Day 3: Prineville to Dayville

Today's Mileage: 85 miles
Total Mileage for the trip: 233 miles

I woke up with the alarm at 6 am, knowing today would be fairly rough. I had two big passes to climb, and I learned from my experience yesterday that I did not want to stay out in the desert sun during the hottest part of the day. I quickly got my things together (my handwashed clothes from last night were hanging all over), took advantage of the "continental breakfast" (thanks for the muffin) and was on the road by quarter to seven.

I found out two things right away: 1) it was pretty cold, probably in the 40's, and I was glad I brought good cold weather gear, and 2) it was really windy, like right-in-my-face windy. I hammered on, knowing full well I would be peeling off layers in no time. The first climb of the day up to Ochoco Pass was very long, about 33 miles. It worked out really well, however, as it was so gradual it was not very bad. I spent the majority of the morning working my way up, until my tiny muffin breakfast wore off and I pulled off the road to fix some brunch.

I had heated up some vegetable soup with pasta and gobbled it down by the time I noticed a bunch of tiny eyes all staring at me from the bushes. I was initially alarmed, until I realized that it was a large group of ferile, half-bred kittens that wanted some of my brunch. It was obvious that they had at one time been around humans, but now were half-wild, and living really out in the middle of nowhere. I wished that I could have helped them somehow, but the best thing I could do was ring my bell really loudly as I pedaled away (hoping to scare them away from the road).

It was warming up now, and I was sweating ever so slightly as I continued climbing. I was heading back out of the dry desert environment again, and ascending into the green, tall trees and the snow zone. After a couple of short steep patches, I was done, and went over the Ochoco Divide. I started out for a nice 7 mile downhill run, setting my sights on Mitchell.

Most of the ride was easy going at this point. It was getting hot now, and more so because I was dropping down again, but I had a plan to wait out the hottest part of the day in Mitchell, then tackle the short steep climb back out later.

Mitchell is an incredibly tiny town (almost a ghost town) with one tiny little cafe. I had heard good things from other TransAm riders, so I stopped in and ordered a grilled cheese, an ice cream DrumStick and a large soda (of course).

The waitress who worked there was very friendly, and did pretty much everything- wait tables, cook your food, she was the only one working. We talked for quite a while about the town, all the TransAm riders she sees coming through, and about how she is a "rockhound" and pretty much everything there is to know about all of the gems there are to be found in the area. She asked me to sign the cyclists' log book, and as I looked through it, I saw a ton of people whose names I recognized from internet forums and such. That experience was amazing, as sometimes bicycle touring can seem so detached and personal. It made my whole trip to Mitchell.

As I was getting ready to leave I mentioned that I was heading for Dayville and she told me about how the locals call the hill out of town the "eight mile climb". I felt a little nervous but I was soon pedaling off down the road.

Let me just say, that climb is a b***h. There are no two ways about it. It's short (well, 8 miles really) it's really steep, and it's in the desert so it is hot. God, I hated that climb. Luckily someone spray-painted words of encouragement on the roadside for the poor cyclists who hoofed it up that thing, because it was just awful. It even sucked for the cars and trucks that had to go up it. I saw at least two vehicles pull off to the side with engine troubles while I was climbing it, and I could have raced this one particular tractor trailer it was going so slow. The worst part of it all was that you could actually see the top, but it never ever got closer. Cars would come over the top, miles away, and it would take them like ten minutes to actually get to you. From miles away. Man, was I happy when I was done with that thing.

The ride toward Dayville was completely amazing, though. Nice downhill sections through John Day Fossil Beds National Monument- these amazing gorges that were tall and massive (it was dark inside, the sun couldn't get in unless it was directly overhead). I took tons of pictures, stopping every few minutes. At the end of it all was Picture Gorge, which, again, was amazing. Totally worth all the awfulness earlier in the day, and then some.

I then coasted down into Dayville, thoroughly whipped but satisfied with the day in the saddle. I made my way to the bike hostel at the Dayville Presbyterian Church. I know right, in a church?! Anyway, they have been hosting TransAm-ers since the 70's, and they are pretty awesome. They have a washer and drier, a shower, a fully stocked kitchen computer with net access- pretty much all you could ask for when you're out riding a bike all day. Plus, they accept donations, they don't even charge you for all that awesomeness. As I am writing this, I am sitting in the fellowship hall, waiting for my clothes to dry. Probably gonna sleep in the sanctuary, too.