Tomorrow morning is time to hit the road. I ditched work a couple hours early today to finish up the last minute preparations, and tomorrow morning I start my two week bike trip. My ever-supportive wife Shelley will drop me off in Estacada, OR on her way to work, and from there I head east on Hwy 224, eventually headed to Frenchglen, OR. My proposed route will take me through the painted hills and the fossil beds, areas I have passed through before but have never really taken the time to SEE them. When I hit John Day I will head south through and past Burns in to the high sagebrush desert of Oregon.
I love not only the raw beauty of this area, but the history as well. Homesteaders, cattle barons, sheep stations, cavalry outposts and Indian wars. Hart Mountain antelope refuge, bird sanctuaries, Kiger mustangs, the Borax Lake chub for the animal enthusiast. Fans of flora are not to be disappointed either, with sagebrush, rabbit brush, Indian paintbrush, primrose, and thousand year old junipers. The Frenchglen hotel, where Shelley and I have reservations for the final weekend of this journey, dates back the to lat 19th century, and is currently owned by the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department.
Follow along on this blog. As I get Internet access along the way, I will update with pictures and stories from the road. I have a general route in mind, but overall I am keeping the plans pretty loose so I can just let the ride happen.
To be continued....
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