Day 9: Beiber-Cave CG, Old Station

Start: Beiber, dumpy motel

Finish: Old Station, USFS Cave CG

Miles: 58.6

Elevation: 2572

Avg Speed:10.1

Ride Time: 5 hours 46 minutes

Calories Burned: 2000

Weather: mid-90's, modest cross wind.

Route: Hwy 299 to Fall River; Cassell Falls cutoff to 89; south to Old Station.  The Cassell Fall cutoff is gorgeous, I'd recommend this segment as a great dayride.

Cool Stuff:

1. We were fixing a flat at the Cassell Pacific Gas & Electric CG and were invited in for lunch by 2 couples from Gilroy.  Nice folks and a much appreciated lunch of Costco seafood salad and crackers.
2. Got to ride the Cassell Falls cutoff this time.  I sagged the same segment a few years ago for the boys (Todd, Byron, and Ron).
3. Met some good old boys at the campground and had fun explaining what we were up to.  They were moving their monster 5th wheel and luxury motorhome into our campground and planned on leaving them until the 4th.

Lesson’s Learned:

1. We got an early start and it payed off.  I think David is convinced that early starts are a good thing.
2. Ask locals the same route/road question and you'll get a different answer almost everytime.  Accurate maps are definitely worth toting along.

Palaver: We've done 3 consecutive ~ 60 mile days with about 5700' of climbing and we are getting fitter.  Our spirits are high tonight.  Our diet may very well be responsible for a painless asphixiation in our sleep.  Lots of grease and it sure tastes good.  Tomorrow we will be in Shingletown.

Day 8: Lava Beds-the dump in Beiber

Start: Lava Beds

Finish: Bieber, the dumpiest motel I’ve ever patronized

Miles: 60.1

Elevation: 1495

Avg Speed: 10.7

Ride Time: 5 hours- 42 minutes

Calories Burned: 2387

Weather: No clouds, high 90's, nasty 10-20 mph crosswind/headwind for most of the day.  

Route: Out of Lava Beds to Tionesta, 12 miles on 299, south on Lookout road into Bieber.

Cool Stuff:

1. The scenery coming down from the Lava Beds.
2. getting water from the fruit inspection station.
3. watching a raptor land on the road 100' from us and grab something.
4. We stopped at the Lookout, CA postoffice and offloaded cool weather gear.  I mailed about 8.5 lbs of stuff to Eldred.

Lesson’s Learned:

1. Eat more, I bonked for the first time in several years.
2. Otherwise, a demanding but uneventful day.

Palaver: Today's ride started late and we really paid a price with excessive heat and major headwinds.  We have to hit the road much earlier.  Our lodging choices were the Bieber city park, assuming to local police would allow it or a very dumpy motel.  David and I decided the mozzys (Brit speak for mosquito) would consume us if we stayed in the park.  David looks like he has been in red paint ball war he has so many bites.  So, it was a no brainer, we hit the dumpy motel.  The sign behind the front desk cautioned patrons there would be a $10 fee for cleaning game or fish in the room.  I was so grossed out by the filth I slept in my bag on top of the bedcover.

Day 7: Klamath Falls-Lava Beds National Monument

Start: Klamath Falls

Finish: Lava Beds National Monument CG

Miles: 65.1

Elevation: 1635

Avg Speed: 10.8

Ride Time: 6 hours 2 minutes

Calories Burned: 2653

Weather: High 80's-low 90's,  northernly tailwind, no clouds, very dry.

Route: see Klamath County AAA map for route out of K-Falls.  Backroads to Merill and then into the Lava Beds.

Cool Stuff:

1. Got to watch a barrel race competition outside of Merill.
2. Had an excellent burrito for lunch along side a bunch of local hispanics.
3. The Hammer Gel and Nuun got me up the last pitch.
4. The best washroom sink shower ever at the Visitor Center.

Lesson’s Learned:

1. Good day, hard work, no mishaps or issues.

Palaver: The rest in K-Falls seems to have worked.  We both rode quite well today.  Because water supplies were questionable I ended up carrying an extra 5 liters in the MSR Dromedary and David's extra platypus bladder.  I think we may have cracked the Mt. Lassen problem.  If worse comes to worse we decided we could pay someone to haul us to the summit.

