Day #4, McKinsey Pass, each day is better than the last

Wow, all I can say is Wow! What a fantastic day! Left Redmond at 7am again and rode with the Three Sisters Mtns in our view for most of the morning. Beautiful farms and rolling hills all the way to the city of Sisters. It was going to be one of those "multi stop" days for tons of photo ops. (and it was) Stopped in the cute town of sisters where 9 of us crammed into a breakfast spot. This is where the fun happens, the impromptu eating experiences! And the scramble to pay the bill, it's like being back in college....it seems we're always short $$, even though everyone paid "extra!"

After Paul and I recovered from getting lost, we climbed up a quiet and beautiful road to the 5375 ft summit of Mckinzie Pass, a lava bed! From the summit is the observatory where you can see all the mountain peaks in the area! More photo ops, of course. Great views, lots of laughs, great photos? Great 15 miles of downhill later.....we arrived at this INCREDIBLE place called Belknap Hot Springs. This place was totally unexpected, on the beautiful McKinsey River with gorgeous flowerbeds, hot tubs, great lodge, and a shower! Everyone was blown away with this place. After a nice dinner Ubald, Nicole, Wendy, Gina and I explored all over the property, little trails and campsites all over the place....and finish the night with a soak in the huge heated pool... A fantastic day, every day gets better - which is crazy, because yesterday was awesome!

Peoples moods are starting to shift, everyone is avoiding the obvious - that they are really going to miss each other in a couple of days. (of course not everyone, but...) Though i wont be naive to say there arent some conflicts in the group, (easy for me to say...) this group has grown very tight as they've traveled across the USA together. The regiment, the routine, the fun, the tough days, the amazing experiences and scenes, the tragic loss of a new friend....it's been a life experience. I know I'm already dreading leaving them, and I've only been here a week! I have nothing but admiration for this group

 Internet sucked so I couldn't load photos last night....so hold on, cuz there is a lot to show you!

 Top of Mckenzie Pass

 Getting ready to leave Redmond

 Three Sisters

 I love these things

 Our fearless leader Paul

 reaching the Summit

 Ubald, Simon, and Mike on top

 Wendy getting to the top

 My buddies Wendy and Gina

 Trying to get artistic

 Ubald coming up

 The Jazz Choir at our Awesome Lodge

 So beautiful!!!

Too bad we couldnt stay here for a couple days!  But off to Eugene in the morning!

Day #3, Mitchell - Redmond, global warming??

Turns out I grossly over exaggerated the population of Mitchell, by about 770 people! The population of Mitchell is 170, complete with a chamber of commerce. Not sure if it would be as charming if we weren't on bikes, so happy to just have a simple and quaint lodge. But it was charming nonetheless.

Left Mitchell at the normal hour of 7am, unless you are Huey, Greg, or Monica (who always leave early). Straight out of the shoot, it was 16 miles UP. MILES UP! Actually it wasnt too bad, beautiful scenery as the climate changed from High desert to alpine trees and grasses. Riding through pretty valleys and awesome ranches (lots of barns!) Scored an awesome Mexican resturaunt in Prineville (earned big points for the new guy) before chugging up another mtn in the boiling heat, easily 90 degrees all the way to Redmond. The group stayed at the Aquatic Center in Redmond in their tents and I went and checked into my elegant and beautiful room at Motel 6 about 2 miles down the road. As we ate dinner, some dark clouds rolled in, dropping the temp from 90, to 70 in about 20 minutes. Awesome lighting show and eventually the rain did come for a bit, but not before a great dinner from Ubold and Huey.

Had an opportunity to talk with the group about Dad and his final couple days, and our experiences in Kentucky. I told them about the great memorial we had for him and we shared some great stories. I also revealed that part of dad is actually with us, as I have been carrying some of his ashes with me the whole time. That started the tears, but good to know that Ollie is actually traveling with us. It's only been 4 days with these guys and I enjoy their company so much - i love their stories! I came here to finish Dad's ride for him....I'm having a ball and enjoying Every Fantastic Inch with this group. Oregon deserves more exploration, it's beautiful and always changing. Not many photos from today, hard to take photos of climbing and climbing, but another fantastic day.

 The ENTIRE town of Mitchell...

 Climbing, and Climbing

Leaving Prineville

Day #2..hot, hot , HOT.....in Mitchell after 90 miles

Wow, what a day! Left the bustling town of Prairie City this morning with our jackets on, and 90 miles later we were dying from the heat and gasping for water! Wonderful breakfast at the only diner in town, then off through beautiful valleys of fresh cut alphalfa hay, stunning. If you like barns, this was a day to see beautiful barns, lots of em! Rode through John Day (who's John Galt), Dayville, Mt Vernon and now in Mitchell - all of them accumulating a population of around 3,000! As the day went on, it got hotter and hotter. We visited the John Day Fossil beds, who knew? Some of the best fossils in the world are located right here in Oregon!! Then another long, hot, dry, steep...(and did I mention hot) ride through the "desert" to this little teeny town of Mitchell. Population 640.

We are staying at the most charming little Hotel, Oregon Hotel. I have The Duke watching over my bed, the ex mayor is our inn keeper, and the bikers are hanging out at the only bar next door. But the highlight of the day (besides the final dismount of my bike) was the sunset trip to the Painted Hills, a beautiful rock formation about 10 miles from the hotel.

 My breakfast spot

 On our way, notice the jackets

Beautiful contrasts

 Finally, on the way down the final hill

Business Loop?  what business??

 My Room

 My Guardian

 This is Mitchell, all of it.....

 The Painted Hills....

 Up the canyons, forever...

 Shoe Tree!

 Dad's memorial program on the van....

Great day, hard day, my ass is still killing me, but we are all laughing and enjoying each other. Everyone is starting to feel the end of a journey, on many different levels. The group is great, I'm new enough that I don't hate anyone.....yet, and looking forward to the 68 mile trip to Redmond tomorrow. Now if can just get an extra pad for my seat tomorrow?? Ug.