Day 5 Joseph, OR to Elgin Oregon

Miles Today: 55
Total for Trip: 259
My Miles today: 55
My Total Miles: 231

I am writing this a bit late, so I know I am going to leave out much.  We rode on mainly busy roads today.  Just the beginning of the trip was done on side-country roads and then we were forced onto the main highway.  It was a bit of differences in the weather.  Raining at times and a little cold.

Day 4 - Ollokot Campground to Joseph, Oregon

Miles Today: 51
Total for trip: 204
My miles today: 43
My total miles: 176

I misread the time this morning and thought it was 7:15, but it was really only 6:15. It turned out good because Nancy was up early and we just talked. The skies were cloudy as we awoke and spitting rain and by the time we were leaving it was raining slightly.  We had to take our tents down in the rain and dressed as though we would ride the day in the rain, but it didn't continue for long.  We started the day with a 2,000 ft climb over 10 miles, which felt very similar to yesterday.  The scenery was spectacular.  It is just so green everywhere.  I do like the feeling of the air after a rain.

We were supposed to be staying the night at the campground at Wallowa Lake, but it was supposed to start raining this evening and rain throughout the night and into tomorrow morning, so we opted for a hotel.  We are all staying in the same room, so we are close and comfy tonight.  It has started raining, so I am glad we made the decision.

We have actually eaten too well today.  We came into Joseph and had lunch thinking that we would be in the campground tonight and cook ourselves. Our plans changed and we are in Joseph again.  I am stuffed tonight and the way I have been eating, I don't expect to lose any pounds on this trip.

Look how green things are.

Willows Lake. In the back you can see a moraine.  This was caused by a glacier being in this place 20,000 years ago and pushing dirt and rocks in a way that formed this lake.  It is 253 feet deep and just as clear as clear.

Kind of cloudy and rainy today.

Day 3 Halfway to Ollokot Campground - An 18 mile climb

Miles today: 35
Total Miles: 153
My miles today: 16.5
Climb 2,636
Another beautiful day of riding.  We got up and had oatmeal etc for breakfast, the tents were soaking from all the dew in the air and got riding around 9 to 9:30.  On this particular trip we are riding with a SAG wagon.  We felt that because of the earliness of the trip and little riding we have all done that it might be needed and I think after finishing the day, I am glad for that decision.

I took the first shift today in driving the vehicle. This was the first time that I have driven in the trip.  We had about 10 miles after Halfway that was quite flat and then there really was a consistent 5-6% grade for 18 miles. I don't ever remember climbing for that many miles straight.  It really did turn out fine, you just have to be in a frame of mind to just keep pedaling.  I drove the car for 15 miles and then ended up riding the rest.  Stephen rode the entire distance, but ended up climbing to the top of the hill and then riding back down partway to get the car.

We are in a beautiful forest service campground, but the campground does not officially open for two more days, so there is no water.  We had to get water from the river and boil it to have water to drink while we ride tomorrow.

We just made sandwiches for lunch and had tortilini and salad for dinner.  It was really good.

The beginning of the 18 mile climb.  See, we are all still happy.

You can't see it real well, but the wild flowers are just beautiful.

Tim and Nancy taking it easy on the road.

This and the following picture are of Hells Canyon.  This is the deepest canyon in North America. It is amazing to see.  The Snake River is down there somewhere, but at our viewpoint, we couldn't see it.

My good riding buddy.  I am having a great experience with Stephen.

Day 2 - Baker City to Halfway, OR

Miles today: 55
Total for trip: 118
Climb:3483

Today was a beautiful day of riding.  This is the type of day that keeps a cyclist coming back for more. We began the day by getting up and fixing traditional cycling breakfast food.  Granola, oatmeal, hot chocolate, etc. We made a lunch of sandwiches to carry with us since there wasn't going to many towns to stop in. We took off about 9 and went to the Oregon Trail Museum which was about 9 miles away.  We first went into watch a movie about the Oregon trail and all of us were soon sleeping.  The movie was interesting, but it was just dark and soft chairs and exhaustion took over.

The movie did last too long and we were needing to get going.  Most of the day was riding along the Powder River.  It was a beautiful ride.  The wind was at our back most of the day and it was a lot down hill until the end of the day.

We had to end the day by climbing this hill which was a 7% grade and 1300 feet high.  The sun was bearing down and it was hot.  Anyway, we made it and the downhill on the other side just about made it worth it.

We had burritos for dinner cooked in camp and are staying in an RV park that has cotton wood trees all around that are just snowing seed down on us. The sun is just going down and there is no wind and it has just been a beautiful day.

The following are just some scenes of today's ride.

In 1984 there was a land slide that backed up the Powder river to cover the road as seen above.  It took 2 years to get things fixed to where the road was usable again. You can see the landslide below.

This is the view from the 1300 foot hill that we climbed.  We were about 2\3rds up at this point.

It is always good to see this sign.

I think a wood burning incinerator.

The Wallowas in the background, the mountain range we are riding around.  