Day 6: Rocky Point Resort-Klamath Falls

Start: Rocky Point CG, Upper Klamath Lake

Finish: Klamath Falls

Miles: 32.1

Elevation: 1226

Avg Speed: 10.7

Ride Time: 3 hours

Calories Burned: 1146

Weather: mid-80's

Route: down west side of Upper Klamath Lake into K-Falls.

Cool Stuff:

1. We are in a motel, still recovering.
2. Good Vietnamese meal.
3. Nice guy at the bike shop who gave us directions out of town.

Lesson’s Learned:

1. Mr Tuffys suck.  I will never ever use them again.  Yet another pinch flat from the seam.  It  happened on the way into K-Falls near a public park.  There was a hot-rod rally/car show underway.
2. Better check over bike shop repairs before paying.  David had some bad luck with repairs to his brakes.  I had better luck with a headset adjustment and rear wheel bearing replacement.
3. K-Falls in a mighty rough town, don't go out of your way to see it.  The surrounding countryside is very beautiful.

Palaver: Do we really want to climb Lassen?   That's the big question.  Time will answer the question I am sure.

Day 5: Crater Lake-Rocky Point Resort, Upper Klamath Lake

Start: Crater Lake

Finish: Rocky Point Resort, Upper Klamath Lake

Miles: 39.5

Elevation: 558

Avg Speed: 12.9

Ride Time: 3 hours 3 minutes

Calories Burned: 1200

Weather: sunny, upper 70's, modest headwind.

Route: Out south entrance of Crater Lake, south on OR 140 to Fort Klamath, secondary roads along norrth shore od Upper Klamath, finally south for 13.5 miles on Westside road.

Cool Stuff:

1. Amy fixed us a great breakfast of biscuits and scrambled eggs.
2. Nice downhill out of the park.  We lost over 3000’ of elevation.
3. Mazama valley north of the lake was a verdant cow pasture.  Very scenic: cattle, old barns, blooming lupines, and ospreys.  Ben Carrtwright and Hoss would fit in just fine.
4. The Rocky Point Resort was nice, good meal and excellent Celtic music.  A couple that played mandolin, guitar, borahn, and sang.  David felt like he was back in England.

Lesson’s Learned:

1. Not much today other than we have agreed to rest day in Klamath Falls. 
2. Time to do some shopping, get our headsets adjusted, and find a motel.
3. Avoid Klamath Falls if possible.  It is not a very nice town. 

Palaver: None tonight, maybe tomorrow.

Day 4: Diamond Lake CG-Crater Lake, Mazama CG

Start: Diamond Lake

Finish: Mazama Camp Ground, Crater Lake NP

Miles: 29.6

Elevation: 2662

Avg Speed: 8.9

Ride Time: 3 hours  18 minutes

Calories Burned:

Weather: clear and warm, low 70's.

Route: Out of Diamond Lake onto US 138, into the NP, up and over the ridge summit, down to Mazama CG.

Cool Stuff:

1. The scenery, Crater Lake is magnificent.
2. The tailwind.
3. Evening meal
4. Having our bags sagged.

Lesson’s Learned:

1. Too ambitious, more climbing than we were ready for.
2. Use new tubes

Palaver: David has named motorhomes "dinosaurs" and decided he doesn't like them at all.  Not on the road and certainly not in the campground with their generator roaring.  We respectfully request the Powerbar Corp to invest in more R/D.  We are tired of having our fillings yanked and struggling with wrappers.

David working hard

Crater Lake in all it's glory!

