What we do requires high physical, high mental, and high emotional input. It means something to those we talk to, to those who hear about us, those we hold closest, and those we will never meet. It means so much to us both as a team and as individuals. The malicious entity that is cancer, so intrinsic to our own bodies that it is literally our own genetic material malfunctioning, affects so many people in so many awful ways. Today, we completed two incredibly powerful Portraits. The stories of Hilary and Marion, the former a deacon and the latter a parishioner at the First Presbyterian Church of Bend, truly and deeply impacted all of us. We work to make sure they, and as many as we are able to talk to, have their stories shared with each other and the world. That is why we are here in Oregon now, why we were in Utah twenty days ago, Iowa forty days ago, and all the way back in Pennsylvania sixty days ago. That is why this is the sixteenth of these cross-country rides.
Ride Overview
Mileage: 66.1
Elevation: +1897’/-2926’
General Direction: For the first 31.8 miles, follow westbound U.S. 26, exit onto OR 126 and follow for 11.2 miles, turn left onto Southwest Powell Butte Highway and stay on until reaching Bend Municipal Airport, turn right onto Butler Market Road, take five roundabouts within town to stay on the road until exiting onto 8th Avenue for the fifth (same direction), continue south to reach the stayover on the left. Optional: Use Seward Ave. to reach the Blockbuster, then continue south on 2nd Avenue and east on Greenwood Avenue to reach 8th Avenue.
Points of Interest: Ochoco National Forest, Ochoco Mountain Range, Ochoco Reservoir, Crooked River, Oregon Badlands Wilderness, Cascade Mountain Range (North Sister, South Sister, Broken Top), Pilot Butte, Last Blockbuster
Tales of the Trail
The campground sits at the top of the Ochoco Pass, which means it was a chilly start to the day. We tore down camp and found ourselves descending from the start as the trees whipped by and the sky continued to brighten. We completed the first 30 miles of the day in just over an hour, and found ourselves at a place called Tastee Treet in the town of Prineville. So, naturally, this became our breakfast stop, and we had omelettes and shakes and breakfast skillets galore. After this, a brief but steep climb out of the river valley gave us a pleasant final look at Ochoco to our left, and from here we continued following some busy two-lane highways with narrow shoulders through farmland and along some pine flats. At our right turn into what would be the main road we would take into Bend, we witnessed the majesty of some of the most beautiful mountains we’ve ever seen - the Three Sisters within the Cascade Range, appearing quite prominent for 30 miles away.
What we woke up to.
Tree shadows overtake the road out of camp.
Nina, Patrick, Smokey, Smokey, and Paul promoting wildfire prevention.
With the help of five somewhat stressful roundabouts, neighborhoods and businesses began to appear and we found ourselves in the city of Bend. Of course, no stop here would be complete without a visit to the last operational Blockbuster in the world, so much so that our planned route diverted from the main road to meet it. A few more turns through the business district brought us to our destination: the First Presbyterian Church of Bend.
The Last Blockbuster.
After some showers at the local recreation center, we retreated to the stayover for a wonderful dinner of lasagna, salad, and a mountain of homemade cookies organized by Hilary and Marion. Folks in the church community were quite welcoming and we conversed with Hilary, Marion, and a few others during dinner. From here, the team split into two halves and we created some immensely moving Portraits of both Hilary and Marion, the former a cancer patient and the latter a cancer survivor. Their stories were some of the most simultaneously difficult and beautiful we have listened to thus far, and I encourage everyone reading this to view all of our Portraits when they are published including theirs. After the Portraits were concluded, a few of us went on our first I4K Costco run with 30 minutes to spare before the store closed! Tomorrow is an easier day of 33 miles into the town of La Pine, and wakeup was pushed back to accommodate for this.
Plundering the Costco with minutes to spare.
Successful Costco run with Patty, Nina, Nabeel, Edward, JB, and Hanna.
Sunset over the Deschutes River.
~Dictionary of I4K~
Special Edition: A Guide to Common Callouts
Slowing: Coasting, braking, or otherwise reducing speed. Most common callout used.
Fall In/Falling In: Group condenses into a pace line and follows directly behind first position.
Take the Lane/Taking the Lane: Moving to occupy the width of the right lane. Used before stops and on four-lane roads. Done before moving to inner lanes for a left turn. Means of making sure cars pass safely and notice riders easier.
Car Back: Vehicle behind the group in occupied lane or lane next to the shoulder. “Truck” or other vehicle type may replace “car”, and other directions are used to indicate vehicle position (car up, car right).
Passing: Vehicle passing on the left. “Passing right” used if vehicle passing on the right.
Clear in the Rear: No vehicles behind the group.
Gapping: A gap has formed between riders. The rider(s) in front close the gap by slowing the pace.
Rolling: Moving from a stop. Combined with directions to indicate turns (rolling left, rolling right)
Stopping: Coming to a stop.
Pulling Off: Moving off the road and stopping at the next safe place to do so.
Watch Left/Middle/Right: Used to point out obstructions or hazards with accompanying hand signals. The name of the object in question may be used instead of “watch” or as a separate callout (watch left hole left, debris right)
Stop Up: A stop sign or red light is ahead, prepare to stop. Followed by “slowing”, then “stopping”.
Van Up: The van is parked ahead, indicates a rest stop. A favorite among riders.
Note: Most of these callouts incorporate hand signals. These are used to point out hazards, indicate turns, or indicate slowing.
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