Today would be a solo ride for me as Susan was not interested in doing the Bikeway loop again. I went on my own and had two alterations to yesterday’s route (well three actually). We will come to those.
By now everyone has seen plenty of photos of Mount Jefferson, but here is one more to show the difference smoke in the air can make. There is fire on the other side of Mount Hood and everyone here is listening closely to any news about its direction so they can decide which route they need to take out of here.
Alteration #1 was to take the scenic overlook spur that we did not take yesterday because Susan said there was a big hill down and then up that she did not want to do. This morning she told me I should do it ;’-0. Half way down the hill I was thinking of possibly strangling her when I got back to camp. The climb out was a climb, but not as bad as I had been thinking on the way down.
At first arrival I was a bit disappointed to see the sign on the gate that said “CLOSED”. What? The sign at the turn off said open Thursday-Sunday 10:00-3:00. This was Sunday. I looked at my watch — it was 9:45. As I dithered about whether to stay and wait or to trudge back up the hill right away, an attendant came and unlocked the gate. A little early because I think he saw that I had ridden down the hill on my bike.
This is looking in the other direction.
I walked around the park a bit and took in the views from all angles before getting back on the saddle and tackling the hill. Here is a look at the road I will take nest. No traffic most of the day until I got near to the campground.
Another example of how well the route is signed. You see the stop sign there — it is at a major road — a tick before that road is another lightly traveled road that the sign tells me to take. Otherwise I would have missed that road and been on a busier one.
Alteration #2 was to skip going into the town of Madras. There was no reason to go into and directly back out of the town we had been in yesterday. Along the route of my alteration was what I thought an interesting cemetery.
1905 was a long time ago. Are there only Germans buried here I wonder.
A very sparsely populated cemetery indicates a small town, or few members of the church or few Germans. I vote for small town — because it is.
Alteration #3 does not have a photo as it was an unintended one. I neared the end my ride with a stop at the Corner Store (where we had bought our caftans), bought and drank a bottle of chocolate milk for sustenance and continued downhill to end my ride (YAY DOWNHILL). I was looking for the “Cove Palisades Campground” sign. So I passed the “Crooked River Camp” sign and rode another mile to the end of the downhill!!!! Blast! Now I needed to ride back up the mile long hill and I was tired, hot and hungry! Who knew (except for Susan) that our campground was named Crooked River? I felt vindicated when the driver and passengers of our friends said they had done the same thing as I — but in a car.
While I was peddling my butt around, Susan took the opportunity to do a bit of exploring with her friend Jody. Susan and Jody taught together and is the person who told her about these Camping Sisters. The two of them took a driving tour to Pelton Campground on Lake Simtustus, where the Camping group are considering to hold this outing next year.
Lawn games…
Party boat rentals…
There are some great advantages to doing so: It is directly on the water with water craft rentals, it has a small restaurant, there are beautiful views right from the campsites, it has cabins and yurts rentals. There is however, one huge disadvantage —- no bike riding! The roads are busy and winding with narrow lanes and no bike lane ;’-(. So — Susan found what she thinks may be an alternative for me…
…boat pedaling. Note the bikes attached to the pontoons.
I am not very sure that I will like pedaling this for very long, but I do appreciate that she was thinking of me ;’-), and it will be something new to try.
Off to our next leg of the adventure now, heading to Montana (where I will then be able to post these days of adventure).
No comments:
Post a Comment