TransAm Day #62 Scott Lake, OR - Eugene, OR
TransAm Day #62
July 28, 2018
Scott Lake, OR - Eugene, OR
81 Miles
Ride Time 5:16 Hours
Tour Total Miles 4342
I slept well in the middle of the woods, high up in the Cascade Range near McKenzie Pass. I erected my tent without the fly and it got cold in the middle of the night. There were a lot of mosquitoes last night and this morning. As usual, I was packed and ready before the others, and left ahead of them. It was cold and I was wearing my sweater and rain jacket. I craved my down vest, leg warmers, and long fingered gloves, but the descent was rapid, and I figured I’d soon be warm.
McKenzie Pass stands at 5325’. Coming down the pass, starting at 5000’, there were signs announcing 4000', 3000', 2000' and 1000' to show the rapid descent. It was a steep, twisty, winding, narrow, road. I had heard that a cyclist had been killed on these switchbacks, so I was slow and careful.
I realize that just two days ago I was complaining about the empty nothing scrub of the desert. As I coasted down the hill towards the Pacific I realized that I was leaving that all behind, and it was kind of sad. I had been in the high desert since Colorado. My trip was coming to an end.
I was now riding alongside the roaring McKenzie River. Highway 242 joined back up with 126. The traffic became heavier, and it was a lot less pleasant having to share the road. I began noticing vans towing rafts up the highway to starting points in the river.
In Rainbow, I stopped at Takoda’s for breakfast. I had the McKenzie Pass breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes. I edited my journal while waiting for my comrades. The Wi-Fi was slow. I struggled and finally managed to get yesterday‘s post online.
On the way out of Rainbow we stopped at the gas station to fill our water bottles. Here Klaus realized that one of his rear wheel had a broken spoke, and was badly out of true. I pulled out the Kevlar spoke that had belonged to Steve H, and was given to me by Steve G in Kentucky. These things are life savers, and I will never ever tour without one. We took turns repairing the spoke. Everyone, including a local cyclist, had an opinion. Eventually the wheel was fixed and we were ready to roll. Speaking of repairs, yesterday at the observatory, my bike fell over and my helmet mirror broke off. I fixed it last night with superglue.
The cyclist at the gas station told me about the Old Blue River Road, which I followed, despite it not being on any of my maps. It only lasted a few miles before it put me back on highway 126. I missed the chainsaw art exhibit that he had wanted me to see. Today's descent took me from 5325’ to 400’, and I could feel a difference. It was considerably more humid. The valley is heavily forested with rock outcroppings up on the hills. It’s lush and green. There’s no more desert scrub. I passed hydrangeas in someone’s front yard, and can’t remember the last time I saw hydrangeas.
After the confluence of the Blue River the McKenzie became much wider. The valley widened and there were fruit orchards. I stopped to pick blackberries growing alongside the road. It seems that everyone from Eugene spends their weekends camping, rafting, biking, and hiking along the McKenzie River. The area is full of cabin rentals, campgrounds, cafes and stores. I passed two westbound Eugene city buses, route number 91, that go all the way to McKenzie Bridge, and allow everyone the ability to come here. That’s progressive!
The McKenzie highway towards Vida had extremely narrow shoulders and a high volume of traffic. A lot of cyclists use this route and I think the Oregon DOT could do better job. I was ahead of the others coming into Eugene, and unfortunately missed seeing Kyle. He had done a 130 mile day, and had managed to catch up with us. He had my missing sock, but refused to give it to my pals.
I was waiting in a shopping center in town, and a woman asked me about my trip. She said it looked like I had been on the road for a long time. I asked if that was a good thing, and she replied, ‘You look cool! You’re in Eugene.’ I inconspicuously drank a can of beer, and when my companions arrived, they followed suit. Long story short, I was banned from yet another establishment.
We were being hosted by Barbara, sister of my friend Itty from Brooklyn. Barbara met us in her pick up truck and took us to her farm in Veneta. She showed us her horses and cooked us a fantastic meal of grilled salmon and vegetables from her garden. We showered and did our laundry.
Barbara had prepared beds for us, but we’re accustomed to sleeping outdoors, so we set up our tents in her backyard. One of my tent poles broke, which irritated me. I was able to make it work, but I’ll definitely be returning it to REI. Not good MSR.
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