Time of departure:  6:30 A.M.

Temperature: 41 degrees

Elevation:  4802 feet

Total Mileage:  162

“I think it’s smoldered a few days, and it’s finally flared up.”

I looked over the shoulder of the convenience store attendant at the enormous smoke plume rising from the forest, south of town.  We’d been in town all morning, eaten lunch, taken a stroll down main street in the bright sunlight, and then napped in the afternoon.

By two o’clock the sun was hidden by the cloud of smoke.  The swiftness of the fire was amazing.  Ash began to fall in the motel parking lot, even though the fire was fourteen miles south of town.  The fire was small, as wildfires go. 

I must say, it was a bit unnerving to watch it, even from fourteen miles away.  I can only imagine what a large fire must be like. 

We awoke the next morning, brushed ash from our bikes, and rode northwest.  Soon we were in forests of ponderosa pines and an occasional aspen.  The roads were mostly gravel.

The drought in eastern Oregon is extreme.  It seems every third tree is dead.  The forest we rode through would’ve been gorgeous if not for the drought.  Most plants were brown.  Regardless of the less than perfect conditions, the ride was very pretty. 

As we approached La Pine, we began seeing mountain peaks to the west, covered in snow.  The Cascades are an amazing mountain range. Many of its peaks are active volcanos.

It will be interesting to drive through them.  We have a couple days left riding.  The end is near.

See y’all down the trail.

Ron and Meredith

July 17