Day 46: Mount Vernon to Baker City, OR; Chasing the Fires

August 16, 2015

Notes:

1.) You can leave a message for me by clicking on the comment icon towards the bottom of the page (you must be registered with the site, but it's quick and easy to do so). I enjoy getting messages from readers.

2.) Climbing Today: 4,914 ft -- Total So Far; 109,709 ft

3.) If you haven’t done so already, you should read the section in the Intermission titled “Second Half, Here I Come!: Considerations, Challenges, and Concerns,” so as to understand the challenges I may face. Some of these, like smoke, are already proving to be problematic.

4.) Average Speed While Biking Today: 9.3 mph

5.) Mechanical Issues Today: none

6.) Miles Traveled To Date On This Half of the Journey: 504

7.) Miles Remaining to Canon City: about 1,496

8.) Found Money Today: $.01

9.) Total Money Found So Far: $.10 (will I find enough to buy a cup of coffee?)

It was cold this morning so I wore a light fleece jersey plus gloves over my cycling gloves and I wore my skull cap/neck drape for warmth instead of its usual function of protecting my neck from sunburn. The smoke had lessened considerably from yesterday and was no more than a dull haze now. Oops, I may be in trouble cause my brakes were installed by a guy named Jake.

Oh No! My Brakes Were Installed by a Guy Named Jake; Guess I'll Have to Find Another Way to Stop

I was concerned about possible road closures on my route, but real information was almost impossible to get, so I just pushed on ahead. How else can I make progress unless I roll on? Signs like this don't help my concerns.

The Forest Fires Continued to Burn Near My Route

As the sun comes up, you can see the haze that remains from yesterday's "smoke burst."

Sunrise Showed the Smoky Haze That Remained

I thought this was interesting, but chainsaw taxidermy sounds kind of messy.

Local advertising capitalizing on the area's logging industry.

Using Logging as an Advertising Mechanism for Flowers

Approaching Prairie City (where I had originally planned to stay last night), one can judge the extent of the smoke/haze by looking across the valley to the base of the mountains. As I neared the town edge, I came upon these deer feeding. This country is just full of deer, and in the early morns near the edge of small towns you can usually find some.

Deer Grazing in the Early Morn Were Cautious of Me

Old gents outside the Prairie City mini-mart where I stopped for re-supply were none too encouraging about smoke on my route, or about me being able to climb the 3 passes; I LOOK like them (an old guy) so they assume I must BE like them. I think they would be happy if I failed, as it would reaffirm that they were right to take it easy at their age. As I left Prairie City I thought this sign was a bit prophetic;

How Ironic; 30 Homes Were Just Destroyed in the Town of Canyon City

The town of Canyon City had indeed burned and homes had been lost. But I don't think the town of Burns had burned. There were road closures adjacent to my route, but they were side roads and not my route itself. I set about the labor of ascending Dixie Pass, knowing that it was only the first of 3 ascents this day. It's a long haul up Dixie, and I felt small in comparison to the topography.

I Felt so Tiny and Insignificant in This Wide-Open Landscape

Harvey has learned a new trick. He's learned how to be a tripod support for me so I can take DSLR selfies.

Looking back, one can see plenty of smoky haze in the valley below.

Ascending Toward Dixie Pass, the Smoke Haze was Evident as it Hid the Mountains

The climb up Dixie was long but not overly arduous as compared to the Appalachians. Suffice it to say that it was hard enough to more than earn my respect, though I never used the granny gear (I did use the next higher gear however). Eventually I reached the summit.

My reward for cresting Dixie Pass was a fantastic downhill run to Austin Junction. There's a restaurant at the junction, but they are open based on the owner's whims, and the locals say "you never know" if they will be open. I had tried to call yesterday to see if they would be open, but was unable to reach anyone. I would need refueling before attempting the other 2 passes, so I had to have food. I carried some food I bought in Prairie City with me, and would have just found a shade and rested a bit if the restaurant wasn't open, but lucky for me it was!

The Austin House Restaurant at Austin Junction

The restaurant displayed a painted bicycle and sign by the roadside saying cyclists were welcome.

It's really nice to see that some businesses along the Transam route are especially welcoming to cyclists. I had an incredible "second breakfast;" the plate was at least 15 inches long.

Wow - That Plate is at Least 15 Inches Diameter, and I Ate Every Crumb

Leaving the junction, I came upon a sign reminding folks to prevent forest fires; it would seem that sign was a bit too late. So now I had 2 more passes to ascend. Here's a view heading up Tipton Pass;

Typical View Along the Ascent to Tipton Pass

And here I am at the summit;

Tipton Pass Summit, Elevation 5,124 Feet

I was pretty tired at this point, but afraid to rest long because I had one more pass to climb today. My path today passed through the Wallowa - Whitman National Forest.

My Path Today Traversed the Walowa-Whitman National Forest

I passed some interesting old farm buildings and then commenced the climb to Sumpter Pass. No sign marked the summit, but here I am on top of Sumpter Pass;

The Summit of Sumpter Pass, Elevation 5,082 Feet

I was happy to be on top of the final climb of the day, but I was a bit concerned with how tired I was - I had miles to go yet this day. I ate the food I had carried along in case the store at Austin Junction had been closed. I almost fell asleep where I was sitting in the shade after eating, but I startled myself back to reality and realized I better get moving. Here's a view as I descended Sumpter Pass;

The mountain ridge ahead is Elkhorn Ridge and it boasts some 7,000 - 9,000 foot peaks.

The Elkhorn Ridge Boasts Peaks of 7,000 to 9,000 Feet Elevation

Now I have entered the Powder River valley, and I will follow this river downstream all the way to Baker City and beyond. Like all of these eastern Oregon streams, it's quite beautiful.

About 15 miles out of Baker City, the hillside had been burned by recent fire activity and there was smoke ahead in the valley.

Forest Fires Passed Through Here A Few Days Ago

Just a few days earlier, the road I'm now on was closed for the firefighting operations, so my timing was fortuitous. The area was still being used for helicopters to fill large water buckets to fight the nearby fire.

I didn't reach the hotel until 8:00 pm, and I was fully spent. I had done a Gonzo day to get back on schedule after being forced by the smoke to stop short yesterday. I called in a pizza delivery and then commenced planning tomorrow's ride, and opted to travel to the quaintly named town of Halfway.

I called ahead to book a room in Halfway, and the owner mentioned that tomorrow I would have to climb what was known locally as "cardiac hill." He said that I would walk at least part of it, because other cyclists do. He sees them walking up the hill cause it's on a route he travels regularly.

Harvey overheard the conversation, and after I hung up he said "We're going to have to walk the hill, aren't we?" I replied "Of course not. We don't walk hills." "But there was that one time..." Harvey started to say, and I quickly interrupted "We agreed not to talk about that. That was a dark time and a unique situation. I was injured. We don't walk hills!" I said sternly. "But if others have to walk it..." Harvey commenced, and this time I snapped at him "We don't walk hills! Enough of that Harvey, now go to sleep." Harvey was quiet now, but I had trouble sleeping. I was worried about Cardiac Hill now. To hell with it, I told myself, I'm not going to walk that damn hill. I'm not. Cardiac Hill can give me a heart attack, but I won't walk it. I won't. But I was worried, and slept rather fitfully...

Today's ride: 89 miles (143 km)
Total: 2,801 miles (4,508 km)

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