Rocky's Road Tales from Oregon Desert - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

07-15-2003, 10:23 PM

This is coming to you as best Ro Fischer and I can piece it together.
Rocky had the wrong address for me, so after days of no email, I
received a flood of separate messages that lacked any real sense of
order. With Portland fast approaching, his reports will become more
regular before Mark Chen and his madcap group of musical cyclists bring
our momentum From Portland to Eugene. In addition, so as not to
infuriate our readers, when Rocky's posts get shorter, I can also
bundle in some more of Jim Redd's awesome trip reporting.
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Subject: Lucky Peak Sunrise
Hi Martin and Everyone:

I only got two or three hours of shut-eye on a greenbelt park bench on
my first night in Idaho. I knew it was not very safe to ride in the
darkness - but the sunrise was worth everything that I risked. I rode
East in the morning darkness to get here - a mile uphill past the start
of the greenbelt trail. This was something I had wanted to do last
year but ran out of time.

I have a few more Kodak moments - and then the bike shop should be open
so I can take care of the rear wheel wobble on my bike.*

Tune-Up Time!

I had a great morning ride back into town. The young man at the bike
shop told me it would take a couple of hours so I'm writing this while
I can. The front wheel is done and he started on the back forks -
that's what will take time to fix.

It's already warming up - I found a shady spot on a quiet street - my
shoes are off and my feet are hanging over the curb.

Subject: Nyssa Idaho
Hi Everyone!

Spot check - Nyssa is right on the border of Idaho and Oregon. I am
camped just two miles from there. The next town I pedal through will
be Vale, Oregon - 22 miles from here.

I got my bike fixed at a shop in Boise and I am getting much better at
packing and riding with my load. It was sort of a rush job at the bike
shop. They didn't open until 9 am - I left the bike, went to eat
breakfast, came back at 11 and it was still torn apart when I got back.

Best get going while it is still cool out. The temperature the last
couple days has been in the triple digits so I was really dragging last
night.

Subject:* Malheur County
Hi Everyone:

I crossed a bridge over the Snake River into Nyssa, Oregon yesterday
morning. On the left was a small park with a boat ramp where I was
told I could also camp. There was also a big sugar factory. I found a
payphone to send back some PocketMail messages. I passed a sign
indicating there was a City Park but I was a little too far from it to
see much of it. Three quarters of the way through town, they were
setting up for a Geode Convention. Leaving town, I had to look back at
the sign which was in the shape of the state of Oregon. It was a
"Welcome to Nyssa" sign and at the bottom in smaller print, it said
"Geode Capitol of the World." There was a painting under it with
Dinosaurs half-covered with weeds.

During my first 10 miles to Vale, it was easy to see the tree line
where the Snake River establishes the Northern Border between Idaho and
Oregon/Washington. About 5 miles later I stopped to read a roadside
marker and found that the large rocky peak that I was riding alongside
was Malheur Butte County. Due North of this spot was Burch Creek which
has visible original ruts from the Oregon trail. Less than a mile from
town, I had trouble with traffic moving around a dead mule deer buck
with his bloated belly facing me on the side of the road. I felt bad
for the big guy when I went back to him after the traffic slowed down.
I could tell he did not suffer much - it had been quick. His horns
were still in velvet and more than a 3 point. I grabbed a couple of
his legs and dragged Mr. Big Ears into the gravel so he would not cause
any more trouble - and, also, to save some of his dignity.

Staying on Rt 26 out of Vale took me to the edge of town where I met up
with a truck driver working on his semi. I inquired about a place to
eat. He said he was going to stop at Willow Creek about 11 miles
ahead. I went on my way and about 3 miles later, I found an American
Flag - so I stuck the dowel beside the barbed wire fastener on the top
of a rusty metal post. Still looking down, I also found a good pair of
sunglasses.

It was about 1:30 when I stopped for lunch at Willow Creek. The pay
phone was gone - just a wire hanging out. Everyone was friendly. It
was lunch time so two ladies were running the café and store. I washed
the salt from my face and arms before ordering anything. The man I
began talking to was Kenny Drogen from the next town up the road called
Brogan. Everyone knew him and he was considered the town drunk. He
was a bit hard to understand. He sat beside me just before my thick
T-bone was done and drank a beer.

I saw an ant crawling on Kenny's shoulder and told him as I flicked it
off. He said that it was OK - that he got a lot of that. The 68 year
old guy had not had a shave in a while - and needed a shower like me.
Turns out that Kenny saw me on TV on Channel 12!! He brought it up
telling me that he saw me with one officer in front and one in back.
He had to repeat himself several times before I understood what he was
saying. The waitress did not understand either when he asked for a bag
for the excess fat and bone from my steak for his dog. He told me he
raised his dog from a pup and kept repeating......"my dog is going to
love you."

