CycleOregon - Day 3 - Burns to Diamond

I looked forward to today’s ride through the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Linda and I have visited the refuge four times and always found it abundant with birds no matter the season. I expected fewer birds today because of all the people. Indeed, there were fewer birds, but still some good ones.

Farmland south of Burns

One of the few trees

We started with 13 miles through the farmlands south of Burns before a one mile climb to the top of Wright’s Point, one of only two short climbs for the day. Wright’s Point is one of the best examples in the west of ‘inverted geography.’ Millions of years ago, this was a stream bed. Lava flows then filled the stream bed with a layer of basalt. Over the intervening years, the land surrounding the old stream bed eroded away leaving this inverted mold of the original valley. About 200 feet high and 200 feet wide, Wright’s Point runs for about ten miles across the valley today. Unfortunately, few get to know about this geologic phenomenon because no one has seen fit to put any kind of informational marker anywhere nearby.

Heading up Wright's Point

On top of Wright's Point

About ten miles further on, we crossed the Narrows, our first real indication that we have entered the refuge. The road crosses the point between Malheur and Harney Lakes. While the water is low, both lakes still have water and I was able to pick out a few birds including an avocet, a Western grebe, several white pelicans, and a cormorant. Not much, but it was fun sharing my binoculars with the other riders who stopped.

The Narrows

The Narrows

We have our fans

A couple of miles further on, we turned off the main road for lunch at the refuge headquarters. This side trip added about 15 miles to the ride, but was well worth the effort. With everyone spread out over the lawn for lunch, almost all the birds we might have seen made themselves scarce. Hummingbirds still came to the feeders and the resident great horned owl stayed in his roost high in one of the trees. Owls are so good at blending in, that he wasn’t too worried about the crowd gathered below. Barn swallows chased bugs over the pond and a few pelicans were visible through the scope. Otherwise, the only birds were in the taxidermy room where one of the wildlife managers answered questions.

Lunch at Malheur Visitor Center

View from the Visitor Center

Our camp for the next two nights was on a ranch near Diamond. The rancher allowed us to set up our small city on a recently mowed wheat field. Being so isolated we got a real sense of the size of this operation as we approached the camp. From a mile off, it really does look like a small town in the distance. That evening astronomers from OMSI and some volunteers put on a sky party. The area here is one of the most accessible places to get grand views of the night sky. While the lights of our camp dimmed the view somewhat, we still had an excellent view of the night sky and were able to identify the constellations, planets, and major stars – with our guide’s help of course. Long lines snaked behind each of the six telescopes the volunteers had brought.

This was the fifth sign created for us on our way to the Diamond ranch where we spent two nights. It is typical of the welcome we received everywhere we stopped.

Our camp. From a distance it looks like the small town it really is.

Our guide also shared that we have two lunar eclipses, one solar eclipse, and the possibility of the brightest comet of the century visiting us this Christmas. Any of these might mean additional trips to eastern Oregon for the clear skies unencumbered by the lights of a tent city of 2500 people.

Our entertainment for the night was a bike rodeo showing off the skills of some of the Bike Gallery mechanics. Events like ‘no-foot-down’ and the figure-eight race entertained us. Scoring was arbitrarily reminiscent of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” the improve comedy show hosted by Drew Carey several years ago. Or perhaps you were fortunate enough to see the original (and superior?) British version.

CycleOregon - Day 2 - John Day to Burns

We came from there? And we still have four miles to go?

I thought today would be harder after the tough day yesterday, but it turned out to be not so difficult. While the climb was steeper all the way, I was able to keep up a fair pace and reach the top in good shape. Along the way we were treated to a fantastic sight of the hill we had climbed.

Stopping for a picture as we climb

Our lunch stop today was ten miles past the small town of Seneca at Silvies Ranch. Corned beef sandwiches in Dave’s Killer Bread with lettuce and tomatoes. Silvies Ranch is a great story. Earlier owners tried and failed at a variety of ventures. One tried to turn the land into a dude ranch. Another hoped to create a hunting ranch and brought in buffalo and zebras among other animals. Mostly what happened is that the land became degraded until the current owners took over and began to restore it to its pre-European condition. Their cattle feed consists of native grasses and wildflowers – plants that replenish themselves rather than having to be planted each year. The owners are also developing a goat herd for meat. Goats eat plants that cattle won’t, so they can feed both animals on the same plot of land while providing an alternative meat source for consumers. They are also in the process of building a resort  and golf courses to increase tourism to the area and provide more income sources for the local community.

