Day 14, John Day to Baker City, OR

Miles – 81

Ave Riding Speed – 3-26 mph

Hours Start to Finish – 12

Weather – Partly Sunny 72

Kim and I tossed and turn after waking up at 6am this morning as we could see the daylight peering in through the east window of our room at the Sunset Inn Motel.  It was clean, comfortable and reasonably priced.  Around 7am I swung the curtains open to a piercing glow of sunshine.  It was time to get moving! Heading east through downtown on Hwy 26 we stopped for coffee at Java Jungle/Tropical Tan and sat at a sidewalk table and confirmed we were heading for Austin Junction, about 29 miles and one 2,000 feet climb away. Our 29-mile planned ride turned into 81 miles.

It was a nice ride for the first 14 miles as we ascended gradually to Prairie City where we stopped at Huffman’s Market for our planned camping groceries and today’s breakfast. The list included peanut butter, strawberry jelly, hamburger buns for sandwiches, Fritos, beef jerky, yogurt, bananas, protein bars and 4 large bottles of water.  We sat on a parking lot curb and had breakfast and loaded up my bike with the groceries and water, then we continued east out of town. 

About 1 mile out, the 7-mile climb began.  Our motto thus far is if we’re out of gas or riding as fast as we can walk, we walk.  Those 7 miles took us two hours.  Once we reached Dixie Pass at 5,279 feet, we had a seven-mile descent into Austin Junction where we were hoping to camp at the general store, per the map. We passed a herd of cowsgrazing on the opposite side of the road. Once they saw us they started a mini stampede and followed us along the fence line as we cruised to the end of their pasture.

Upon reaching Austin Junction, the little store is the only building in Austin Junction and situated in the middle of Dixie Pass and Tipton Pass. When we arrived, there were many cars in the lot, but the store was closed and the owner was sending riders up to the State Park campgrounds.

As we leaned our bikes against the metal gate a lady approached us asking where we’re heading. We said, Yorktown, Virginia.  Her eyes lit up and we proceeded to tell of our adventure and Kim gave her one of our Motch Across America cars. She proceeded to tell us that her family, from all over the country, was meeting her at this store so they could go to the campsite that her and her late husband honeymooned at and spread his ashes.  He passed away from cancer.  We sat on the picnic table outside the store and made our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the family packed into their cars and headed up the mountain.

Kim and I felt pretty good after the initial climb as we were reviewing the planned camping for the day. She looked at me and said, “I know what you’re thinking!” And I said, ‘Yep, the camping situation doesn’t seem to exciting today and I think we can conquer the next two summit and make it to Baker City.” We had plenty of water and protein bar and thought we better get going to be able to make it before dark. We packed up and got on our way

On the way up to Sumpter Pass a couple guys passed us doing the TransAmerica Bike Race, doing the same route as we’re doing. They plan to do it in a month and are basically only carrying only what they’re wearing. One guy said he felt that we’ve completed the most difficult part. Coming out of Austin Junction we head north on Hwy 7 and the 7-mile climb to Tipton Pass took us another 2 hours. At this point we were all in. We either make it up the 800 feet up, 6-mile Sumpter Pass or we’re camping alongside the road, at least 20 feet off, of the State Forest. At this point the legs were feeling the wear of the previous climb, but we made it. The anti-climatic part of reaching the top of Sumpter Pass was there was not a road sign, as seen on previous passes, to designate the accomplishment.

Upon reaching the summit of Sumpter Pass we had 31 miles of generally downhill or level grades. It just so happened the headwinds found us as we headed straight north for the last 10 miles of the day.  Brutal as they were, we were now racing against the clock.  The clouds had also rolled in, but held itself to a light sprinkle, as our goal of making it to Baker City by 8pm, came and went. We pulled into downtown Baker City at 8:30pm. We swung to the curb and Kim pulled out her phone and hotel app. There was nothing available downtown so we booked a room a little over a mile out by the freeway.

80 miles seems like a stretch for us. We can do it, but there was no time to stop and smell the roses.  We’re checked in, showered, ate a PBnJ sandwich and Fritos and the Sand Man has found Kim already. Not sure what’s up for tomorrow as we switch over to map #3 (of 12) of the route across America. During the first two weeks we’ve covered over 590 miles of the projected 4,250-mile trip. As Kim would say, almost 14% complete!