morning was cold, which contributed to
my somewhat later start. Soon enough I was climbing up out of
Prairie City towards Dixie pass. This is the view back along the
first part of the climb.
According to the elevation profile on the map I would be crossing three
passes today. However the first pass is only about 1700' of
climbing and the second and third passes should only be about 800'
each. The map is wrong; or at least I hope it is, because each
climb was a huge effort. The obligatory summit picture for the
first pass is below.
Dropping down off the first pass I could tell something wasn't right
because I was going awfully fast for an awfully long time. In the
final analysis it doesn't really matter, no amount of ominous
foreshadowing will change the road (or the map). I did get to
redress my grievous breakfast disappointment from the day before when I
saw this lonely house at the bottom of the valley between the first and
second pass. I saw the notations of other bikers in the guest
book, and I left my mark.
This is, I swear, the only flat stretch of road between the first and
second pass.
Second time around. Again I went down much farther than
anticipated after clmbing this one.
There was no sign for the third summit (Sumpter pass), so no
picture. After descending the final one I followed the Powder
river all the way into Baker City.
Baker city is the last big city I'll hit until Missoula, and since I
was tired as all get out, I decided to stay in a hotel. As it
turns out this weekend is the Miner's Jubilee here in Baker city.
This means that everything is booked. I eventually worked out a
deal at a B+B. Showers, laundry, breakfast in the morning, but
I'm camping on the back lawn. Actually the B+B folks are really nice.
They happen to be the same people who own the Dayville Mercantile, and Steve
is an avid bicycle tourist. After spending the afternoon at the
Jubilee, I whiled the evening away talking with Steve about the route
ahead. Tomorrow will likely be my last full day in Oregon.
The next few days should see me winding through the Snake river canyon.