Lunch on the school house lawn at Silvies Ranch

Learning about the cattle

Goats bred for meat

Clydesdales



Anyone for a ride?

Wild grasses and wildflowers make better cattle feed

After lunch, we rode ten flat miles before another ten mile climb and a final 18 miles downhill into Burns and the Great Basin. In Burns, our campsite was at the fairgrounds (no green grass) right next to town. The main stage was set up on a main commercial street. Several booths with local wares along the street and a couple of restaurants and bars offered alternative entertainment. I had a beer and talked to some other riders while ESPN played in the background. I now know that Stanford beat San Jose State since they are still ranked #5. I will finally get to see a game when they play WSU at Quest Field in Seattle.

I did not see it, but the Harney County Community Center is a good example of how CycleOregon impacts the communities we visit. CycleOregon contributed $35,000 to a recent major update of the center. The center was visited by those taking advantage of the yoga classes offered each afternoon on the ride. I will have to finish earlier than 4:00 to take advantage. I leave early enough at 7:00, but I am not rushing to finish. There is just too much interesting to see along the way. I’m not a real fast rider either.

CycleOregon - A Typical Day

Ready to go while others still have a bit of packing to do

Of course, the day begins by getting up. We are camping so we don’t just get up and hop in the shower, get dressed and go. I got up about 6:00, an hour later than the real early birds. Some of these early birds seem to have trouble understanding why we are here. One rider tried to roll into the next camp by 10:00 am. That way he got to the showers first and did not have to waste time waiting in line. But leaving in the dark and being too early to enjoy any of the stops along the way is the real waste of time in my humble opinion.

Early Morning Blues

After crawling out of my sleeping bag, I would grab my riding clothes for the day and make my way to the ‘Blue Rooms’ as we called the Port-a-Potties. Since I have a pup tent, having mistakenly picked up the wrong tent when I packed, there just is not enough room for me to change in the tent. After changing, I would go have breakfast which always included bacon or sausage, eggs, potatoes, mush ;-( , fruit, V-8 or orange juice, and coffee. At breakfast we got our copy of the daily Cycle Oregonian (the Oregonian is one of the sponsors) which included information about the ride, stops along the way, our destination, and a few stories about riders.

Tent and porter service means sleeping close to your neighbor

After breakfast, it was time to tear down the tent and pack up. For some reason this always took longer than I thought it should. Some riders purchased the tent and porter service which meant they did not have to deal with the tent. The upside is being able to just ride in and have your tent already set up and your bag waiting for you. The downside is sleeping cheek by jowl with your neighbors – literally as the tents are set up only inches apart. I talked to riders who could not avoid the snoring because the snorer’s head is almost touching yours from the other tent.  Ear plugs are on the what to bring checklist.

Fresh water for our bottles. The ingenuity amazes.

Once packed, we waited for a porter to pick up the bag and let us know what color to look for when we got to the next camp. Five trucks and five colors made it easier to find your bag, helpful since there are only so many bag styles. At least they aren’t all black like luggage on the airline carousels. The $2 expected tip for each porter was worth it and went to support local programs, most often at the local school.

On road help is just around the corner

Bikes go anywhere they can while we eat and drink

After a quick check of the bike, we took off for the ride. I tried to leave about 7:00, but riders would leave anytime between 5:30 and about 10:00. Leaving at 7:00 gave me plenty of time to stop along the way at the sights or just to take a picture. Each day’s ride has five stops: two water stops, two snack stops, and one lunch stop. In a sense this turns the ride into a series of 10-15 mile rides, all in one day. When you look at it that way, doing 70 miles a day is not such a big deal.

Ready for the night

At some point in the afternoon, we finish the ride. For me that was usually around 4:00. If you have the tent and porter service, now all you have to do is find your tent, numbered for convenience. For the rest of us, the first step is to find my bag and a porter to help me find a tent spot. I learned that I wanted a spot close to the main stage and fairly close to the toilets. Food, entertainment and the bathroom matter the most. I don’t want quiet and far away although for some that is the priority. I enjoyed the possibility or retreating to my tent and continuing to listen to the music.