Day 1 - Riding the Wallowas in NE Oregon

Distance today: 63 miles
Climb: 1916 ft

Tim and Nancy from Tacoma, were kind enough to invite us on another of their planned trips.  I am quite spoiled when it comes to riding with them.  They do all the planning and I just get to come along and enjoy the ride.  I am able to ride this with my son-in-law Stephen Taylor.  I am so excited to have the opportunity to spend the time with him and have him get a little better taste of cycle touring.

Yesterday we all met in La Grande, Oregon.  Carey and I drove up from Burley and Stephen drove down from Pullman and then we had dinner together with Tim and Nancy.  Carey left this morning to go spend the week with Morgan while Stephen and I do the ride.

Today we rode from La Grande to Baker City.  It was a beautiful ride of green hills and a lot of grass. I think they have had an extraordinary amount of moisture this year and it shows in the green of everything. The wind was very strong with 22 mph winds with stronger gusts and the temperature was in the low 60s all day.  I do think the wind helped us more than hurt us, but it was still quite annoying.  I do have a few pictures, but nothing was too out of the ordinary.  I should have taken more.

We are staying at a bike hostel in Baker City.  We are just camping, however and not staying in the hostel itself.

One of the CArnagie libraries.  This was built in 1912 in Union Oregon.

Our camp for the night.

Day 15 Thoughts

I  have one more rider to introduce (right, introduce at the end of the trip). 

This is TJ.  He was actually the first of the group I met.  We shared an Uber from the airport to the starting point.  He is from Indianapolis and great fun to be around.  He has been on many Adventure Cycling trips and is a very strong rider. We were also cooking buddies and it was fun for me to watch him cook.  He doesn't do it now, but has had experience cooking as a chef. He just makes it look easy.

I am in the airport now waiting for my flight to leave. It is one of those bitter, sweet feelings.  I am excited to get home and see my sweetheart.  In fact, today is our anniversary.  This isn't the first time I have been on a bicycle trip on our anniversary. Sweet, to get home and see her, bitter in that I love to ride the bicycle and see the world.  The last two weeks have flown by and I know that soon I will be dreaming of the next time to ride.  

All the gear seems to work as I had planned. It was a good experience to have the van support.  It does make the trip easier in that you are not carrying the gear with you.  The experience in the campground seems to be much the same, excepting having to shop.  I did find out that this shopping arrangement might not be used on all van supported trips.  It seems our tour leaders have just found that it seems to work better this way.  Chuck and Mark, our leaders were great.  For Chuck, this was his first experience.  One thing that I have really enjoyed is the door mat I found on the road and used as the entry into my tent.  It seemed to keep things more clean in the tent. I did get some rain gear I was going to try out on this trip and didn't get the chance.  That is a good thing.  We couldn't have asked for better weather.  Well maybe a little less wind at times, but overall it was great.

I am grateful for Carey in allowing me to take trips such as this.  I know it is not easy for her to stay home alone.  She is a wonderful companion I get to experience this earth life with and love her so much.  I am grateful for those I work with.  They take care of many things for me while I am gone, and I couldn't have asked for better people to earn a living with.  I am grateful to our Heavenly Father.  He has created a beautiful place for us to live.  I always wish, we as His children would get along better here on the small globe.  I am grateful for His protection and blessings He has seen fit to provide.

One more bad selfie.

Well, until next time!!

Day 14 Carlsbad to Mexico Border-The Finish Line

Miles 54.37 (Total 667.40)

Climb 1,400 (Total 26,480)

What a nice ride to finish up the trip.  It was beautiful weather and our "predominantly" southern winds pulled through.  Do you remember me complaining about the winds blowing from the south? Well that day I was complaining was the last day that we struggled with those winds.  I think since then, we have had the winds in our favor.

If there was any drawback on today's ride (and the last few days for that matter) is cars parked along side the route we are riding. With the traffic, we have to ride quite close to the cars and I am always worried that someone will open the door right in front of me.  I am always looking to see if someone is in the car and then I am a little more careful around them.

It was mostly a day of traveling through cities. Of course, the big one being San Diego.

Still riding along the pacific.

Which way do we go?

To help get through San Diego, we took a ferry to Coronado and then rode a bike path from there to South San Diego to the Mexico border.  We didn't go to the border in which all the traffic goes and comes from Mexico, but to the most Southwest corner of the US by the sea.  There isn't many people at this monument, but it was interesting to see.

The ferry.

There are a lot of naval ships in the San Diego Bay.

This one was just coming in.

Pretty cool sight.

Coronado.  Pretty much a tourist trap.

I though this tree was interesting.

Last road to ride.  This road heads to the coast between US and Mexico.  It gets its name from a monument that we were not able to see that established the border between the two countries. It was established in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the two countries.

Tijuana, Mexico.  See the wall.

 

Finished. That stadium is the "bullring by the sea".

My good friend Bill.

 

Van loaded with bikes to head back to hostel in San Diego.

Beach at the border.  I didn't get a picture of it, but the fence actually goes out into the sea.

After loading things up, we had to deliver a few riders to hotels and then unload things at the hostel.  I had to take apart the bike and put things back in the box to ship home and then at 7:30, we met for our farewell dinner for the group.  We met at an Italian restaurant and had a nice evening talking about the last two weeks.  I have mentioned this before, one of the best things about trips as this is the people you meet and the friendships that are made. Something about bicycling together and helping each other out, you get to be close.