May 30, 2014
Day 2 - Patio RV Park- Mc Kenzie Bridge to Ice Cap Camp Ground Clear Lake: We're Going to do WHAT?!!
Day two was a day filled with emotion and challenge. We started off a little later than we wanted 9:50 am. Seems we need to sharpen our skills at camp tear down!! Guess it's been to long...well now that I think about it it's been two yrs no wonder.
Once out on the road we knew we were in for a tough day as we had plans to go as far as Sisters but knowing we had a longer day yesterday ....we had a plan 'B '. We would stop somewhere around Clear Lake if we needed. We had decided to take Santiam Pass rather than Mc Kenzie (even though it is bikes only now -still closed to cars because of snow) because if you went Mc Kenzie you really had to commit to going all the way to Sisters.....no bail out!
We knew we had climbing ahead of us.......40 mi of the next 42 mi would be up at a 2-9% grades. That's a lot of climbing!! From around 1900ft to 4817ft.
As we pulled out on the highway a touring couple came up from behind. It was Janet and Step of “The Promised Tour-TransAm”. Was great to meet as we have talked online. They were going over Mc Kenzie so we were not together long...and they set a mean pace! Hi..Janet.
She took this photo of us as we passed by them at the split. (We learned later that Janet and Step had rain and hail yesterday coming down Mc Kenzie Pass...glad we went our way)
The next 16 miles were fun. A constant up but nothing terrible. At mile 16 it changed to a very steep climb and for reasons that I have since worked out I started having an anxiety attack. I don't often but this was big (this trip) and I had been worried about this pass for weeks. I knew it was going to be difficult and think (I know) my inner fear just got carried away.
The next five miles were not fun and only because Jack is such a great guy was I able to calm myself. Now you should know that when this happens I internalize everything (Jack says that is because I am not a drama queen) so there isn't much going on outside for Jack to pick up on but today there was enough for him to realize this was 'some thing'. So, he suggested we camp at the next possible option. Great! We pulled into Ice Camp around 2pm. It is a US forest Camp which there are several on this route however they do not have any WATER. We had just enough for dinner and breakfast with info from the camp host who was at the camp up the hill a mile that we could stop by there and he would give us some water in the morning. Our camp neighbor also gave us some water.
This turned out to be a great idea. We were able to rest, walk around the camp to the falls which were just up the road Koosha Falls. I think that I was able to work out most my anxiety. After two yrs of planning it was here and it was real.
The last couple of weeks at home had been a whirl wind! Packing, organizing and going to meet our first grand child! Yes, Pearl is here and she is wonderful. I miss her already. It was just a very emotional time. And, if I had it to do over I would have added a couple of days on the front end so that this pass would not have been on the second day!! Live and learn.
PS...for those of you wondering what the 'Da Brim' is here you go. We really like them.....so nice not to have the hot sun on your face all day. Now - do we look like cowboys or the Witch of the West?!!!
Today's ride: 21 miles (34 km)
Total: 83 miles (134 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 2 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |