Day 41, North Roosevelt to Maryhill State Park

Wednesday July 8, 2020, 37 miles (60 km) - Total so far: 2,242 miles (3,608 km)

What an incredible day of riding--maybe because a short day, maybe because no crazy wind like yesterday, maybe because--and this will sound counterintuitive, but the climbs were fantastic.

First, I loved sleeping at my Covid campground last night. So peaceful. I literally had the whole place to myself. No concerns about food or water. The three nice fishermen guys handed me kind a quart of water as a parting gift. God bless them.

In the middle of the night I woke up and saw a bright orange moon shining down on the river and the lights on the Oregon side blinking.

Because of the water and fuel, I was charged up this a.m. I didn't have a lot of miles but I knew there would be climbing. The wind was more like 12-13, doable compared to yesterday. I did about 20 and felt like I needed to eat. I wanted to listen to that voice and not put things off. I was in one of those rock cut-outs, with rocks and rubble in like a ditch on the side. But this particular one was sort of gradual to the side. I rolled down and picnicked. I put together a tuna tortilla. It was right after this I did a climb, turned a corner and there in the distance was snow-capped Mount Hood.

I'd been sensing a change in scenery. Yes, the hills are just as brown and treeless, but the river has dug into the sides. The road now had to zig zag, crawl up the sides. In the distance I spy white trucks moving along like slow-moving bugs on the hillsides. That's when you know you have a big climb coming. The reward, though, is worth it. The berm is at times narrow, choppy, and chip sealed. Going up there are no guardrails.

I met a cyclist coming toward me. He was really loaded down. I said you have a tailwind. Come to find out he was like me going east to west and decided yesterday to quit! He was riding BACK to Missoula because of the wind. I kept thinking it's only 2 more days to Portland, go there and catch a train or a bus. Why in the world do the same thing again?

So arrived at Maryhill State Park early, about 11:30. Will finish up here, go pay for site (27.00 without electricity), and ride 1.5 miles to Biggs,OR for food.

John Day Dam

first glimpse of Mt. Hood, can not express how this changed my outlook on the day's ride. I KNEW I was getting somewhere.