This morning we woke up after a stressful night of sleep. Lotte and I looked at the 300+ miles of desert that awaited us through Eastern Oregon. We gathered our audacity and decided to hitchike to the next town: Burns, 89 miles away.
As I exited the bathroom at the rest stop an army covey flooded the area. There were over 30 army vehicles in front of me. It was bizarre. Young attractive men dressed head to toe in camouflouge clothing. As one passed by he yelled at us,
" You girls are biking through this? You have more Balls than we do?!"
After hitching a ride with Chuck, the old Vietnam Vet, we arrived in Burns. We immeaditaley headed out and continued our journey. Hills after hills in the hot sun.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Day 4: 66 Miles
Sisters to Brothers
Today presented new challenges.
As we headed out of Sisters I realized that there was an issue with my gears- as it turns out when I had a kick stand put on in Sisters, the bike mechanic caught my bike gear wire inside the kickstand. oops. Therefore I realized that I only had 3 gears. I toughed it out the 20 miles to Bends, where we stopped at the Bike shop. On the way I somehow fell off the bike again in desperation. Ouch.
Sweet Jamie fixed the gears for free. I almost asked him to marry me.
We headed out of Bends around three into the long highway through the desert: Route 20. The landscape is barren, the air arid and dry. The sun is hot and the muted yellows and green is all that we see for miles and miles.
By dusk we pulled into the small town of Brothers. It seemed like a ghost town: a broken down school house and old general store. The winds were feirce. We quickly cooked macaroni and cheese and pitched our tent on the grounds of the Rest area. Spooky.
Today presented new challenges.
As we headed out of Sisters I realized that there was an issue with my gears- as it turns out when I had a kick stand put on in Sisters, the bike mechanic caught my bike gear wire inside the kickstand. oops. Therefore I realized that I only had 3 gears. I toughed it out the 20 miles to Bends, where we stopped at the Bike shop. On the way I somehow fell off the bike again in desperation. Ouch.
Sweet Jamie fixed the gears for free. I almost asked him to marry me.
We headed out of Bends around three into the long highway through the desert: Route 20. The landscape is barren, the air arid and dry. The sun is hot and the muted yellows and green is all that we see for miles and miles.
By dusk we pulled into the small town of Brothers. It seemed like a ghost town: a broken down school house and old general store. The winds were feirce. We quickly cooked macaroni and cheese and pitched our tent on the grounds of the Rest area. Spooky.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Sisters
I have to say that Sisters is the ideal town to encounter post mountain climb. Its center is decored with shop fronts following a Wild Wild West theme. There is a famous yarn and quilt shop, and reknown for its yearly quilting festival. While visting the local bike shop to get my pedal fixed we met a little angel named Rose that invited us to stay at her house. A few hours later we were seated with the two lovely sisters, Rose and Mary of Sisters Oregon eating yummy tofy stirfry and sharing stories of worldy travels and future aspirations. Lotte and I kept sharing glances like, did we dream up the sisters of Sisters, Oregon? Could they be any more sweet? After hours of chatter another amazing day came to an end.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Day 3: 41 Miles
I rolled over in the tent this morning and every muscle in my body ached. Muscles I didn't even know I had ached. Lotte put on her Rosie the Riveter jersey that says "We Can Do It." In honor of Rosie I threw my sore behind back on the saddle.
After huffing and puffing and pushing we reached pure bliss. We made it to the top of the pass- 5300 feet baby~! The summit was a wonderous world of lava rocks and dwarfed plant life.
I cannot believe I made it.
We are now in Sisters, Oregon. A kitchy Western Oregonian town with fresh pie. And I am walking on air.
After huffing and puffing and pushing we reached pure bliss. We made it to the top of the pass- 5300 feet baby~! The summit was a wonderous world of lava rocks and dwarfed plant life.
I cannot believe I made it.
We are now in Sisters, Oregon. A kitchy Western Oregonian town with fresh pie. And I am walking on air.
Day 2: 47 Miles
Ouch. One sore behind. The Advil addiction begins. My hand wont stop spasiming. Interesting.
This morning we stopped at the VIDA town cafe for a deliscious breakfast. An old biker dude treated us to breakfast. His gesture may have been in reaction to the to-die-for waitress that proclaimed outloud to the cafe, "Chivalry Is Dead.!"
