Day Five: Catherine Creek Campground to Baker City
Beating the rain against a headwind
May 24, 2024 61km
"What day do you think was the hardest?" Wenda asks as we are enjoying coffee at the Sweet Wives Bakery in Baker City. We have only a little ways to go back to the Churchill School Bike Hostel where we were able to leave our cars. This leaves us time to reflect on the 5 days cycling.
The day started with a clear sky and the hope that we make it back to Baker City before the forecasted afternoon rain is to start. We make coffee and oatmeal for breakfast as we break camp and continue on Hwy 203 also known as Medical Springs Hwy. We have the first climb today following Catherine Creek to a high point. Yesterday in Union, George mentioned he had a screecher of a downhill...so a steep climb is expected.
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We start the descent but know that it is not all downhill. The wind is not our friend today even though we toasted "to the wind" at the campfire with red wine. Go figure the fickle wicked winds.
"Are you folks wanting anything from the store," the lady asks as we are taking pictures of the sign stating Pondosa is the Geographic Center of 50 united states. We are doubtful of this claim as in 2021 cycling the Norther Tier we also cycled through Belle Fouche, SD also with this claim.
She continues, "we are about to close, today is the annual cleanup of the cemetary day." There is a historic cemetary that we missed on the downhill. She adds, it is hidden.
"Yes, we are hoping to get something to drink," Rachel answers and she let's us into the store. The store is really the back part of an old hotel lobby and looked like nothing had changed since the 30's.
We reach the road shown as the official Bike route that is to take us into Baker City. The road is unpaved and skies are threatening. We choose to keep riding toward the interstate staying on Hwy 203.
Reaching Interstate 84, we take a food break and then turning onto the frontage road, Airport road, and into the wicked wind.
What is worse than a headwind? A headwind on a flat road. Though Rachel would say, the worst is a headwind where one has to pedal to go downhill.
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We pass under the interstate on the North Cedar Street Road and into town finally arriving at the Sweet Wife Cafe & bakery. This energizes us enough to go the last mile to the Churchill School Bike Hostel and retrieve our cars for the drive back to Boise.
A great 5 day ride! We will now take the next month finishing the preparation and planning for Scandinavia and the Baltics.
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