Monday 6/11/18

Halfway, Oregon to Council, Idaho

Today was one month since I worked my last day at the University. Thinking on it, I guess I will say my life has been much more interesting.

Today we rode again in Hells Canyon Scenic Bypass on Highway 86 to Oxbow. Then we took Highway 71 which was a similar canyon but now the Snake River. Very similar scenery as before.

While taking a break at a restaurant/gift shop near Oxbow, a 1913 Pierce Arrow pulled in. The owners were from Clifton, Illinois not far from where my wife Joyce is from. There were 20 similar cars involved in an organized tour of 2500 miles. During the afternoon cycling around Brownlee Reservoir, we keep seeing Ford model T’s and other 100 plus year old cars go by.  Most of the cars were open air and folks dressed in garb befitting the cars.

As we rode along Brownlee Reservoir we had a fierce canyon headwind. The lowest gear was needed even on level ground. We rode about 4 miles this way. Then we finally turned out of the wind only to start a 2000 foot climb.

Once over the pass we easily cycled into Cambridge where we got a few items and then ate on the bench in front of the grocery store.

We decided to push on to Council for the night. About another 22 miles. We thought we could make it by dark and did by riding hard and not stopping.

For the night we cleaned up at a city park bathroom and settled down in the post office lobby for the night. Much warmer than camping in the park.

Total miles for the day about 80.