2015-07-30 Day 32: Why Do Cyclists Like to Climb Hills?, Sisters to Nimrod, OR

Miles Today: 57. Total Miles: 1843

So, the obvious answer to the title question is: To cruise downhill! For you cyclists, I know just the pass and just the hill. If you have not made the climb from Sisters up over the Old McKenzie Pass then continued east dropping down into Belknap Springs, you need to find an open date and schedule it. Going west out of Sisters, you get to ride a fine Ponderosa Pine forest for 8 miles, then climb for 7 miles into the lava fields at the top of the pass. Then the drop....Oh the drop! 22 miles with an elevation loss of 3500 feet through deep Oregon forest of Douglas Fir, ferns, and moss. The middle 10 miles has continuous hairpin curves under the forest canopy. Tom and Eva, our Amsterdam riding partners, for the past several days did catch us today prior to the climb. Their quote: "Greatest mountain pass they have ever ridden."

Jon and I continued another 15 miles west of the pass along the McKenzie River. We rode into what??? - 100+ degree temperatures. We have ridden all summer across the American West and the hottest temperatures we have seen are in the Williamette Valley. That is messed up! One lady leaving a country store late this afternoon looked in her car and made sure we knew that it was 102 degrees. Yikes.

So we are camping tonight at a campsite that is associated with the McKenzie River Inn. Pictured is what you do when it's 102 degrees outside.

In an unrelated story, Jon and I stayed at a motel in Sisters last night. I flipped the light off at 10 and curled up for a nice long slumber. But then the little noises started. They got louder sorta like a beaver chewing on a tree under our refrigerator. It was clear we had uninvited company. I battled that mouse until 3:00 am when I conceited the room to the mouse and headed out to the back porch with my sleeping pad and sleeping bag. Slept just fine out there from 3:30 to 5:30. The hotel gave us a partial credit so I will not put the name here on the Internet. Ask me in person, I will be glad to share the name.

Finally, if you are planning to come to Florence on Saturday. Thank you. We are looking forward to getting this done. It looks like we need until 2:00 to roll into town (Previously, I said 1:00). The exact place where we plan to dip our front tires into the ocean is Heceta Beach just on the north edge of Florence. To get there, turn on Heceta Beach Road off of Hwy 101 then follow that until it becomes Kiwanda then follow that to the beach. Very important, We are not finishing at Heceta Head Lighthouse, the famous lighthouse which is several miles north of Florence. Don't go there!