September 16, 2011
Day 32: Susan Creek to Umpqua Hot Spring
Map of the route from Susan Creek to Diamond Lake, days 31-32. Terrain view looks best.
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Today isn't a very long day, but it's mostly uphill and it includes a lot of hiking. First on the agenda was to backtrack to the Susan Creek falls trailhead. The trail climbs very gently for 0.7 miles to the 50-foot waterfall. The trail is kind of maddening because it has a giant switchback with a very gentle grade. I would prefer a shorter steeper trail.
After Susan Creek falls it was only 4 miles to the trailhead for Fall Creek falls.
The Fall Creek falls trail is 0.8 miles, steady uphill through an enchanting forest to the 50-foot falls.
Highway 138 climbs steadily along the North Umpqua river. It stays very close to the river but sometimes it must climb hundreds of feet at a time to get over cliffs along the river. And sometimes the river is very close, but not visible through the trees
Today's route has only one store and the next store will be at the end of tomorrow's ride. So I stocked up on groceries at the Dry Creek store.
Then the slow upriver ride continues. More and more basalt cliffs appear above the river.
I turned off highway 138 at the Toketee Lake turnoff. The first stop was at the Toketee Falls trailhead. I parked my bike against the big water pipe because it was the only place in the sun (to charge a battery). While there I dropped my camera into a puddle of water. The camera still worked afterwards, but I think some water got inside
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The hike to Toketee falls is 0.4 miles through a lush old-growth forest along the river. Toketee falls is on the North Umpqua river, but much of the river's flow is diverted by the hydroelectric project
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After Toketee falls I continued up Forest Road 34 past Toketee Lake. Another touring cyclist reeled me in alongside Toketee lake. We rode together to Umpqua hot spring. Mike is from Portland and has been cycling around Oregon for several weeks. He came in from Eugene where he bought a new Bike Friday at the factory.
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8 months ago
We arrived at the Umpqua hot spring parking lot at 5 PM and set up our tents close to the parking lot, near the foot bridge across the river that leads to the hot spring. I made dinner and set the solar panel in the sun next to the river. At 7 PM my phone was charged and I went to the hot spring for a soak.
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The pools were mostly empty. I soaked until 10 PM, then hiked back to camp and went to bed.
All was well for a while, but it's Friday night and this is a party place. People came and went all night long. I should have camped farther away from the parking lot (like I always did when camping here in the past).
It was a cool night. I can tell I'm in the mountains now, at 2500 feet elevation in the bottom of a deep shady canyon.
Today was mostly overcast with a high of about 75F. A bit warmer than yesterday, but still below normal and unusually cloudy. But it was a great day, with 3 waterfalls and a hot spring to soak in.
Distance: 37 mi. (59 km)
Climbing: 2443 ft. (740 m)
Average Speed: 8.7 mph (13.9 km/h)
Hiking: 4.5 mi. (7.2 km)
Today's ride: 37 miles (60 km)
Total: 1,615 miles (2,599 km)
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