Riding the VeloDirt Oregon Outback Route!

(Click on image for larger version, also for slide-show. However you'll lose the pithy captions.)

Beginning of the route—just outside of Klamath Falls—from the OC&E rail-trail 

The OC&E 

Yellow-headed blackbird

Switchback Hill. One of the advantages of a rail-trail is the mild gradient. A disadvantage is that it's often circuitous.

The tree farm that is the State of Oregon. Third growth? 

Nifty clouds with a cyclist in red, which is likely Drew, but could be Bill.

Marty Cochran, without whom this trip would not have happened. 

After muddling about to make the 'cross bike work, I ended taking the Surly Disc Trucker on Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard 2.0 tires. The Marathon was a good overall choice, but Greenguard version was likely heavy overkill. 

The Wild Bunch: Allan, Marty, Seth, and Larry. Approaching Fremont National Forest.

Camp first night in Fremont National Forest, a bit removed from the creek: less damp,
but still good for bathing and laundry.

The soggy boys, down in the holler of Fivemile Creek. That spelling is correct: "Fivemile".

A tree I like.

Morning on Fivemile Creek. 

Allan, Marty, Drew, Bruce, Seth, Brian, Bill.

That's gotta be Steen's Mountain at right rear.

Water source protected from livestock.

Toward Silver Lake.

Snack at Silver Lake.

Drew and Larry.

Approaching Fort Rock. First of many views. 

"Welcome to Historical Fort Rock".

Fort Rock snack!

Danger ahead!

Cabin Lake, ahead.

Night Two: Cabin Lake. What lake? Clever laundry set-up thanks to Rees Jones.

Clouds was a-gatherin'.... 

Chins a-waggin'.

Rain and hail in the night!

Breakfast after the stormy night: Allan, Larry, Drew. Fancy-boys with stoves.

Morning view back toward Fort Rock.

Nifty lava.

Many colours of dirt and cinder.

Lowering clouds. (Rhymes with "glowering".)

Along the Crooked River Hwy is... Bear Creek!

Toward Prineville Reservoir....

View from Prineville Reservoir Dam. That's hail a-comin'. I sheltered behind a wall, and
the strong wind carried it just past me.

Devil's Canyon stretch to Prineville, below dam.

Chimney Rock.

Toward Big Bend. 

Above Castle Rock campground.

At Mazatlan Restaurant in Prineville. Life on the edge.

Recommended. Second dinner.

Prineville's finest, where one order of fries can feed a family.

Tree. Good tree.

Hwy 27 into the Ochoco Mountains.

Where the pavement ends, again.

One of several river crossings this day. Usually we rode them. Not this one. Brian, and Drew at back.

Along Trout Creek.

Could use a Great Outdoor Grill, right about now....

Headin' out of Ashwood...

But a last look back toward Ashwood.

The beastly climb out of Ashwood, which I did twice, as I was only informed AT THE TOP OF THE STEEPEST SECTION that Marty had a broken rear derailleur cable, and I went back down to offer him my spare.

Brian, and—a bit lower—Seth.

Possibly the King Canyon stretch of Cold Cold Camp Creek. 

Seth and Brian. 

Brian, fer sher. Unidentifie dot on bicycle back a curve.... 

Pretty dang accurate colours. Yep.

Marty, Drew, Brian.

King Canyon on Cold Camp Creek (probably).

Marty, Drew, some other fellows at top....

Brian, Marty, Drew.

Antelope, the town.

More Antelope....

Fantastic road out of Antelope toward Shaniko.

Marty storming Shaniko. 

Still storming the hill....

Self-portrait at Goldie's Ice Cream. I arrived at 5:05pm and they not only stayed open for me, but, when I told them seven more of us were en route, hung out for another hour-and-a-half!

Appetizer. Followed by sandwich and milkshake. 

Shaniko.

A clean camper is a happy camper.

Mt Hood.

Shaniko morning w. moon.

Jefferson?

Bill, Marty, Drew...

Men Who Could Use a Bath: Drew, Bill, Brian, Larry, Seth, Marty.

Larry, Seth, Drew, Marty, Allan, Brian, Bill.

There they go!

Larry, Seth, Drew, Allan.

Marty, Allan, Larry, Drew. No, really.

Marty, Drew, Allan, Larry.

Deschutes River Canyon. 

Cycle Sport Adventure Team.

Deschutes River trail visible....

Descent on the amazing Gordon Ridge Road begins! I think that's Adams.

Crop-duster that missed me.

Several times. Others were not as lucky. 

Bill, finishing big.

Hail, Columbia (River).

The Finish: Marty, Bill, Drew.

View of the Columbia River from the bridge at Biggs Junction.

THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE BY BRIAN DWYER.

It's such a kick to have photos of myself. Thank you, Brian.

The Start! Brian, Bruce, Bill, Seth, Drew, Allan, Marty, Larry, Dominic.

Me n' Seth, start of the OC&E

Really cool badger I didn't see, but Brian got to!

The OC&E.

Camp night two: Cabin Lake.

Bleck. Red cinders.

We saw antelope here!

Me and Marty...

...and Drew. 

Made it! 

The last ford.

Sheesh.

PHOTO BELOW BY MARTY COCHRAN.

He organized the whole trip based on the route the fellows at VeloDirt developed.

Thank you, Marty.