Music by sunset

At 4:00 the entertainment starts on the main stage. Before dinner, it will be a local singer or group. After dinner, the headliner will be someone with more experience if not more reputation. Everyone I heard was someone I would go see again. At 7:30, the stage is taken over by CycleOregon for announcements and more. Leading off on this trip we had a cowboy poet who shared poetry and stories with us each evening. One more way that CycleOregon shows its connection to the local communities. Each evening we heard about ways that CycleOregon is sharing with the communities with its grants and connections. The highlight of every evening was Ken Chichester. Ken always shared a joke before he cajoled us about sharing the road with the drivers. Unfortunately, not all of us listened and we had a few riders who continue to give those drivers who hate cyclists reason to hate. Then Ken would share a bit about the route he had designed for us the next day. When Ken was finished, the band retook the stage until it closed at 9:30. Some returned to their tents. Others would stay to enjoy the music and the beer garden supported by Widmer or the wine provided by Eola Hills. Eola Hills even created a special label for Cycle Oregon – cases available to be delivered to John Day for pickup.

Just in case you forgot something or want a souvenir of the ride

Amenities available in camp

·         CycleOregon and Bike Gallery both had stores with clothing. Bike Gallery sold anything one might need from clothespins to Chamois Cream to tent pegs and insect repellent

·         Yoga, physical therapy and massage. Some of the massage therapists have been coming for years

·         Medical tent

·         Bike Gallery volunteers would fix anything on your bike for tips – only charging for parts

·         A support tent would answer any questions, find your lost items, and solve almost any problem you might have

·         Every local community had a tent with information about things to do and often items for sale

·         Local artisans often set up their own booths. I bought a Christmas ornament carved from a Juniper tree from a little girl at a card table

·         Nossa Familia Coffee opened their coffee shop at 5:00 every morning and served all day

·         At most stops a laundry option was a possibility - $10 for a grocery bag of laundry

·         A Portland group like Bike Clark County that works to help kids get into cycling and provides free bikes to kids who can’t afford on had a charging facility for electronics. They also detailed bicycles for a donation of $80. While that sounds expensive, I watched them work and decided (too late) that it was well worth the money.

·         I was most amazed by the ingenuity of the shower trailers. Semi-trailers outfitted with a dozen showers and dressing areas makes the logistics of providing showers a breeze.

·         The whole enterprise reminded me of what I read in Water for Elephants and saw at the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus Museum in Sarasota, FL. Everything is torn down and set up ready for cyclists to arrive by about 2:00 in the afternoon every day. A town of 2500 people moves over 60 miles each and every day. No problem for these folks.

CycleOregon - Day 1 - Strawberry Mountain Loop

I begin this with special thanks to Steve and Patty Palmer who shared some of my training rides. Unfortunately, Steve came down with a virus a week before the ride and was unable to participate this year. More thanks go to Maelynn and Bob Anderson and their friend Stacey who volunteered to give me and my bike a ride to John Day for the start of the ride. After about five miles on the first day, I never saw Bob again on a ride as he joined with a group much more suited to his faster speed. I did see Maelynn and Stacey often on the trail and we usually had dinner together to share the day’s experiences.

Camping on a baseball field in John Day

CycleOregon began in 1988 when some folks including Jonathan Nicholas of the Oregonian decided to emulate RAGBRAI (the ride across Iowa) and create something similar for Oregon. I remember reading about it and wishing that they were doing it in August instead of September so I could also participate. At the time I was riding a lot and would have been ready to do 500 or so miles in a week, especially when someone else takes care of ALL the logistics. Over the years, I had stopped riding much even after we moved into our condo with its beautiful riverside trail so inviting. Spring last year, I decided I needed to start riding again to get in some real exercise and this year figured I was ready to take on the challenge. The route this year also goes through one of my favorite parts of Oregon as it goes from John Day to Steens Mountain through some of the more interesting geological structures in the state and Malheur National Wildlife Refuge which is one of the most important stops on the Western flyway.

Our group arrived at the campsite about 4:00 pm after a nice drive up the Gorge and then down Hiway 395 along the John Day River. We would use 395 on four different days of our trip. After setting up camp, we explored the set-up, had dinner, and listened to Etoufee (or is it A2Fay?), a fun Louisiana Blues group. We were camped on the lush lawn of the baseball field.

John Day is one of eastern Oregon’s interesting small towns. The John Day River is protected by both Oregon and national scenic rivers acts and is the gateway to both the beautiful Strawberry Wilderness and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and the Painted Hills. The town is also the site of the Kam Wah Chung Museum. The museum memorializes the life of Ing Hay, Chinese doctor who cared for people of the area until the 1950s using traditional Chinese medicine.

On the road to Prairie City

Prairie City

Selling lemonade can be profitable with the right location

Today’s ride started with a slight uphill climb to Prairie City where we turned off Hiway 26 to climb almost 2800 feet  following the John Day River as it flows out of the Strawberry Wilderness. While the ride was not easy, we did enjoy the gurgling sound of the river as it flowed beside us. Our first food stop included music and coffee from Trailhead Coffee Roasters a pedal powered coffee shop. Earlier, we had been treated to an old-fashioned lemonade stop hosted by two young girls who probably earned $1000 that day as it seemed that most of the riders stopped to partake of their drinks.

