forty dats and forty nights

I have waited at least that long for the rain to quit. This weekend there was to be a window however small. Saturday would be the best day as Sunday was forecast for more rain. It was raining Friday as I contemplated going or not, could always stay and work... A favorite ride is the south east corner and the desert of Oregon, leaving Friday afternoon would make it possible.

Thirty four degrees Saturday morning when I got up, forty one when leaving. Cloudy and not raining, a good sign. There was a forty mile run south on ninety seven, not a favorite. At LaPine a turn east, Fort Rock and "cowboy land" things are looking up. Arriving in Paisley I stopped to visit with some riders picking up supplies at the store. They had gotten here not on paved roads, the recent rains had made ride conditions precarious.

I visited with these riders, they had camped at Summer Lake Hot Spring...

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Here I turned up river, over the mountain and thru the woods, picking the paved route to Lakeview. The side roads were indeed wet with standing water in the pot holes. Not for me today as I couldn't pick up this pig if I dropped it. At Lakeview I again climbed over the mountains, lunch would be in Adel. This is a crusty cowboy bar, here you eat what is served as there is no menu. Today it was buffalo burger, quite good with fresh tomato, lettuce and onion. It came with a full plate of curly fries mounded several inches high and dripping in grease, no thank you. I am not a heath nut but I couldn't eat them.

Highway 140 is a favorite ride, an acquired taste for sure, doesn't really look like what most think Oregon is...

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Today was cloudy but pleasant. There are several hot springs in the area and I wanted to check them out. The first one is nice however the water temperature was only eighty nine degrees, with a sixty four degree air temperature not hot enough to entice me to take a dip.

at eighty nine degrees, not today...

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The second spring was more to my likening, at a hundred six degrees. I had to take a dip. Most of the time I visit there is no one else here, today not so. At one point three kids showed up. They each opened and consumed most of a bottle of wine. The conversation mentioned that about a hundred of their friends were coming this evening. They then got back into their wagon and drove off. It was time for me to move on.

this guy was also leaving the hot spring...

time to move on...

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I had filled with gas before leaving Lakeview but not knowing where I would go thought I'd fill again. Fields Station was open until six and I could say hi to Sandy and Tom. Not today... I was there before six, they were closed, locked up tight. I had a hundred and fifty five miles on this tank of gas, it's another twenty five miles out to the Alvord, still it was possible, I do like the spring there. Because of the recent rain I didn't try riding on the playa, instead set up camp on the high side above the road.

Today it was occupied by some local kids, they were drinking, raising hell and shooting up the place. I waited, soon enough they would load up their quads and leave. It was my turn, I soaked in the spring as darkness descended on the desert, how nice is that? Back in camp almost asleep when I hear the pitter patter of rain drops. Not to worry, I have camped in the rain and am prepared so close the flap on my tent and drift off.

NOT!, now Bubba comes along in his beat up pick-em-up truck full of friends. They were screaming out the windows and racing up the hill, down the hill, along the road and back, stopping at the hot spring. At least their visit was short and when they leave and all is quiet. About two in the morning I can hear more people in the spring, didn't hear them come in. This camp is too close, I also noticed car lights on the desert, someone is driving around. Doesn't anyone sleep?

I am up at five in the morning, not very rested but a soak in the spring will help. Early morning, I do get it to myself, YES!... Fields Station doesn't open until nine and I have enough gas to get to Burns some one hundred and thirty miles from here. It starts to rain as I pick up the rest of my camp. About seventy miles away there is breakfast at the Frenchglen Hotel, served between seven thirty and nine thirty. You know where I went!

The rain is short lived and breakfast was nice. There were some other riders also having breakfast and conversation. I like the ride between here and Burns, today would turn and ride the Diamond Craters side. I hadn't seen anyone before breakfast and here didn't see anyone until I got to Crane. At Burns I turned west, the wind is blowing and there are trucks. I don't like this run but there isn't much other choice so...

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Thanks for riding along...
Bruce

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very nice. I like your style. I'm going that way this summer. Nice to have some insider info.

I've got to go to the place with no menu !