Saturday, September 15, 2012

View the entire Google Web Album

Click here to watch a short video of today’s ride

BLY AND THE BIG BLUE SKY

The last day of this week long ride ends today with us returning to Bly from Klamath Falls. It’s going to be another sunny and warm day; the weather for the past 6 days has really been in our favor-we’ve been very fortunate!

We’re all packed up and ready to exit camp at 7:30 AM-51F. The first 4.5 miles takes us directly on city streets through downtown, fortunately there’s not much traffic for this time of the day.

From 6th St, we hop onto the OC&E Woods Line State Trail heading east out of town for the next flat 9.4 miles. After crossing the Steele Bridge, the landscape changes to expansive open pasturelands with mountain views as we ride through the valley floor.

The paved path ends at the small town of Olene, we have to ride on the narrow shoulder of Hwy 140 for the next few miles. We arrive at the water stop-Stevenson Park at 8:25 AM, mile 15.7-57F.

From Hwy 140, we turn onto N Poe Valley Rd and continue heading east along the Lost River. The flat terrain for the next 13.3 miles travels through the open valley with scenic views of the agricultural fields surrounding us. I love the sight of open fields, old barns and ranches-there is so much and yet so little at the same time!

We enter the town of Bonanza and arrive at rest stop-Big Springs Park at 9:20 AM, mile 29.5-60F. There’s a band playing live music here!

The route exits town and continues on a lightly traveled county road-Bly Mountain Cutoff Rd for the next 7 miles. The first mile is a climb with gradient rages of 3.5-5%, and then the road levels out for a while through a residential area before gradually ascending to the intersection with Hwy 140.

We continue straight onto Hwy 140 and immediately begin a 3.5 mile stair step climb up to Bly Mountain Summit at 5087′. The first section is a little over a mile long with a starting grade of 2.5% and steadily increases to a max grade of around 4.8%. This is followed by a very short descent and a slight longer and steeper 5.2% climb up to the summit. This is the last climb of the day!

We reach the water stop-ODOT Gravel Area at 11:10 AM, mile 41.1-73F.

The twisty descent on the backside of Bly Mountain takes us along the flats through the desert landscape for 5.5+ miles into the town of Beatty.

We arrive at the last rest stop-Beatty at 11:45 AM, mile 50.7-88F.

The last flat 13 miles on Hwy 140 into Bly has views of Sprague River, the wetlands and the surrounding marshy areas.

We enter the town of Bly and arrive under the finish banner at 12:55 PM, mile 64.2-96F.

Now we just have to find our bags……………

We’re back at our car and getting ready to have lunch before leaving for the drive back to California. Lunch: Pulled BBQ pork sandwich with baked beans, slaw, chips and fruit.

What a great ending to a week long ride! Thanks again to the CO organizers, the host towns and CO volunteers for a fantastic week of riding in and around Oregon! Weather was fabulous as was the 2200 riding companions! I’ll have to mark my calendar to sign up for next year!

VDO Stats:
63.48 Miles
2203′ of elevation gain
Avg grade: 2%
Max grade: 7%

Weather: MARVELOUS! Another sunny and hot day with clear blue skies and afternoon winds. Temps ranged from the low 50’s to high 90’s

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. ~T.S. Eliot
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Click here to view the route map & profile

Follow this route for today’s ride: