Today the team followed the Oregon Trail, via the interstate. But it was great! We had many climbs, some descents, and a nice comfortable shoulder to not be affected by the cars driving past. As we rode throughout the day, it got hotter and hotter. Searching for some water, bathrooms, and AC, we stumbled upon a Community Center where we got to meet some wonderful people who helped out the team!
quote of the day
“It’s not even a fully flat-it’s a slow…medium…fast leak”
ride overview
Mileage: 76 Miles
Elevation: 4,473 ft.
Points of Interest: Snake River, Dixie (OR), Durkee Community Hall
Ride Dedication: Ben Lee
tales of the trail
Waking up early to beat the heat when it was already 70 degrees Fahrenheit at six in the morning! In addition to this early morning surprise, we had an even bigger one when Alex accidentally rolled out with his group with the van keys! The groups that hadn’t rolled out yet frantically called members of the group that had already rolled out to ask for the van keys back. None of them would answer their phones (rightfully so)! Eventually, we got a hold of Harbin when they were a few miles out, and their group biked back to the stayover so that Alex could return the van keys to the van driver for the day, so that they could follow alongside us for the day as our support vehicle :D
The only path from Ontario to Baker City required our team to ride on the interstate for 50ish miles of the day. Although the interstate sounds scary, it provided big shoulders for our bikers to have a good amount of space between them and the cars. Some chose to shuttle these parts to not go on the interstate, while others got to enjoy some climbing and descents. Once we got off the interstate, we had a rest stop at Durkee Community Hall, where we met Diane and Mel! They were mowing the grass when they spotted us outside the building and opened up the Community Hall so that we could use the bathrooms, get water, and cool down! While we were there, we learned more about the history of Durkee and the Union Pacific Railroad, which was once used to deliver mail across the country, and had a stop in Durkee! Diane also gave the team many fresh burger patties to cook for dinner later that night! It was an amazing gift to the team for dinner later that night. Thank you to Diane and Mel for everything you provided the team with! It was a pleasure meeting you guys!
As it got hotter throughout the day, the team was eager to get to the stayover. Tonight we stayed at the Churchill School, which was converted to a bike hostel! Once we got there, we explored the hostel and looked at all the art that the local community members made. We also met Jacob, a fellow bikepacker, who just started his bike packing trip in the States! It was awesome to meet a fellow traveler. Luckily, the hostel had grills outside to use, so we were able to cook our burger patties and some corn! The meal was delicious and served as a much-needed break from the spaghetti and lentils. Once the team was fed, everyone got ready to get some sleep for the day ahead. Thank you to those who hosted us at the Churchill School! The place was amazing, and it was something we’ve never seen before.
cyclist’s corner
Today’s Rider: Jason Wang
How are you feeling today?
I'm feeling pretty good today. We had a not too long day of 76 miles going from Ontario into Baker City.
Which chore have you been doing for the team in the past week? Can you share your process doing this chore?
So I'm the team mechanic. I usually just work on bikes. A lot of people are having strange creaking and clicking and squeaking noises, so it's just trying to figure out what those noises are and getting rid of them.
What’s the best food you’ve eaten on the ride so far?
I think the best food I had, very randomly, was fried chicken from a grocery store in the middle of nowhere. I don't remember what town it was in. I think it was when we were biking into Omaha. There was a coffee shop that didn't exist, so it was a grocery store instead. Oh, and then there was a dude in the back that was making lunch foods, and he had the best fried chicken. I think I was also, I mean, it helps that I was super hungry at the time, but it was so good in the moment.
Do you have a favorite accessory to wear with your ride uniform?
Yeah, so I usually wear a giant rim on my helmet called the brim. It really blocks a lot of the sun, especially for hot days. It is a lifesaver, especially since I really don't like using sunscreen. It's really nice to have.
Any favorite team memories so far?
Yeah, there's quite a few. One that stands out was when we were, I think it was the same day biking into Omaha, where we took five hours to bike 18 miles. It was all because we kept making stops to do random things. The number of stops we made were too many count. But for example, we stopped by the Lewis and Clark Trail National Park Visitor Center. Then we stopped by a horse, we stopped by a gas station, we talked to a graffiti artist that was doing art for the city. That was really cool, but, yeah, that was a particular memorable day, because I don't think I've ever biked that slow before.
Anything else you want to talk about?
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Oregon, especially since my first time here, and our finish is coming up soon. It's kind of bittersweet where it's like, wow, I'm finally done biking every day, but also be the last days with the team.