Andy Bavetta's Blog

Monday, October 03, 2005

Cycle Oregon - Day 7

Day 7 ride was from Vernonia to Astoria (Day 7 Map).

Snapshot of Valenda who I rode with the last day of the trip.

View looking towards Astoria. Day had a fall like quality to it. Cool but no rain.

Me at Lewis and Clark's fort where as I recall they said it rained continuously for 111 days. UPDATE just heard that this fort burned down on Octber 4th (Fort Clatsop Burns)

Water

Me after riding up a steep climb and climbing 164 steps to get to the top of the "Tower" in Astoria.

View from the top of the tower looking at the mouth of the Columbia River

View from the top of the Tower straight down. My bike can be seen all by itself in the left hand lawn corner above the path.

Me triumphant at the finish line of CO.

Nice smile from Robbie. Her dad is 79 years old also made the ride although he crashed on this the last day of the trip. Robbie has a llama ranch.

Valenda packing up her bike for the trip home. Her bike used the same S&S couplers that are on my bike. They allow you to take apart your bike and fit it into a suitcase that goes on the plane as ordinary luggage.

All in all it was a great trip. Good weather for the most part, well run, nice people and beautiful sceanary. I may well be back next year.

Andy Bavetta

Cycle Oregon - Day 6

Day 4 ride was from Champoeg to Vernonia (Day 6 Map).

It rained on us on Day 6. Spent an hour during a rain shower having ice cream and coffee at the Log Cabin Restaurant where I chatted with a group of folks from Hood River Oregon.

This is the town of Vernonia with the left arm of Elaine, a gal I met on the road late this day shown in the lower right foreground of the picture.

For an extra $250 CO would set up a tent for you each afternoon and deliver your luggage to it. In the morning they would pack up the tent and deliver your luggage to the truck. Here is a view of "Tent City" where all that would happen.

This was the view from the area where I pictched my tent. Less regimated, with more space, but I had to do the setup work. Although on this day as I recall Alyce sagged and thus beat me into camp and snagged my duffle bag and a camp site for me, thank you very much.

Andy Bavetta

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Cycle Oregon - Day 5

Day 5 ride was an optional loop (Day 5 Map). I choose the option of not riding so I spent the entire day in camp laying around and reading.

Andy Bavetta

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Cycle Oregon - Day 4

Day 4 ride was from Rooster Rock to Champoeg (Day 4 Map).

First thing in the morning we had about a 600 foot climb to the Vista House,

(Vista House).

We had lunch beside the Clackamas River.

Kids from Knight Elementary School greeting me at a rest stop. I emailed this photo to the school.

Quiet roads make good biking,

CO setup a Beer Garden for us every night.

Me in said Beer Garden

Mike an architect from the Boston area also in the Beer Garden.

Camp site.

For entertainment that night the CO bike mechanics put on a bike rodeo for us.

Andy Bavetta

Friday, September 30, 2005

Cycle Oregon - Day 3

Day 3 ride was from the Dalles to Rooster Rock (Day 3 Map).

Early morning.

L to R me Alyce and my bike

I think that is Mt Adams in background.

Old Hwy 30.

Sreet vendors

She was proud of her school and took me on a tour.

Cool stop.

Met this lady at rest stop and she dragged me the last 15 miles into camp into a headwind.

Andy Bavetta

Cycle Oregon - Day 2

Day 2 ride was from Condon to the Dalles (Day 2 Map).

Early on in the ride giant wind mills dominated the landscape

Rest stop was at the bottom of a awesome downhill.

Arid landscape here looks a little like Orange County CA

Deschutes River beside rest stop.

Lunch

Andy Bavetta

Cycle Oregon (10-17 Sept 2005) - Day 1

Decided at the last minute to ride Cycle Oregon (Cycle Oregon). Flew up to Portland and was met at the airport by Alyce, a friend of Gene's.

Bike packed up and ready to leave on Thursday 9/8.

Left early morning on Thursday. Picture shows sunrise over Reno.

Arrive Boardman OR by bus from Portland. My small tent and Alyce with her larger tent in background. Still have to unpack and assemble my bike.

Boardman camp..

Duck over looking Columbia River.

Entertainment that night included Nichole Tarter. She gave me a Demo CD.

Started out early Sunday morning since the first day was over 80 miles and included 6400 feet of climbing. This days ride was from Boardman to Condon. (Day 1 Boardman to Condon Map)