RR: Oregon! The sweetest trails on the west coast!

[dirtmistress]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Kind of funny I was there a week or so ago myself. We stayed at Elk Prairie too.

I've also got a picture of Paul & Babe too. There was a tree in the parking lot called Founder tree or something like that. And a museum I believe was across the street.

Now that you drove the distance can you imagine riding a bike home from there? I really loved camping in the redwoods but one night as we were getting ready for bed a wind came in and branches 4 inches thick started breaking off. When they hit the ground there was a big thud and some times depending how it hit it would leave a huge divot in the ground.

I seen so many places I'd want to mountain bike there. I spent a lot of time talking to locals that were mountain biking up there.

We wondered if you were there at the same time as us. That would have been crazy. we were there the night of the 11th and 12th.

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I talked with some locals that told me of a really good ride in Bend OR called the Lake Loop. I was told by two different groups about that one. Also heard there was some more excellent stuff by Crater Lake.

I've been to Bend twice. Each ride we did was dry and dusty. Maybe they have other rides there that aren't like that but we may as well ride L.A. Although the Deschutes river trail was great.

[Pain Freak]

Not sure but it was real close. Could of been. This was at the time the smoke was real heavy. Some of the folks rented a U-Haul and drove around it. I was stupid and figured if I could ride thru LA smog how much worse could this be? Let me tell you, it was a lot worse. I'll never ride thru the smoke from a forest fire again. Big Sur had hardly anything,just a faint odor.

So you didn't like Bend?

[Good_ol'_slappy]

Very nice...thx for posting.

[Pain Freak]

The truth be told, pictures can't do the beauty of OR justice!

I lived there for 2 years and loved it. Problem was the rain, being a SoCal kid, I still wanted to surf and I was more used to 6+ months of summer every year. Up there you are lucky to get 2 months. I still lasted for 2 years though, but when the lumber mill closed that I worked at I just couldn't take it anymore. I'm still considering this as a retirement destination.

[sdyeti]

Drool!! Gorgeous!!

[Blue Rat]

If I shave and put on a wig can I come on your next vacation? Really awesome pictures, I'm going to add these trails to my list of "must do's."

[Wrecker]

Liz, can I send you my budget and just have you schedule up my next vacation?

BEAUTIFUL pics and it looks like GREAT riding!!!!

Okay, I think I hate you, too

We should have an "out of town" section where we can find all the gorgeous spots that everyone seems to find all in one place. As for this one, I'm just a bit green right now (matches my bike though) and I'm going to have to start nagging John about heading up there

[dirtmistress]

McKenzie river trail! This has to be on your must-do trail list. 26 miles of pure single track. Through old growth forests and lava fields. It begins around 3000 ft and drops to about 1000. Technical and once again, beautiful may be the over-used word of the day for these rides but that's just how it goes! You need to take a week and go here. Trust me!
Kent from the motel shuttled us for a small fee. From there the route finding was pretty easy but the map at the ranger station kinda sucks. There are plenty of books and Randy in Oakridge told me a new book just came out. Not sure if McKenzie is included or if it's just Oakridge. Anyway, just go down river.



The lava section around Clear lake is an option that you don't have to do. I always do it because it's beautiful but the lava is technical and scary and must be like falling on jagged glass!


All smiles on this ride.



More fragrant flowers

buff...

and more buff!

Don't let the paved parts fool you. There were some crazt steep switchbacks on this part that left little room for error and a jagged lava penalty if you fell!



Beautiful old trees

Tiger lilys





Pat and Jeanine. Take a good look kids. Pat is 65 and has been riding since the early 90's. She's darn good and was always there bringing up the rear! She did the full 26 (i had 28 miles of ST and the 5 mile road ride back to the car. Eat your veggies kids!!









The Blue Pool. Always the lunch spot.



Pat zipping dowwn the track





Lots of bridges. Impy can tell you exactly how many!

Self timer lameness. Eyes wide shut.

Fall on boulder.



Madame Dabalot said she certainly lived up to her 'user name' on this trail.



Jeanine owned this trail and did better technically than any of us.

I rode my sweet single track for awhile next to these folks lazing down the river. It was so fun!

WHEW!! That's it! Hope you guys liked the reports. It took me all day. This and laundry. Man!! I hate coming home!

[Good_ol'_slappy]

Originally Posted by dirtmistress

This and laundry. Man!! I hate coming home!

haha..I know how that goes...I'm still recovering from a trip I had a couple months ago.


Great RR like your other OR posts.

[dirtmistress]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Not sure but it was real close. Could of been. This was at the time the smoke was real heavy. Some of the folks rented a U-Haul and drove around it. I was stupid and figured if I could ride thru LA smog how much worse could this be? Let me tell you, it was a lot worse. I'll never ride thru the smoke from a forest fire again. Big Sur had hardly anything,just a faint odor.

So you didn't like Bend?

After I discovered Oakridge, I wouldn't bother with Bend again. Why do dry and dusty when you can do 13 miles of loamy fern covered downhill.
We had ash falling on our cars the first day at Prairie creek but the ride was great and we couldn't smell the smoke. Maybe the big trees filtered the air.

[PacMan]

Wow!! Very nice!! I have a friend who lives an hour or so from there and I've seen his pics of that trail before. He's told me how fun it is and how I need to go up there on my next vacation and ride. Your pics are making me want to take him up on his offer even more. Thanks!!

[art23rockpile]

Liz, the photos of your trip that i've seen thus far are simply breathtaking!

Now i'm going to want to plan a trip up there... i'll be sure to PM you for info at some point.

Thanks for the great ride reports!

[53-12]

Thanks for all the Oregon and NorCal writeups and photos. After a few days at Tahoe in August we may be going on to Oregon and then back down the coast. You may have just given me that extra nudge to make it happen.

[Chewyeti]

very cool!

[Shannon]

Originally Posted by Blue Rat

If I shave and put on a wig can I come on your next vacation?

Actually, if you don't shave you'll fit right in with Liz...

Great RR and pictures! Oregon is beautiful for sure.

[SheDevil]

Rad riding .... and nice exposure.... you big mushroom licker.

[bikerider]

Awesome RR! I was up there July 11-15. And did pretty much the same rides and got lost like you did on Alpine. Did you make it out to Bryce Creek or Why Pass?