ONE THOUSAND MILES

Back to ranch land after our descent from Crater Lake

DATE:  Thurs, Sept. 29, 2011
HOME: Lake of the Woods, Oregon  Lake of the Woods Resort
DISTANCE: 55 miles
ALTITUDE: 1300ft
WEATHER: Absolutely perfect.  Clear skies, no wind, no traffic
NARRATIVE:
We said our farewells to Dave and Lois, hoping to see them in December in the Bay Area.  We really enjoyed re-connecting – it is such fun.  Slow start as we wished we could stay another day at Crater Lake, but once we got going we both really enjoyed today’s ride – a mostly downhill and/or flat ride until the last five miles - through beautiful forest with no traffic, also until the last five miles.  Highway 140 is a major road, but with wide shoulders.  Not a dangerous road but big trucks and the noise are not pleasant.
We dropped like a rock from Crater Lake and in minutes we had gone from the mountain scenery to flat ranch land and cute cows – more pics to add to my collection.  These guys were black with white faces.

WE REACHED THE 1,000 MILE MARK TODAY NEAR LAKE OF THE WOODS!!!!

Lake of the Woods Resort:  A beautiful spot, tucked away in the woods.  Probably a zoo in the summer, but with few people here it’s quiet and pleasant.  Our cabin is cute, cozy, and exceptionally clean with a Jacuzzi!  They also had internet and cell phone connection – our first for three days!

We have been hearing about the storm coming our way so we spent the late afternoon on the deck in the late fall warmth next to the lake researching the weather.  We hope to stay ahead of it for a couple of days before it closes in on us, but, unlike Washington, we were able to find several good “bail-out” towns.

THANK YOU ALISON!!  A friend from home, Alison, and her husband, John, are beginning this week to scout a section of the Sierra Cascades Route for a Bicycle Adventure Club (BAC) ride she will lead in 2013.  For the past week we have been exchanging emails hoping to meet-up on some portion of this next section to Truckee.  Because of Alison’s thorough research and “finds”  we stayed at Willamette Inn, took her alternate route out of Crater Lake, and are staying tonight at Lake of the Woods.  Anyone wanting to ride this Sierra Cascades route – but aren’t quite up to totally self-supported – sign up for Alison’s trip.  You’ll be in good hands.