July 2, 2023
Wild ride to Hood River OR
It's been one month since we first pedaled out of Whitefish towards Glacier National Park on our first ride of the trip. Off and on since then I've stewed about today's ride.
The shortest, safest way down the Columbia from here is via Old Moody Road. It's a seven mile gravel road that starts with a mile-long hill I've seen described as a "leg-breaking climb." Barry is loathe to ride any gravel on his narrow tires. I keep thinking about dragging myself and my baggage up that hill.
We planned another way west down the Columbia Gorge through Lyle, Washington, staying with another WarmShowers host who sounds delightful. The downsides are that it's longer, has more climbing, and would mean missing some things we really want to see on the Oregon side. Then there's always the I-84 route around Old Moody which is legal but another kind of nasty.
After further deliberation with my co-captain we decide to go for it on Old Moody, a decision that will set us on a path for the most awesome day since Going to the Sun Road. I don't know yet where we're sleeping tonight. I've sent out a few WarmShowers inquiries around Hood River. We shall see.
Old Moody Road
Our ride starts from the entrance to the Columbia Gorge on a smooth, level shoulder with wide view of the big river. There's a nice easy five mile warm up until we cross the Deschutes River and the pavement ends.
We get a few hundred yards up Old Moody pedaling, then dismount and start pushing. Barry seems to be managing fine. For me the march is awkward and slow because I have to push with one hand and reach forward to keep my handlebar pointed straight with the other. Then I get the bright idea to bungee the handlebar so it won't move. There now, it's much easier to push with both hands from behind.
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It's something of a thrill to make it up here. The views up and down the gorge are stunning from 700 ft above. Now that it's more level the hard-packed surface is ridable but tricky. We proceed cautiously and have to push a few more times.
There are a few homes and farms along the road and two cars pass us over the next 6 miles. Other than that it's just us and some cows. I love the quiet solitude on the high road. Barry still grumbles about the gravel but does enjoy the scene.
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After five miles or so on the plateau the road drops back down the other side of the hill. I dislike going down on gravel almost as much as going up. I'm constantly braking on the steep bits and trying not to bounce around on the washboard bumps.
Barry races down ahead with no apparent difficulty. Seems to me he's doing fine on the gravel. I keep it together until 20 feet from the end when my bike skids and dumps me off, landing me on the gripey glutes that have been doing all the work on the hills. At least I didn't have far to fall. It's the #1 reason I started touring on a recumbent 10 years ago after a more consequential fall.
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The Dalles
The next 12 miles are a pleasure cruise downhill on FifteenMile Road through Petersburg. The scene changes around every curve and we race around to see what's next.
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Eventually we reach The Dalles and historic U.S.30 - the country's oldest scenic highway. Built from 1914 to 1922, U.S. 30 was designed by Samuel Lancaster to showcase the best scenery of the Gorge. Here the road is also known as the Historic Columbia River Highway.
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At the marina we find the next treat du jour - the Dalles Riverfront Trail - which takes us to Bargeway Pub on the waterfront. After days of food that is cellophane wrapped, dehydrated or just plain disappointing we are so ready for a decent meal. And there's live music to boot.
Our server Emily brings us many glasses of ice to fill our water bags, and more that I drop in a zip lock ice bag for my backside, where there's a pretty good bruise blooming. Food, service and music are all fabulous.
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After lunch we continue to the end of the Riverfront Trail. It's well cared for and absolutely beautiful, looping around beaches, marshes and creeks before delivering us back to U.S. 30.
To Hood River
Final chapter in this day's saga, I promise...
We're more than halfway to our destination and the second big climb of the day is next. This one ascends 600 feet over two miles through Mayer State Park. Winding up a series of horseshoe curves to Rowena Crest, the road rises to a amazing viewpoint over the Gorge.
Looking to the west, there's a smoky haze hanging over the river. A little further on plumes of smoke rise up, apparently in the direction we're headed. I smell smoke now, and see little cinders floating in the air.
Pressing on, we ride into Mosier and stop at the market for a lemonade. It's 4:30, time to figure out where we're staying tonight. I've heard from one WarmShowers host who is not available. Oh well, it was worth a shot.
Checking the available lodging, it seems the best deal is at the Columbia Gorge Hotel, on the far side of Hood River. Hmm, that sounds nice, maybe a few notches above our usual type of hotel but what can you do?
From here we pedal on to another beautiful bike path - the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. Built on old U.S. 30, it's now a shady path that's busy today with lots of families on bikes or walking.
The trail goes through the Mosier Twin Tunnels that were blasted through the basalt cliff walls in 1921 to accommodate Model Ts. They were filled in when I-84 replaced the historic highway. A massive project completed in 2000 restored the tunnels and they are now part of the car-free state trail.
We drop down a series of swoopy switchbacks to Hood River, following a group of guys on ebikes, and one on a skateboard who is hanging on to the rack of one of their bikes. This guy has mad skills on these curves.
Downtown Hood River is a blur. It looks like a fun place to hang out but it's 6:00. We're done touristing for today and still have a 2 mile hill to climb up from Hood River to the hotel on the other side of town.
As we approach the Columbia Gorge Hotel there are cars and people lining the road and looking at the smoke that now appears to be coming from behind the hotel. Surely they wouldn't still be taking reservations if the place was on fire?
In the lobby, the first people I see are a stunning woman in a wedding dress and a guy who must be the lucky man. We seem to have walked in on a wedding party getting started. I feel like Pigpen with my helmet hair and dusty sweaty bike stuff that I've been wearing for two days. All I want is to hide from this elegant crowd and hit the shower.
Not so fast. Before we can tote our baggage up to our room on the third floor the bikes have to go downstairs to the maintenance room via the elevator. It's an historic hotel with an antique elevator that can only be operated by the staff. The young desk clerk is also the bellman and the elevator operator. And he's a little busy, what with the wedding and all.
And oh yes, what about the smoke that we've been following all afternoon? Outside behind the hotel there's a crowd gathered to watch a fire directly across the river in Underwood Washington. This seems to be the best spot in town to watch the scooper planes picking up water from the river and dropping it on the fire.
Eventually Barry and the desk clerk make the trips up and down the elevator to shuttle the bikes and bags, we both get showered and presentable, and have our second fantastic meal of the day at the hotel restaurant.
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Back outside after dinner we talk with a guy who lost a rental property in the fire today and learn that there are many homes at risk around Underwood. Highway 14 in Washington is closed at least as far as Lyle. So if we had chickened out on Old Moody and ridden west on the Washington side, we probably would have had to turn around and come back through Oregon.
Between the gorgeous scenery, historic roads, long miles and a natural disaster it feels like three or four days have been packed into this one. There's been more to see than our brains can process.
Also, this is a much higher class hotel than we are used to, certainly many steps up from the Mariachi party two nights ago in Roosevelt campground. I guess it all averages out.
Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km)
Total: 1,224 miles (1,970 km)
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