David after a hard days work

taking a break from climbing

Amy & Nate

Day 3: Scaredman CG-Diamond Lake

Day 3, June, 24, 2009

Start: Baker Bay CG

Finish: Scaredman BLM CG

Miles: 41.2

Elevation: 2889', average incline 7%, max 13%

Avg Speed: 8.5

Ride Time: 4 hours, 50 minutes

Calories Burned: 2200

 

 

Weather: mid 80's, sunny, neglible wind

 

Route: Today our route was 80% off the highway and in the mountains on BLM roads.  Route finding was challenging because we did not have a map with sufficient detail (see Lessons Learned).   Google maps has it's limitations when off highways.  I think the local BLM and other road names don't match up so well with Google.  In any event the riding was spectacular, very steep and challenging.  The average grade for the day was 7% and there were stretches of 13%.  The major climb was up USFS road 23 or Clark

Creek Road to a 3889' ridge.  The crux section was about 6 miles with sustained 9-10% grades.  We huffed and puffed and cursed and walked and cranked a bunch.  The roads were in great shape with just a few cars and absolutely no logging trucks.  Often we rode beside a beautiful mountain stream and were able to refill our water bottles.  The chlorine dioxide water treatment system seems to work well.  Won't know for sure  for 7-10 days (Giardia's incubation period).   We chatted with a BLM fire supression guy and told us there was going to be a road race over the same route in a few weeks.

 

Cool Stuff: Lots of good stuff today

1. Started the day with a homemade biscuit, egg, bacon, and cheese breakfast sandwich served up at the beachside café and general store.
2. An older gentleman on a Harley (yes even older than us) came back after passing us to give us route finding assistance.  Very nice and much appreciated.
3. Blooming rhodies on the ridge summit.
4. A BLM worker with a map and local knowledge.
5. An icy bath in a great swimming hole.
6. Greasy salty potato chips and a bottle of bugjuice at the end of the day.
7. David's company

 

Lesson’s Learned:

1. If you buy a map, don't lose it.
2. If you pack a map, remember that you have it.
3. Google sucks off the main roads.
4. Weight is still the enemy.
5. BLM maps are the best.

 

Palaver:  If yesterday was a warm up; then today was the real deal.  Tomorrow will be even more challenging.  It feels great to work hard, eat lots of food, drink our fill of water, and enjoy the fine countryside.  Tomorrow if we are lucky, we will encounter Paula and the kids and be able to off load a little weight for the final push to Diamond Lake.  Bet I sleep well tonight. See you'all down the road.

Day 2: Baker Bay CG-Scaredman Campground

Start: Baker Bay CG

Finish: Scaredman BLM CG

Miles: 41.2

Elevation: 2889', average incline 7%, max 13%

Avg Speed: 8.5

Ride Time: 4 hours, 50 minutes

Calories Burned: 2200

Weather: mid 80's, sunny, neglible wind

Route: Today our route was 80% off the highway and in the mountains on BLM roads.  Route finding was challenging because we did not have a map with sufficient detail (see Lessons Learned).   Google maps has it's limitations when off highways.  I think the local BLM and other road names don't match up so well with Google.  In any event the riding was spectacular, very steep and challenging.  The average grade for the day was 7% and there were stretches of 13%.  The major climb was up USFS road 23 or Clark

Creek Road to a 3889' ridge.  The crux section was about 6 miles with sustained 9-10% grades.  We huffed and puffed and cursed and walked and cranked a bunch.  The roads were in great shape with just a few cars and absolutely no logging trucks.  Often we rode beside a beautiful mountain stream and were able to refill our water bottles.  The chlorine dioxide water treatment system seems to work well.  Won't know for sure  for 7-10 days (Giardia's incubation period).   We chatted with a BLM fire supression guy and told us there was going to be a road race over the same route in a few weeks.

Cool Stuff: Lots of good stuff today

1. Started the day with a homemade biscuit, egg, bacon, and cheese breakfast sandwich served up at the beachside café and general store.
2. An older gentleman on a Harley (yes even older than us) came back after passing us to give us route finding assistance.  Very nice and much appreciated.
3. Blooming rhodies on the ridge summit.
4. A BLM worker with a map and local knowledge.
5. An icy bath in a great swimming hole.
6. Greasy salty potato chips and a bottle of bugjuice at the end of the day.
7. David's company

Lesson’s Learned:

1. If you buy a map, don't lose it.
2. If you pack a map, remember that you have it.
3. Google sucks off the main roads.
4. Weight is still the enemy.
5. BLM maps are the best.

