Today is a rest day. I got into town about 10:30 am. I am always excited about getting a shower. Then I eat a big meal and go to sleep. Remember this is about rest. So, when I get up I eat again and then sleep again.

I also took some pics. I think they will be great, the problem is that the public library has win 98 machines and my card reader does not work with them. So, I will have to upload them later.

The new camera is working great. It is nice to just take pictures and not worry about all the batteries.

I have been taking panoramas. If I ever do something like this again I am going to take a laptop. Then I could stitch the panoramas and have everything up to date on the website. This library thing works, but not very well.

Anyway, just a little over 2 more days in Oregon. I am looking forward to riding again tomorrow. I will cross the highest mountain yet at 4848 Ft. I am at about 4145 Ft right now. So, it shouldn’t be that bad.

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I have to tell you that this desert is really taking it out of me. I was just looking at the map and I guess I didn’t do too bad today 69 miles.

It was hot and at one point at about 1 I just stopped and slept under a tree along the side of the road. It is not just the heat, or the wind, or the narrow shoulders, or the soft ground just off the shoulder, or the rough pavement, or the bugs that keep flying into my eyes, it is that there is nothing to see. When I stopped to sleep under the tree, a bunch of cows gathered on the other side of the fence. So boring that cows run across the grasslands to watch a guy sleep under a tree for hours. Probably the most excitement since the FedEx truck broke down in ’02.

On the other hand, just before breakfast I saw some cow boys branding some cattle and I saw 3 porcupines run over on the road. I think you would get a flat tire from that

Today while playing my new favorite game ‘identify that road debris’ I saw what looked to be a CB radio, a CD player, a CD (not related to the player), 3 different cassette tapes, a watch, several hub caps, a wrench and some porn. This is not the first time I have found porn. This is the 3rd time. I just wonder how some of this stuff finds it’s way onto the roadside.

Tonight, I am camping on the edge of a prairie dog town. I keep seeing them run by the front of my tent. Cute. I hope they are good neighbors. I would hate to wake to some rowdy prairie dogs in the morning.

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The days are so long now. It really doesn’t get dark until 10 pm and the sun is up at 5 am.

The high desert is cold at night. When I got up this morning it was 41 inside the tent. When I got out I realized the tent was covered with a very heavy layer of frost! The tent is defrosting (and I hope drying) now.

I talked to the shop keeper 2 towns back and he said there was a restaurant at Hampton (about 15 miles ahead). So, I am ready for breakfast.

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About 51 miles today. Not a bad number when you realize that I started after noon and had to climb through the pass.

I am calculating that I have about 3 days till Idaho.

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Horse Ridge summit 4292 ft

Not too bad. Nice view from the top.

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So, Bend OR is interesting, but it is time to move on.

I listened to some John Denver this morning. It was good and I am excited about the Rockies.

The next few days will be through the mountains with few towns. So, I am not sure when I will post again. To tide you over I have added new pictures to the gallery and linked them in the old posts. I hope you enjoy them.

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WOW! Good food. I would give it 10 thumbs up.

I didn’t ride very far today. Only about 22 miles, but I got a lot of things done. I got a GPS unit. I was tired of having no idea what my altitude was. It is important when you are trying to bike over a mountain range.

I also picked up a new digital camera. The old one was ok, but it used AA batteries. A lot of them and they were expensive and more importantly HEAVY. The new camera is smaller, lighter, much better, and uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. I figure I am going to take this trip once, I had better have good pictures to remember it.

I also did laundry. My fellow humans thank me.

Now, back to this great meal and then sleep. I plan to dream of the open road and very, very short mountains. Mt. Washington

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Ok, I am intrigued. I went looking for an internet cafe to upload pictures in what I thought was a dusty town that time had passed by and found a most charming town. It is a mix of the old and new, but all well kept. A beautiful new library, nice city hall, wonderful park with lake lined with gracefully weeping willows all nestled in turn of the century buildings. The downtown business district was large several blocks on 5 parallel streets. Intimate cafes and trendy coffee shops all happily coexisting.

Very nice surprise…but, I am not sure I understand how it works. I kind of want to stay an extra day and see how it all works.

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The sign reads “Summit Santaim Pass Elevation 4817″

Whoooooohooooo!
From 0 to 4817 in about 170 miles over 2.5 days!!!

I have been staring at the sign for a while now, and it is still great.

I feel unstoppable! I just saw a sign that said downgrade next 6 miles..Now that is what I am talking about!

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Koosha Falls about 75 miles east of Eugene. Gorgeous. I have a lot of other pictures to upload. What a view.

So far, today has been all up hill. I am about 4 miles from the pass at 4817 ft. Can’t wait to ride down hill for a while.

It rained all night last night, but the tent was good. I was dry in the morning.

I am experiencing my first food and water crunch of the trip. It has been 2 days since I have been at a store. So, the oreos and pringles are almost gone. Luckily, the town of sisters is about 25 miles ahead and is down hill from what the map says.

Biking=fun

biking + mountains=not as fun.

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