The morning ride was smooth along a beautiful river bed and evergreen forest. We stopped in McKenzie Bridge for some lunch before heading up McKenzie Pass.
Let me just say that on Day 2 of the crash course, we were attempting to bike up a 5,300 ft mountain. I wasnt exactly sure of what I was getting myself into. I quickly found out. It was worse than I could have ever imagined.
The first 2 hours were climbing but not that steep. Then the switchbacks.
I can honestly say that I am not in shape enough to just bike over a 5.300 mountain pass. I realized this a couple of hours after biking straight up, windy curve after windy curve.
I began to fall apart. Tears, dispair. HOw would I possible make it?
Did I mention how much my ass hurt?
Then something came over me. I though about how I just completed my MBA, of which nothing can compare. I thought about Lotte, miles ahead and her ease and grace. I thought about how, at that point I didn't have a choice but to Power On. And that is what I did.
We made it half way up the pass. Set up camp. Minutes before the rains came.
This morning we stopped at the VIDA town cafe for a deliscious breakfast. An old biker dude treated us to breakfast. His gesture may have been in reaction to the to-die-for waitress that proclaimed outloud to the cafe, "Chivalry Is Dead.!"
The morning ride was smooth along a beautiful river bed and evergreen forest. We stopped in McKenzie Bridge for some lunch before heading up McKenzie Pass.
Let me just say that on Day 2 of the crash course, we were attempting to bike up a 5,300 ft mountain. I wasnt exactly sure of what I was getting myself into. I quickly found out. It was worse than I could have ever imagined.
The first 2 hours were climbing but not that steep. Then the switchbacks.
I can honestly say that I am not in shape enough to just bike over a 5.300 mountain pass. I realized this a couple of hours after biking straight up, windy curve after windy curve.
I began to fall apart. Tears, dispair. HOw would I possible make it?
Did I mention how much my ass hurt?
Then something came over me. I though about how I just completed my MBA, of which nothing can compare. I thought about Lotte, miles ahead and her ease and grace. I thought about how, at that point I didn't have a choice but to Power On. And that is what I did.
We made it half way up the pass. Set up camp. Minutes before the rains came.
Day 1: 36 Miles
Picked up my new bike today. Aurora the warrior was brought to life by the hands of the bike mechanic Matt. Matt quickly won the hearts of Lotte and I with the vegetable tatoos sprouting up his arm. In fact there was a large beet that spread over his knockles. He fitted me to the bike, added some accessories. Instant Touring Bike Chick in 60 minutes. Add water and watch her grow.
We happily left Eugene behind. Every person we encountered seemed to have something slightly off about them. There was a bike parade of about thirty people however that we joined on our way out of town. Almost as if they were seeing us off.
The Aurora is the smoothest bike I have ever rode.
The beginnig of the ride was adorned with rolling Oregonian farm land and llamas.
Around 6 pm my pedal broke and I fell from the bike.
Ouch.
As the clouds rolled in we powered on. We made it to the small Riveside Inn before dusk.
We happily left Eugene behind. Every person we encountered seemed to have something slightly off about them. There was a bike parade of about thirty people however that we joined on our way out of town. Almost as if they were seeing us off.
The Aurora is the smoothest bike I have ever rode.
The beginnig of the ride was adorned with rolling Oregonian farm land and llamas.
Around 6 pm my pedal broke and I fell from the bike.
Ouch.
As the clouds rolled in we powered on. We made it to the small Riveside Inn before dusk.
Crash Course 1000
Welcome to Crash Course 1000.
Without a blink I finished my MBA, graduated, packed all my things away and headed to New York City for my next chapter of this mysterious and thrilling life. And then I hopped a plane to Eugene Oregon to begin the Crash Course of bicycle touring.
Crash Course 1000 is my first surge into the great unknown of bike touring. Joining my friend Lotte, I am embarking on a 1000 mile trek that begins in Eugene Oregon to Jackson Hole Wyoming. Let the journey begin.
Without a blink I finished my MBA, graduated, packed all my things away and headed to New York City for my next chapter of this mysterious and thrilling life. And then I hopped a plane to Eugene Oregon to begin the Crash Course of bicycle touring.
Crash Course 1000 is my first surge into the great unknown of bike touring. Joining my friend Lotte, I am embarking on a 1000 mile trek that begins in Eugene Oregon to Jackson Hole Wyoming. Let the journey begin.
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