Palaver:  If yesterday was a warm up; then today was the real deal.  Tomorrow will be even more challenging.  It feels great to work hard, eat lots of food, drink our fill of water, and enjoy the fine countryside.  Tomorrow if we are lucky, we will encounter Paula and the kids and be able to off load a little weight for the final push to Diamond Lake.  Bet I sleep well tonight. See you'all down the road.

Day 1: Eugene - Dorena Lake

Day: #1, June 22, 2009

Start: Broadway Motel, Eugene, Oregon

Finish: Baker Bay CG, Dorena Reservoir, Oregon (just east of Cottage Grove)             

Miles: 33.4

Elevation: 1424

Avg Speed: 10.5

Ride Time: 3 hour, 11 minutes

Calories Burned: 1400

Weather: sunny 70's, modest tailwind for much of the day.

Route: Google route out of Eugene, up the ridge on Dillard, along the "river", to Row River Road.

Cool Stuff: 

1. We camped at Baker Bay and shortly after arrival were gifted two beautiful trout for our dinner.  A nice couple from Forest Grove was camping with their grandchildren and Buster (a boxer-blue heeler mix). 
2. Watching grandpa play with his dog and grandchildren.  Buster was a very fine dog.

Lesson’s Learned:

1. Weight has become no less important, it does indeed matter.
2. Google maps are quite accurate and literal.  You must follow each little increment, otherwise you'll end up riding on the wrong side of the river.
3. Don't drop your beer in a stuff sack on the ground.  You'll crack the can, get your blue towel soaked with beer, and be forced to chug the beer in the shower.
4. Trangia stoves are really slow.
5. Folding water buckets are very handy.

Palaver:  Today was a good day of riding.  We had minmal traffic, good weather, and smooth roads.  David is proving to be a great traveling companion.  We have agreed to go slow, smell the roses, and savor the sights.  This is the first tour              for me that has allowed such an approach.  Geezerhood is OK.  Tomorrow we ride on USFS roads and will not have any services for the next two days.  We are heading into the mountains.  Yahoo~!!~.

Day 0: On the Rails

Day: 0, June 21, 2009
Start: Olympia
Finish: Broadway Inn, Eugene, OR
Miles: 3
Elevation: na
Avg Speed: na
Ride Time: na
Calories Burned: na

Weather: cool, cloudy, windy, mid-60's

Route: We rode Amtrak

Cool Stuff:
1. David's bike looks great. Very nice job Bill Stevenson. The candy apple red paint looks good too.
2. Chatting with the sorta drunk lady in the club car. We got all sorts of route advice, none of which will be put to use, but she was having fun and so were we.

Lesson’s Learned:
1. Weight still matters.
2. Need to check straps before riding.
3. Keep tent poles in tube.
4. Wi-Fi with Palm on secure wireless LANs sucks.
5. Our route to Dorena looks good according to semi-tooted lady in the Dining Car.

Palaver: David and I are very excited. Today was a great beginning. At home before I left, we celebrated fathers day in style with BBQ 'd salmon, cheesy orzo, and watermelon. I got a bunch of instant Starbucks to support the caffiene habit on the road. Thanks Paula and kids. Hope all is well back home and everything goes smoothly in my absence. Time for bed, I didn't get much sleep last night.

 David, Rose, Paula, Amy, Bill

 

         Oly Depot                  

                                                                 Bikes in the baggage car

Home Sweet Home, Eugene Motel

Day -1: Gettin' Ready

Day: Day -1
Start: Home
Finish: Home
Miles: 41.5
Elevation: 2000
Avg Speed: 9.75
Ride Time: 4.25 hours

Calories Burned: 1600

Weather: upper 60's-mid 70's with frequent rain squalls

Route: Up Bordeaux with full pack.

Cool Stuff: This was my second outing with the new Bruce Gordon loaded with a full complement of touring equipment. I think my weight without water was ~55 lbs, way more than I'd like, but will be difficult to pare down.

Lesson’s Learned:
1. Need to fine tune the rear derailleur.
2. I am in decent form (sure hope I don't regret that statement!).
3. The SPD's worked well, but going clipless is not nearly as efficient.
4. Nate's booties are the bomb.
5. Weight matters!

