Jacob Friend
Yesterday was quite the adventure. After conquering the Santiam Pass, our crew was pretty confident we could tackle any challenge ahead of us. Waking up this morning my body couldn’t have disagreed more. My legs felt like cinderblocks as I slowly limped around the campsite trying to prepare for another day of climbing. Nevertheless, we got on our bikes around 8am and headed for our first stop at Prineville.
Smith Rock campsite outside Terrebonne, OR
The route to Prineville was very enjoyable, featuring long flat sections, friendly elk, and great music. Since we were headed to Prineville we thought it was necessary to listen to John Prine music. In case you were wondering, my favorite John Prine song is Illegal Smile and Brian’s favorite is Lake Marie. After arriving to town for some groceries and guzzling down some energy gels, we were off to Ochoco Pass.
Friend and Usher start up Ochoco Pass
It was refreshing to have our first day free from rain with a bright sun and puffy white clouds. We made good time as we cruised along beautiful ranches, rolling hills, and quiet roads. Lunch was quickly devoured on the side of the road right before our final ascent to Ochoco Pass. The 50 miles of pedaling we invested into the day quickly paid off as we reached the summit and descended more than 2000’ through the next 7 miles. Flying down the pass was breathtaking. With no car traffic to worry about, I could appreciate the high desert mountains and rocky cliffs surrounding me on the descent.
The crew descends Ochoco Pass into the high desert
Today concluded at Mitchell, Oregon, a quaint and welcoming town which is a popular stop for adventure cyclists. Immediately upon entering town we came across the Spoke’n Hostel. We were planning on camping at a nearby park, but all of that went out of the window as soon as we saw how perfect this biker-friendly spot fit our needs. Here we were able to fix up our bikes, cook in a kitchen, enjoy a warm shower, and share stories with our host and 2 Swiss cyclists. This is the first time I’ve ever stayed in a hostel and I have a feeling it’s going to be a hard one to beat.
Spoke’n Hostel in Mitchell, OR
Oregon has been great to us and we’re looking forward to exploring the rest of the state in the coming days. Please pray for our legs as we continue to obliterate them ❤️