Traveling by bike is an addiction and one that is best done in the company of good people. It's hard to find folks that want to explore the world 50 to 70 miles at a time and earn views with sweat and tired quads. I've been lucky to find enough kindred spirits in that respect to hit the road several times a year.
Summer seemed to come late to Central Oregon this year, so I decided it was time to head east to get some sun and explore a part of Oregon that has eluded me so far. Also, Memorial Day weekend in Bend is notorious for being overrun with tourists so I was looking to escape far from the madding crowd. My cycling partner and I opted for roads less traveled and charming small towns with just as charming friendly people. Friday came upon us and we made our great escape.
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| Car camping at Priest Hole just past the Painted Hills before the bike tour. |
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| Day 1: Gorgeous sunny skies and views of the Strawberry mountains. Also, the biggest climb of the trip to earn our views. |
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| Day 1: We found an amazing dispersed campsite along Highway 20 between the two USFS official campsites along the river. Perfect spot also to chill our happy hour beer that I had carried from the car. |
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| Day 2: Ecosystems change, alpine desert landscapes emerge. |
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| Day 2: Long Creek all but shuts down on Sundays. The most important places stay open... the gas station, liquor store, and hamburger cart. Dinner and happy hour! |
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| Day 2: Sunset from camp. |
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| Day 3: We decided to avoid a long cruddy day of riding and rushing back to real life by making a detour via 395. It was gorgeous and totally worth it. We even made a friend who followed us for a mile. |
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| Day 3: Brunch in Mt. Vernon. |
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| Day 3: The trivia brochure at the diner in Mt. Vernon told us that this stone building was built for a prized horse named Mt. Vernon to protect it from being stolen by native peoples... |
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| Day 3: We ended our cycling day early and decided to take our time heading back to Bend by stopping at the John Day fossil beds. |
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| Day 3: As always, I find myself upside-down. |
A few notes for bike tourists:
- A detailed map, cue sheet, and GPX tracks can be found at http://rideoregonride.com/road-routes/old-west-scenic-bikeway/. Take a look at the comments for updates, in particular with respect to a section that is scheduled to be chipsealed soon. There is great information available making this route easy to do wild camping or credit card touring.
- John Day is a great starting point for the bike tour since there is secure parking at the Kam Wah Chung. The volunteers who work there are incredibly friendly and helpful and it's a great way to start your tour. I also highly recommend the brewery downtown, 1188 Brewing. The beer and food are on par with anything you would find in Bend or Portland.
- Take your time on Highway 20. Seriously. The most pristine empty roads you will find.
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