Palaver: So the departure date draws neigh and I am consumed with last minutes stuff. Paula thinks I am obsessing, but this part is almost as much fun as riding. I definitely feel well prepared. My riding buddy, David just got his bike today, so that is a huge relief. After the ride I spent a couple of hours futzing with the BG and I pronounce her ready to roll.

Trip Summary and the "Best Of's"

Click here to find a summary of the trip.

Click here to read the Best Of's.

Prelude

This is a story about a life long goal being realized. Maybe it's me doing my version of the Bucket List. Maybe it's a geezer version of going to Europe with a backpack. In any event, as I write this prelude to a 7-week adventure I am aboard Amtrak's California Zephyr a few miles east of Reno, Nevada. I am finished with the first part of my adventure and just beginning the remainder. The current destination is Omaha, Nebraska.

Let's back up and start closer to the beginning. I am a 60-year-old married father of two who retired in 2004. As I have aged my outdoor adventures have slowed down a tad, but I have always been interested in multi-day strenuous activities. For the most part I have worked through my mountaineering phase and am currently interested in bicycling. Last Thanksgiving I made a successful offer on E-Bay to purchase a Bruce Gordon BLT, a full set of Arkel panniers, and a shinny new Brooks B-17. My son has inherited the saddle, but the bike and pannier are all mine. The E-Bay purchase was pretty cool. A very nice fellow from West Virginia, Dennis Blair, purchased the bike and gear for a tour in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Unfortunately for family health reasons he choose to auction off everything on E-Bay. Fortunately for me, I won the bidding and got the gear. I have done a few bike tours before on an ancient Trek 520 (now owned by Nathan), but for several years I have been looking around for a new touring bike. All things considered, I have quite happy with the Bruce Gordon. I spent a good part of the winter considering different touring options. The planning became a bit more complicated when a friend asked me to accompany him on the 2009 RAGBRAI (a rolling party that crosses Iowa every July). I also invited my 17 yo son Nathan to be part of the adventure. Together we pondered routes, maps, the CGOB website, and negotiated with Paula regarding the scope of our adventure. To her immense credit, Paula was very supportive of our adventure and encouraged to have the ride of our lives.

We finally settled on a trip down the Pacific Coast from Eugene, Oregon to Danville, California. Because Nathan has a job working in the local outdoor shop, his time was somewhat limited. As many of you know, work can certainly interfere with the rest of your life. During the winter I attend a Tuesday/Thursday spinning class and naturally I started talking about the upcoming adventure. Much to my surprise a fellow spinner, David Middleton, expressed interest in coming along. David is a very experienced cyclist with a lot of miles under his butt, but he had never done a multiple day fully loaded tour. As we talked the route evolved from a coastal ride to an epic via the mountains. I believe we wisely decided to avoid the congested and dangerous coastal highways in favor of remote back roads. David and I managed to sort out an interesting and challenging route that included climbing through the Cascades to Crater Lake, Mount Lassen, and the Sacramento River valley. Meanwhile, Nathan learned yet another riding lesson when he wiped out rounding a corner on wet pavement. He crashed hard and messed up a ligament in his thumb. It took us a while to get him in to the Doc, but when we did he ended up having surgery to repair a “gamekeeper thumb” injury. Nate was no longer able to ride a bike and was relegated to jealous spectator. Maybe next year we can put a different trip together that he can enjoy.

I have prepared daily trip diaries that try to capture the essence of each day. Each daily diary includes a few pictures of highlights along the route. The overall trip is summarized in an Excel spreadsheet. The final entries are a list of, “The Best Of’s” and a reflection upon the entire trip.

Good Luck Pops...

My name is Amy Liechty and I am the daughter of Bill Liechty. In the coming days my father and his riding partner, David Middleton, plan to bike through Washington, Oregon and California. After reaching California, Dad will take the train to Nebraska where he will meet Byron and Pat Zarp, hop across the border to Iowa and begin his second RAGBRAI. I made this blog for Dad to doccument his exploits as he treks across the country.

A few summers ago, I sat beside Dad in our garden as we slurped raw oysters and spoke with a family friend. Dad told the friend something Abraham Lincoln once said, "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." I believe Dad has put an awful lot of life in his years and I hope the next few weeks are more of the same. Best of luck, Dad!