07 November 2015

Prineville Loop Mixed-Surface Bikepacking Extravaganza! October 8-15, 2015

(As ever, click on image to enlarge. Slideshow omits captions.)

I went a-touring, again, with Marty Cochran. This time Tim Turk was the catalyst. He said, "I wanna tour a bunch out of Sisters!" I countered with nearly this loop, and Marty fixed little issues like the need for water and sticking to roads that exist. Whatta team!

Seven nights out, 451.6 miles, 32,689' climb.





Day 1: Launch point. Fuelling for climb out of Prineville to first camp on Trout Creek.
Tim and Marty visible through street window.
Camp along SE Trout Creek Rd.
Only one wet crossing this year, at least two fewer than our Oregon Outback ride on this stretch
Day 2: SE Trout Creek Rd

A little dirt,...


...a little gravel


Approaching Ashwood

Fog lifted as the day warmed.

Ashwood 

Start of the climb out of Ashwood on NE Gosner Rd. 

Gradients up to 18%, but more like 12-14%... and washboard.

The sign is correct. We left Ashwood on NE Gosner, but Ashwood Rd gets there, too.



Maybe King Canyon at right rear.

Fog over the John Day toward Fossil

Likely close to where NE Divide Rd changes name to Cold Camp Rd,
downhill from the Allan Erbes banana peel incident of '14.
Oh, just some cloud shadows...

No services in Clarno.

Tim filtering the John Day River.

John Day National Monument, Clarno Unit.
The Clarno formation includes, lava flows, tuff, and more!
The Shankio-Fossil Hwy

John Day National Monument Clarno Unit


Hard to imagine better touring buddies than Tim Turk and Marty Cochran. Well... maybe I can. But they're ok.

It doesn't say "ice cream"!

Camp at Bear Hollow. No idea.

Day 3: Note the very thin rock thingy up above. Rare for these sorts of formations.

Rowe Creek Rd. 

Almost to the John Day River.


Marty and Tim on N Twickenham Rd.

Not Pilot rock. No cyclists in this one.







About to cross the John Day River, from N Twickenham Rd onto S Twickenham Rd.





John Day River












Burnt Ranch Rd, approaching John Day National Monument Painted Hills Unit

Carroll Rim, entrance to the Painted Hills Unit.



Painted Ridge

Guess who?



On toward Mitchell.

Climb out of Mitchell on the Mitchell-Service Creek Rd.





The Wild West. 


The Mitchell-Service Creek Road is a wonderful, 26-mile paved stretch with two decent climbs and two whopping descents.

Swoosh!

Zoom!

Marty down below. Really. On the near side of the road, count five trees from the left and then up to road: Marty.

John Day River at Service Creek

Services, Service Creek, OR

Still not a campground I like: Spray. Coated by dust storm until rain began toward 11pm. Dust at left. Note wind on river.

Day 4: Breakfast in Spray.

Hommage à Magritte

Marty, on toward Kimberly....

Monument

A bridge I like.

Stylish cow.



Climb toward Long Creek

Long Creek. Note we are eating vegetables. This is not easy, touring, at times.

Silver hosted us at Allovars in Long Creek, again. Recommended, but she may be shutting down. Anyone interested?

Day 5: Leaving Long Creek

Well, it was bound to happen....

Back toward Long Creek.



Depot Park in Prairie City

Day 6: He really is a morning person.



Hay! And the Strawberry Mountain Range







After a stop at Trout Farm for delicious spring water!

Zoom!

Seneca! Good restaurant not pictured. Check for hours in advance. We did.

The Ochocos await!

A last look back to Hwy 395 before two nights in The Wild....



Snow Creek. Coldest night/morning of the tour to come: 28 degrees.

Glad someone knows what he's doing! Note amount of clothing evening....

Day 7: ...and next morning. 28F. Brrrrrrr!

Tim had long pants on. That's COLD.





Izee Rd.



South Fork of the John Day River


South Fork of the John Day River


Powell Valley, Powell Mountain


SE Puett Rd


Right turn off NF 58 onto NF 42


North Fork Crooked River

Day 8: Morning at Scott Camp in the Ochocos.



Heading to Prineville, but first a side-trip to the summit of Mt Pisgah.







This is still the road to Prineville. The Mt Pisgah spur is worse.





Very hazy Mt Jefferson. This was the first day visibility was poor.

North from the fire lookout atop Mt Pisgah

South...



Mt Pisgah Fire Lookout Tower

Back to the "main" road...

No worries.

Marty in the corner, almost to Prineville

Tim Turk

Marty Cochran

About to sit on the back.

And, finished!



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