He had another beer before ordering the pie, the reason he came here.
He left about the time I started on a big basket of fries that came
with the steak. The lady that had cooked my steak was giving
instructions to the waitress because she was leaving. She came over to
me and said she was sorry about Kenny. I said it wasn't a problem and
told her that he had seen me on TV. She did not believe him until
after I explained the details. She said the old buzzard must be
sharper than she gave him credit for.

I asked about the phone and she told me the phone company took it out
because it was not worth their maintenance. After explaining my 800
PocketMail number, she said it was OK to use theirs. After I finished
eating, the waitress lead me back where the phone was. There was a B&W
monitor set up from a camera on the store. There was a long cord on
the phone so I showed her what monkey business I was up to. Later,
after filling my empty water bottle, I told her about it: costs and
contact information.

Part Three

I had a flat tire on my way to Brogan. I stopped in Brogan, drank two
bottles of water, then filled the bottles up and headed for Buttes
which is on an 8 mile grade! (By the way, I found a used but not
"road-killed" pocket knife.)

It was great to see the full moon rise between two peaks. My buddy,
Moon Shadow, was riding along with me. I saw more rabbits than I could
count. They were more the cotton-tail brush bunnies than the jack
rabbit variety.

There were some very strong winds after the Sunset and I could smell
hints of smoke when the wind shifted.

Around midnight I stopped in Unity to fill my water bottles. The place
had just closed so I knocked and held up my bottles to the window so
the lady inside knew what I needed.

On my way to Baker County, a big elk ran across the road in front of
me. Passing the Baker County sign, the road narrowed and I lost my
white line along the edge. The highest marked point that I saw was
6523. I camped at my first Nation Forest under some very large pine
trees.

Dear PocketMail readers:

First thing in the morning, I had another long climb to the summit of
Blue Mountain Pass - 5109 feet. Near the top was sign that I was
entering Grant County. Soon the road widened. I also saw a bike route
sign going down the other side on a long hill.

I stopped in Austin - 15 miles from Prairie City - and had an Elk
Burger Special. I spend the night at a camp with showers in Prairie
City. To get to Prairie City, I had to climb up five miles to the
summit of Dixie Mt. Pass (5277 feet) and then I had the last 10 miles
all down hill!!!! With the extra weight from my pack, I felt safer and
could go faster but I am sure that I was doing over 50 mph at times. I
was sure glad I had fixed the damage to my bike that happened on the
flight.

I would like to stay here and camp a lot longer - but best to pack up
and get going.

Hi Everyone:

Riding along the John Day River into town had me thinking I was in
Boise again. Lots cooler this time of day - can't ask for more! I am
not on a bike trail but there are very wide shoulders. I was told it
would level off for approximately 30 miles. Back at Dog Cr. Road, it
was at 3083 feet.

It's just about 1:00 pm now in John Day, Oregon and I just finished a
milk shake. I'm on the road again.

Hi.

At the edge of town as I was leaving John Day, a muley doe ran about 10
feet in front of me narrowly escaping traffic from the other direction.
She seemed very confused as I watched her hop past the logs in front of
an old drive-in movie screen.

I picked up a hitch-hiker outside Mt. Vernon. Dirt Bag (just one of
his names) was laying there beside the road playing dead. He was
belly-up! Upon closer examination, the 8-inch Red Spotted Curly
Tailed Rubber Lizard was injured. His lower jaw is missing and he has
a few small rips in his body.

It was getting warmer and drier as I approached Dayville. I spotted a
park on the edge of town and what looked like campsites beside the
South Fork of the John Day River. The river here was not much more
than a creek. DB (Dirt Bag) needed cleaned up more than I did - so, I
tried to clean the black tire marks off his head (OUCH says the Ed.)
before letting him swim around.

I put my jersey back on after wringing it out, then walked barefoot up
the gravel road with socks, shoes and a happier DB on the pack behind
the seat of my bike.

Traveling through the little park which had a sprinkler turned on, I
pushed my bike past a lady who had stopped to eat. I was thinking how
good her grapes looked when she looked up at me to exchange smiles and
a few words with me. She said she was a vegetarian and offered me a
tomato. She said she was going to Boise and, after I inquired about
camp grounds and food, she told me about the Fossil Beds Visitor's
Center and a nice little market in town.

At the quick stop market, I picked up some snacks and packed some
peanuts away for later since I would be in Mitchel after everything
closed.

--
MARTIN KRIEG: "Awake Again" Author c/o BikeRoute.com
79 & 86 TransAms, nonprofit Nat. Bicycle Greenway CEO

Ever wanted anything so bad U were willing to die for it?
Really die? By moving thru clinical death and reversing
paralysis, *I saw God* when I answered that question.