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Oh yeah, I remember the Coronado Trail. Epic drive last fall! We spent the night in Silver City: what a cool town. As a kid that grew up in Eugene, I felt right at home there!
Originally Posted by Fdvigna
Oh yeah, I remember that drive, with our overnight stop in Silver City. Doing a night tour through the mine in Morenci was unforgettable.
I agree! Riding a bike more fun; if I have to pick one, it is bike over car. Luckily I don't have to! I did McKenzie Pass yesterday; Sisters to McKenzie Bridge and back. The road is still closed to cars, but I must have seen 500 cyclists. Everyone from overweight couples on Mary Poppins bikes climbing the 4,000 foot westside grade, to a guy on a handlebar moustache fixie, to some jackass on an e-mountain bike going 20mph. Plenty of cyclists on nice bikes as well, but I always admire the outliers! I have to hand it to the groups that are carrying up a huge picnic basket to enjoy at the summit.
Let's just say I was going a lot slower than the speed we used to race it back in the Cascade Cycling Classic. We averaged 15.7mph one year up the climb; it is about 8 miles long and averages 6%, with a nice variation between 4.5% and 9%. That was the last "doped" year, before they came down hard on a lot of domestic pros and popped about 15 people. The next year, I think it was only 14.6mph in the peloton, and the year after that, 14.3mph. Amazing what EPO and testosterone patches will do for performance.
I need to do Mckenzie pass at some point. so pretty
It is perhaps one of the best 20 or so road rides in America. However, this ride is better. 70 miles, 5 shark-toothed climbs, a car passing by every 5 minutes on a busy day, and lots of waves from everyone you meet. Ride it one day, and drive it the second! The loop here has 6900 feet of climbing, but maxes out at 8,000 feet if you finish with the optional unpleasant Keys Creek Summit climb up east on 26 from Mitchell.
The 3rd picture is at the base of the climb out of Service Creek to the south; you can see the yellow warning sign in the background. It is one of the best 15-mile stretches of tarmac in all of Oregon.
I took these last month as I was driving my wife's Mexico Blue cab back from Utah. I took the scenic route! The other pictures are along the John Day river, which flows the entire length of the route, down to The Dalles.
raidersfan: thanks for sharing. Those pictures make me want to ride there. That has been my plan for the last year or so: road trip to great locations then ride, eat, explore.
Mooty: I keep thinking we should combine the road drives with cycling trips. Best of both worlds. Just need Sea Sucker racks and bikes flying off the back at 120+
raidersfan: thanks for sharing. Those pictures make me want to ride there. That has been my plan for the last year or so: road trip to great locations then ride, eat, explore.
Mooty: I keep thinking we should combine the road drives with cycling trips. Best of both worlds. Just need Sea Sucker racks and bikes flying off the back at 120+
If you ever need route planning, just shoot me a PM. As far as the regions go, the pictures above are of the John Day canyons area and the southern Columbia Plateau. There are 4 or 5 amazing rides in that area, but next to no lodging. The "big" town around there is Fossil, and they had a graduating class of 6 last year. It is very remote, so if you are going to stay there for multiple days, I would recommend bringing an RV and trailering the Porsche. If you have seen Wild Wild Country, the Big Muddy Ranch is just downriver from Twickenham, which is on that loop I posted above; that pretty well describes the kind of terrain and remoteness up here.
Another great area for riding, driving, and exploring is Baker City. There is a big 115 mile loop over Dooley mountain that used to be the final stage of the Baker City Cycling Classic. I have fond memories of that race! It is epic on a bike or in a car. The race now finishes up at Anthony Lakes ski area, which is the toughest climb in Oregon, and definitely one you want to do. There is an epic 120 mile day that goes over that pass and circumnavigates the Blue Mountains. Another good ride is the Catherine Creek loop, and there are a lot of good rides out of La Grande, and big gravel rides out of Joseph.
Also, Southern Oregon is fun. Being wine country, there are more lodging options, but the riding is rugged and remote if you want it. Coos Bay Wagon Road is epic on a gravel bike; parts of it are paved and one of the best driving roads anywhere (picture below). It is out of Roseburg. A big classic ride is over from Grants Pass to Brookings via the Siskyous. There are a ton of remote one-lane paved logging roads in that area if you know where to look. It is good to have a real map and be prepared, as you may not see anyone for days if something bad happens. People get stuck out there in the winter every few years and freeze to death. Thera are a bunch of one-lane logging roads out of all the Southern Oregon towns, but it is best to know where you are going, as some areas have a lot of crime and drug problems. Grant County disbanded their sheriff's department as they couldn't pay for it. There are plenty of rides around Ashland; west into the Siskyous, east into the Cascades, north into wine country. Ashland is a really interesting town and a lot wealthier than the rest of Southern Oregon, which has been decimated by the downfall of the timber industry.
Mooty had some Tang for breakfast today... :-) Little ACH/AFH/UBT run this am.
Originally Posted by ChrisF
raidersfan: thanks for sharing. Those pictures make me want to ride there. That has been my plan for the last year or so: road trip to great locations then ride, eat, explore.
Mooty: I keep thinking we should combine the road drives with cycling trips. Best of both worlds. Just need Sea Sucker racks and bikes flying off the back at 120+
I'll drive anchor and food prep :-) I'm not much of a rider but I do know how to eat LOL
Originally Posted by ChrisF
...as long as it's not 100, i'm in.
It was 95+ in La Canada today, brutal in an old car with no AC!
06-10-2019, 11:41 PM
