Two Grads and a Dad Bike Across the USA: Day 6

Mileage: 45.5
From: McKenzie Bridge, OR
To: Sisters, OR

Today we rode over McKenzie Pass—4000 ft of elevation gain in ~20 mi. We made it! Supposedly the McKenzie route was closed for construction starting yesterday, but we pressed the girls at the ranger station a bit to find out more, and all but got their consent to try going over McKenzie anyway. We decided to chance it and go with McKenzie over Santiam, because who honestly starts roadwork on a Saturday? We were right to do it, because there was absolutely no roadwork and I would've hated to have missed the lava fields and the observatory! It would have been horrible had they turned us back half way through the climb. Lauren and I resolved to cry until they let us go or offered us a ride if that should happen.

We met our first TransAm tourist, Jim, and rode with him a bit and hung out with him at the top. He left Astoria on the 13th, and had rode ~60 miles today before even doing the pass. We will probably never see again, because he’s doing 100+ miles a day. He was a bit extreme. He was a faster climber, but I think he waited for us purposely at all the cool spots. He says he plans to finish in mid August, but at his rate it won’t take 6 weeks. It was really windy/cold at the top, so we came down into Sisters for warm restaurant food and a city campsite. Jim stayed at the top, and I hope he doesn’t freeze to death. He only had a 40 degree bag, so I have no idea what he was thinking.

It was really difficult, but we did it! Playing in the snow, climbing in the miles of lava fields, and seeing the view from the observatory made it well worth it. But the wine and pasta at dinner definitely hit the spot! We nearly froze coming down the other side.

Our loaded bikes outside the ranger station before McKenzie

Stalling before the climb by photographing signs...

Warming ourselves in the sun after lunch

Psh... they think they can tell us what to do?!?

Taking one of many breaks with our friend Jim

Lauren and I jumped at the chance to play in the snow in June

Lava fields and snow-capped mountains

The observatory (it had little window holes through which you could view all of the surrounding peaks with labels so you knew what you were looking at)