Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sumpter, OR to Richland, OR (74 Miles)
As we woke to temperatures in the 30’s, I delayed
departure until 8:00am. As I rode out of the campground and down the road that
led back to the main route, there were two deer enjoying the morning. I took
their picture and they did not seem to alarmed. The route wound along Powder
River and Phillips Lake in route to Baker City. As I rounded one bend in the road
there was a very large bird nest on top of a very tall pole. I believe they
might have been osprey. One brought some branches while the other was appearing
to fluff the nest. After taking a few pictures, I ventured on up the road to find a herd of 10-12 very white
lama’s wading in the river (I would not drink the river water if I were you.)
At many other points along the ride, I saw cattle wading in the river (remember
don’t drink the water). I stopped for a chicken sandwich in Baker City and
called Kim to give her the lowdown on what to expect to that point. They were planning to do
a little grocery shopping in Baker City and get some gas. The gas prices were lower,
instead of the $4.28 a gallon we were paying the price was $3.86…cool. About 10
miles outside of Baker City, the Adventure Cycling Association recommends
stopping at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. So, I
decided to stopp, but the note did not tell me it was 1 mile off the road with a +6 % grade
the entire way to the Center. Then, they charged $8 to get in…this better be good. It was
OK, if you like wax replicates of those who travel the Oregon Trail talking to you through a motion
activated prerecording. Then there was the option to walk on the paved path, back down the Hill I had just climbed to see the trail ruts that were suppose to be made by the wagons on the Oregon Trail. (Really, they are still there, or were they made by a four wheel ATV?) As a whole the Center was OK. I
only had 38 miles in at that point and had to get going. With 32 miles to go,
the landscape changed from evergreen forests, to wide open hot sagebrush kind
of rolling landscape. It was part of the National Recreation Area called Hell's Canyon. The general trek was down hill most of the day with a few
hot minor climbs. I also noticed that if you wanted to be part of the "In" crow, you drove a pickup truck with a 4-wheeler in the bed of the truck. As it got closer to Richland, it was a rather windy road . The
camper drivers did not like the windy roads so much! We made it to the
campgrounds, which was pretty nice. Kim said that as they were hooking up to leave in the morning, the owner lady came over to talk to them. She asked where they were headed and told them they had a lot of bicyclist stop at their campground. Also she gave them a brief history of the area. Also she said to watch for snakes along the way as they like to sun themselves. So, another leg is history. I called ahead
to the next two stops and we are now reserved for the next three days and good
to go. Tomorrow we will leave Oregon and enter Idaho. Yeah!
Nesting parents
I would think the water would be cold on the Llama legs?
Crossing the first Interstate I-84
Wax Figures inside the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center...At least they could have moved or something.
Oh Boy these guys are still on the loose even in Hell's Canyon...thankfully they were heading the other direction.
Cattle hanging out in the Powder River...don't drink the water.
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