Just needed to vent a bit…
My wife took a weekend from our home in Portland, OR to Detroit Lake (a few hours away) and were met with heavy smoke from a few on the many fires in our state. This was a real downer for me as my solo "Oregon Tour" ride approaches starting on Sunday. I have been planning this for months.
Looks like a may have to cancel and eat some non-refundable B&B reservations along the 5 day, 4 night route. I have always had to plan for possible rain and have all the gear for that, but you can’t gear up for smoke. Also, my favorite activity when I do my solo rides is to hit every viewpoint along the route for a photo or two, which is why I kept the total miles so low… Smoke kills that funage as well.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed, but I don’t have much hope that this is going to happen… My proposed route, if anyone is interested is below.
Worst case is I’ll take a couple of overnighters to the coast (been there, done that so I can double-up the miles).
Sun, Sept 3 - Outbound Day 1 (172 miles)
• Milwaukie to Detroit Lake via the Clackamas Hwy 224
• Detroit Lake to Bend, via Sisters, via N Santiam Hwy 22
Mon, Sept 4 - Outbound Day 2 (126 miles)
• Bend to Crater Lake via Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway to Willamette Hwy 58 to Hwy 97 to Hwy 138 to Diamond Lake.
Tues, Sept 5 - Outbound Day 3 (Who knows!!)
• To Crater Lake via Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway to Crater Lake Rim Drive. Ride the Crater Lake Rim Road with LOTS of stops – Taking it easy and slow.
• Check out the smoke! Webcams - Crater Lake National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Wed, Sept 6 - Inbound Day 4 (172 miles)
• Diamond Lake to via Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway to Willamette Hwy 58 (Springfield via Hwy 222) to McKenzie Hwy 126 to McKenzie Bridge, OR.
Thurs, Sept 7 - Inbound Day 5 (149 miles)
• Continue McKenzie Hwy 126 to Detroit Lake. Detroit Lake to Milwaukie via Clackamas Hwy 224
• Home!
My wife took a weekend from our home in Portland, OR to Detroit Lake (a few hours away) and were met with heavy smoke from a few on the many fires in our state. This was a real downer for me as my solo "Oregon Tour" ride approaches starting on Sunday. I have been planning this for months.
Looks like a may have to cancel and eat some non-refundable B&B reservations along the 5 day, 4 night route. I have always had to plan for possible rain and have all the gear for that, but you can’t gear up for smoke. Also, my favorite activity when I do my solo rides is to hit every viewpoint along the route for a photo or two, which is why I kept the total miles so low… Smoke kills that funage as well.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed, but I don’t have much hope that this is going to happen… My proposed route, if anyone is interested is below.
Worst case is I’ll take a couple of overnighters to the coast (been there, done that so I can double-up the miles).
Sun, Sept 3 - Outbound Day 1 (172 miles)
• Milwaukie to Detroit Lake via the Clackamas Hwy 224
• Detroit Lake to Bend, via Sisters, via N Santiam Hwy 22
Mon, Sept 4 - Outbound Day 2 (126 miles)
• Bend to Crater Lake via Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway to Willamette Hwy 58 to Hwy 97 to Hwy 138 to Diamond Lake.
Tues, Sept 5 - Outbound Day 3 (Who knows!!)
• To Crater Lake via Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway to Crater Lake Rim Drive. Ride the Crater Lake Rim Road with LOTS of stops – Taking it easy and slow.
• Check out the smoke! Webcams - Crater Lake National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Wed, Sept 6 - Inbound Day 4 (172 miles)
• Diamond Lake to via Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway to Willamette Hwy 58 (Springfield via Hwy 222) to McKenzie Hwy 126 to McKenzie Bridge, OR.
Thurs, Sept 7 - Inbound Day 5 (149 miles)
• Continue McKenzie Hwy 126 to Detroit Lake. Detroit Lake to Milwaukie via Clackamas Hwy 224
• Home!