Headwaters of the John Day River

Made it!

The route down was equally beautiful following the Malheur River from its source with a stop for lunch at Big Creek Campground.

Headwaters of the Malheur River

It helps to have the 75 mile route punctuated by two water stops, two snack stops and a lunch stop. All three food stops include local musicians so we can have a rest and enjoy the stop while we replenish our reserves.

Music at our rest stops

A most amazing coffee roaster on wheels

 Back in camp, a cool shower, dinner, a beer (or two) and more live music prepare us for a good night’s sleep and another long ride tomorrow. We also have massage and physical therapists to help restore the body. It also helps that Bike Gallery has donated several mechanics to take care of any repairs our bikes might need.

Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival

Great weather at Bottle Beach

 Over the weekend I attended the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival for the fifth time. They offer tours, a keynote speaker and a few vendors. We bought our first pair of Vortex binoculars from the Backyard Bird Shop in Gig Harbor at the first festival we attended. We like them so well we bought a second pair and a scope from Vortex in following years. 

Immature Bald Eagle at Tokeland Harbor

This year I took tours to the Westport area and Quinault, and on Sunday took advantage of hands-on help from the keynote speaker, Clay Taylor, Swarovski’s digiscoping expert. No new birds this trip, but we did get some great views of many of the shorebirds and even a few others. The marginal weather this year dampened things a bit, especially on the Saturday trip to Quinault.

Sandpipers in the lee of the hummock as the tide comes in

No Peregrine, but something spooked the birds

Grays Harbor is one of the most important stops on the Pacific Flyway as millions of shorebirds fuel up on their way to their Arctic breeding grounds. On Friday, we took a yellow school bus to Westport and the nearby villages of Grayland and Tokeland. Fortunately, I did not have to share my seat. School buses are not really built for tall adults. The highlight of this tour is Bottle Beach, a few miles east of Westport. A nice new boardwalk leads to a blind overlooking the beach although the best way to view the birds is to get there about two hours before high tide, stake out a nice sandy spot on the gentle sloping beach and wait for the tide to push the birds to you. I have watched really well-prepared photographers let the water come up and around them to get what must be fabulous close-ups of the birds as rising tide forces them closer and closer. Even our larger group did not scare the birds as we managed to stay quite still and quiet. While the peregrines did not spook the birds on this trip, they can create a good deal of excitement and great pictures of shorebirds blasting off to avoid the danger.

Dunlin in breeding plumage

Dunlin not ready for prime time

Short-billed Dowitcher

Saturday, a much smaller group of ten rode in the Lake Quinault Lodge van with one of their guides and two other leaders to the Quinault Rain Forest. Unfortunately, the rain forest lived up to its name causing many of the birds to be quieter and more elusive.  Nevertheless, we were able to get some good views of a pair of dippers and Bunch Falls and some other fairly rare birds including an Evening Grosbeak and Purple Finch. We took a short walk along the lake shore leaving from the Lodge which took us right past the spot where I lived when I started elementary school. The condemned house we lived in has been replaced by a newer model retaining its great view of the lake and short walk to the water where I remember learning to float as Dad and I went down there nearly every evening in the summer while Mom cooked dinner for the four of us. I learned to swim the next summer in the pool at Concrete High School. As those of us who live in the Northwest know, summers are usually warm and sunny most of the time. The rain record at the lodge showed rainfall to be over 20” most of the winter months, but under 5” during the summer. The winter we lived there (1955-56) the rainfall was typical, but the timing must have been unusual because the lake rose about ten feet coming within a couple of feet of flooding our house. It did rise enough to creep into the garage.

Can you find the Dipper. These small gray birds love water like this where they wander the rocks in the rushing water to catch bugs and small fish being washed down stream. The nest is often hidden behind rocks or under logs in midstream.

Sunday, I spent a few hours with the digi-scoper, learning more about how to make use of the scope as an extra-long lens for photography. The last few pictures show how amazing the results can be. It took us an hour of exploration before we found a suitable site on the beach for the pictures. But finally, we did arrive at a spot where the sun was on the right side of the birds and we could get in some guided practice. Gulls, Marbled Godwits, and Western Sandpipers provided the subjects.

Western Gull

Immature Western Gull

Marbled Godwit and Semipalmated Plover with Western Sandpipers in the background