Hell's Canyon

Sunday, July 6 (Day 51)

Distance: 65 miles

Average speed: 9.3 mph

Max: 34.6 mph

Total: 2952 miles

Weather: sunny, 10 mph headwind?, hot! 

I left Bob and Leslie's house after a nice breakfast with Bob. I had a really great time with him! Last night he helped me put new brake pads on my bike, and I enjoyed the braking ability all day.

The ride was stunning. I had quite a long climb, maybe 14 miles, before a long and winding descent, which was perfect because I had a little headwind that prevented me from going too fast.

I could see some snow capped mountains waaay off in the distance.

Scenery changed quickly on the way down, and there was soon no vegetation to speak of. Or at least no green vegetation.

Then, to my surprise, water! 

It was stunning, and a stark contrast to anything I've seen so far.

It was a reservoir, and I soon came across the dam, along the Snake river.

It's time to find out if Oregon is all that I remember it to be!

For miles the road was lined with some sort of fruit tree. I thought they were cherries so I tried one, but it tasted like an apricot and had smooth skin and I couldn't figure it out so I decided I really shouldn't try any more.

It was around this time that I broke my streak of not falling-- since Fargo! I'm not sure how it happened but one moment I was on my bike and the next I was under it. Lots of new scrapes, but my helmet is fully intact!

And I entered pacific time for good.

Then it really started to feel hot, and my water tasted fresh from the stove. I kept looking longingly at the creek, wanting to lie in it and drink it, but the cows had beat me to it.

It certainly felt like Hell's canyon.

I started to see far-off white capped peaks once again.

And I'm now spending the night with Inga, a woman who was a professional bike racer for ten years. She now lives on and works a ranch with lots of horses, cows, dogs, and two cats. I'm staying in a room in the loft of her barn, which is very cute and cozy.

She bought out the ranch from her aunts and uncles, who inherited it from her grandparents, who started the ranch at the turn of the century, so many things are quaint and old, including the enormous koi fish in her little pond.

I'm right above the horses!