Day 25: To North Fork of John Day River

July 14, 2006

I soaked in the bath house from 6-7 AM in the cool of the morning. I got on the road at 9:15 after too much conversation with a lady who works there. It was already warm by the time I got on the road. First I had to ride 10 miles upstream to get back to US 395.

Middle Fork John Day river near Ritter Hot Spring.

Then a 1000 foot climb to Ritter Butte summit. I expected a long downhill after the summit but instead the road stays on a high treeless plateau with big rolling hills and a very straight road.

Wide open spaces crossing a plateau that separates two forks of the John Day river.

It seemed like it took forever to go the few miles to the town of Long Creek (3754 feet elevation) where I stopped for lunch. The cafe was disappointing. The menu was nothing but hamburgers. No "home cooking". At Long Creek I turned west onto highway 402 towards the town of Monument. There is a huge climb getting out of Long Creek. Then the road stays on a high plateau for many miles. This is wide open ranch country.

No irrigation for the J-Dot ranch, high on a plateau.

Before this tour I imagined that all of eastern Oregon looks like this.

I was told about a big descent getting into Monument. It turned out to be a 2000 foot descent and it's spectacular as the road descends through an unusual red rock layer.

On the road to the tiny town of Monument.

I stopped for groceries in Monument. The food store is surprisingly large for a town of only 600 people. West of Monument the road follows the north fork of the John Day river. Once again there are vast areas of irrigated farmland.

I camped at the Big Bend campground 11 miles west of Monument. It's a primitive BLM campground. I had to filter water from the river but the river was great for swimming. Only one other party camped there and they were far away from my site. It was kind of like having my own private campground. I made a shower using river water - no need to heat the water with my stove.

Riverside campsite at a primitive BLM campground.

Today's high temperature was in the upper 90's F. The campsite has no shade. Bare ground still felt hot at 10PM. I'm below 2000 feet elevation now and can tell it's much hotter here. Traffic was extremely light all day. I'm really in the boondocks now.

My speed sensor quit working during the descent to Monument, so I don't know today's average speed. Later I wiggled the sensor wire a bit and the sensor started working again for the rest of the tour.

Distance: 58.0 mi. (92.8 km)

Climbing: 3240 ft. (982 m)

Maximum Speed: 38 mph (60.8 km/h)

Today's ride: 58 miles (93 km)
Total: 1,090 miles (1,754 km)

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