TransAm Day #57 Prairie City, OR - Dayville, OR
TransAm Day #57
July 23, 2018
Prairie City, OR - Dayville, OR
47 Miles
Ride Time 3:12 Hours
Tour Total Miles 4043
I slept well on the carpet next to the broken hot tub and Scott’s smelly shoes on the ground floor level at Warm Showers host Jimi’s house in Prairie City. Lauren and Walker got up early and left. They didn’t even say goodbye to Jimi, which upset him. This morning I repaired my stuff sack, shaved, and clipped all my nails. That said, today I’m wearing the same riding clothes as yesterday. There’s a washing machine at the church where we’ll be staying in Dayville.
I left two rubber sink stoppers at Jimi’s. The larger one was part of my original kit, and Steve G gave me the smaller one. I haven’t used either. Rubber stoppers aren’t necessary for this trip. Sinks can stopped up for washing with a sock or underwear.
Prairie City has the weirdest business hours. Last night Oxbow was only open from 4-8pm. Except for the Mini Mart, everything else was closed. There were no restaurants available this morning, so we settled on Roan Cafe, which was really more of a gift shop with a coffee bar. I had a cappuccino and cinnamon bun. I left Prairie City on US Route 26 following the John Day River.
I met a couple of crazy cyclists today, not that my companions and I are normal. The first was an east-bounder at Roan Cafe. He was in his late fifties and sported the most flamboyant sunglasses seen yet on the tour. He was too stubborn to buy maps or apps and has gotten lost several times. He took a selfie with us, but we didn't get a copy. On the road I passed another man in his late fifties or early sixties with a long beard and cowboy hat. He was walking his bike with numerous plastic bags tied to the sides and a small dog sitting on top of the rear rack. He told he was headed to Sisters. Scott and I just looked at each other and started cracking up.
The John Day River valley is filled with grassland and cattle. The surrounding hills are barren scrub with rock outcrops.
Charlotte and I had some interesting discussions last night on the phone. She wanted to know if the trip had changed me. I replied that the experience was like being zapped with ten thousand volts. It’s been intense, and it’s impossible to see as a whole. I reflected about being in the moment which, out of necessity, I have to be on this trip. Rarely do I live in the moment back home. Here I don’t have a choice. It’s so visceral. My razor sharp focus needs to be centered on safety, basic needs, and my destination. I am living completely in the moment, which is exhilarating.
Charlotte tried to complement my achievement and I replied that anybody could do this trip, which I believe. Westbound cyclist Rich is 75 years old. Kyle met a tandem couple with a blind stoker. One just needs to travel at their own pace. The challenge is mental. When I was trying to imagine this trip I was accustomed to a comfortable bed, and knowing my exact nightly path to the bathroom. My first night on the road at Willis Church, I had to take half an ambien because I wasn’t used to sleeping on the floor. I admire how quickly I’ve been able to adapt to life’s challenges out here. When I shut that hotel door behind me in Yorktown, I was stepping into the great unknown. I had no idea what laid ahead. I was unable to see around the corner. At every moment, this adventure has been fantastic. This is a lesson I hope I can return home with. Take leaps of faith and be rewarded. Have confidence that everything will work out. Embrace the unknown and be an optimist.
I passed the 4,000 mile mark two miles out of Prairie city. Unfortunately because of my mishap in Kansas, I had to wait another 18 miles until I could document the event on my odometer.
I heard through the grapevine that Becky has had another tyre problem. I believe she’s in Idaho. Kyle hooked up with a lady firefighter and has fallen behind. Max gave up in the Tetons and rented a car.
I’ve been noticing totem poles in front of local tourist businesses. Native American totem poles never existed in the Continental US. They are native to what is now British Columbia and Alaska.
My credit card is beginning to delaminate. It’s gotten a lot of use at dozens of gas stations and convenience stores across the country. Aside from a few camp meals, I haven’t cooked since before the trip.
Today was a short day. The plan was to stay in Mitchell in two days time. The cyclist hostel there is famous. Because of the high heat, a big hill, and scheduling the stretch was broken down into two days.
After fifteen miles I stopped in John Day for breakfast. I went to Timbers Bistro for an egg sandwich and huckleberry smoothie. It was another one of Scott's Yelp picks, and neither Eileen nor I thought much of the place.
There was a lot of traffic on the highway, and being it was the work week there were logging trucks on the road. The scenery wasn’t nearly as good as yesterday. I was treated to barren hills, grass, and cattle. The sky was hazy because of forest fires, and there wasn’t any shade.
In Mt Vernon I went to the post office to ship old maps, bones, and huckleberry products back to Brooklyn. I met Scott and Eileen at the Mini Mart where Eileen edited Scott’s Tinder account. Oh the shenanigans! It’s going to be challenging finding actors who can play Scott and Eileen for the film version.
The John Day River is even narrower than the Powder. It has very little water and would be called a creek back east. I passed dozens of deer skeletons along the road, and I found myself a nice skull with budding horns, which I'm sending home. It was ninety-eight degrees out today.
I arrived in Dayville and met Scott for a soda at the Mini Mart. There are still large dead animal heads on the walls of every local business. We met up with Lauren, Walker, Allie, and da Vinci at the Dayville Community Church. There’s a morning service at 7am so I’m camping out back.
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