hot sun vs cold wet snowy pass...

i honestly can't believe how around every corner the beauty of this land continues. i have been blessed to live here, blessed to have the freedoms that i have, and blessed to be able to enjoy nature and live my passions. biking in Gods's country is simply put WONDERFUL.

i have decided im dedicating the rest of my ride especially the mountain passes to CJ who i know would love to be here, maybe not on a peddle bike, haha but out doing what he loves, hiking around the woods in search of deer and elk and fish and the peace and solitude that the mountains so freely give.

yesterday was ochoco pass, elevation 4,720 (doesn't seem like much of a summit, when my cabin rests at 7,300 feet and galena summit is above 8,700, but when you are starting much lower, well then its all relative i guess) anyway we started up, the ride was beautiful the sun was out, and my legs felt great.

seven miles later we reached it. Ochoco pass, 4,720

we passed by a shoe tree and i needed to stop and make a very BIG DECISION. will i be leaving my only pair of biking shoes as a token. well that didn't take me long, thought it out, and put it back on and hit the road. FUN TREE THOUGH

biking past ochoco lake

black butte, with three fingered jack in the distance.

the SISTERS, see what i mean about a perfect day. i have been through this area before when the clouds are low and the sisters are totally hidden. im happy that we arrived today.

the town of sisters is pretty dang cute as well, lots of fun little shops, cafes and thousands of miles to explore around it.

we went to bed expecting another nice day for the Santiam Pass however...

when we woke up it was chilly and overcast. (this is black butte just behind the tree's) big difference one day will make.

well today is the biggest and last mountain pass of this ride. just after passing black butte, it started to sprinkle, then sprinkle some more, then rain, then rain some more, than it got windy and cold. we stopped about half way up where eileen was parked to grab my rain jacket (which i was totally soaked already), so i took off my layers and just wore my rain jacket and BRIGHT YELLOW VEST and hit the road again. i did good until about the last mile of eleven (on the climb up) my fingers and toes were really cold and i couldn't see much due to so much rain on my glasses. and before we knew it...

SUMMIT SIGN!!!

i was really happy to see that nice little green sign, not because i was tired (my legs and back still felt great) but because i was water logged. when i stopped to take this picture it started to snow. go figure june 18th and its snowing...

needless to say that was the end of our ride for today, time to dry out. thanks CJ for pushing me on the tough climbs. i love you