91 miles
August 16, 2006
“Hey Jamie, we’re going for breakfast. We’re gonna wait to do this (Packing up) until it’s a little warmer.”
The nights have been chilly lately. Last night I prepared for the cold by throwing on my wool socks and warm hat, so I slept great. About ten minutes after Troy and Mel walked off for breakfast, I got up, packed, and joined them.
I was warned about getting three pancakes – “They’re big!” Well they weren’t all that big, but there was something about the way they made the batter that made them really thick and heavy. When I was down to the last one, the waitress said, “If you eat all those, I’ll take a dollar off your bill.”
“Well you just lost a dollar!” I said. Apparently most people have trouble finishing just one. It wasn’t tough for me to finish all three.
I rode out of town at 9:30. My first thoughts in the saddle were “Dear Lord, please keep my tires full of air today. Amen.” Maybe I should have included a note regarding the wind.
First thing was the long climb up to Ochoco Pass. After last night’s ascent under the pressure of fading daylight, this one was just simply long and slow, but time itself went fast. Like, “What? I’ve been riding for over two hours now, and only covered 14 miles?”
The descent was long and slow, and this is where today’s wind announced its presence – more headwinds. So I wasn’t rewarded with a sweet downhill after the pass, and had to work the whole way. I took to the radio, which I haven’t done for a number of days.
I heard a Daddy Yankee song, a whiny Eminem tune about being a daddy, that Gnarls Barkley Crazy song (Perfect for my bike trip), Allman Bros – Jessica, Led Zep – Kashmir, and Tom Petty – Last Dance With Mary Jane.
With fifty miles under my belt, I at last made it to Prineville, Oregon. Sam Stone… came home… went to Pizza Hut… had ten breadsticks… and a personal pan pizza.
The wind really settled in and strengthened on the way out of town. Troy caught me as I closed in on Redmond. “We’ll be staying there tonight,” he said, “The Missus doesn’t have twenty more miles in her.” I love how he always refers to Mel as “The Missus” or “The Wife.” It cracks me up – they’re on their honeymoon, you know.
We made loose plans for celebrating our accomplishment together in Eugene, and I went on. In Redmond I made a quick stop at a gas station for some soda and tonight’s dinner, and kept going.
The wind this evening was the worst of the whole day, and I didn’t reach Sisters until sometime between 8:30 and 9pm. The city park was on the east edge of town, and the first thing I did was start working the dinner water to a boil. By the time my meal of mac&cheese and tuna was ready, I had changed into warm clothes and set up my tent. Perfect. Life is good.
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