Rough and refined

Rowena Crest, outside The Dalles.
(I hope this video plays!) 

Yesterday would be Day 6. It was short mileage with brutal hills and Highway 30, just as brutal. I had to walk the last 100 yards up one of the hills, I'm ashamed to admit. We also were stopped in our tracks by a black bear cavorting in the road ahead of us. He/she went left, into the trees, then back onto the road, then I think noticed us -- the noise we were making (yelling!) -- and went crashing through the brush on the right. It seemed on the small side -- female, maybe? - and we worried that she might be protecting cubs. We rode ahead slowly, warily, and there was no more sign of her.

The gorge has tightened as we have crept up it, finally holding just the river, the rail tracks, the highway and, way across the water, a lonely road that clings to a small shelf of land above the waterline and snakes through tunnel after tunnel after tunnel. All of it is hemmed in by the hills.

We did trails and the Historic (old) 30 when we could, but finally were shunted onto the expressway. Oregon, though, in its bike-mindedness, put out barrels so that we had, in effect, a freeway lane of our own. We came to a newly laid trail, took it until it ended, and then were surprised at other signs of the state's commitment, such as an elaborate bike ramp under construction:

That's just for bikers! Quite amazing.

In Hood River we met up with Nigel, a friend of a friend who invited us in. We threw our bikes in the back of his pickup and he took us to his house up in the hills. We met his wife, Ruth, kids Liam and Rory. We had a great dinner of pork chops, potatoes and squash and an evening of conversation. We stayed the night -- a civilized reprieve, and we really appreciated it.

Then, today, 25 or so here to The Dalles -- a tough climb but a really inspiring ride that brought us way up above the water and showed us this vast land.

*

Bruce leaves today, to get a train back home.

I have a few miles yet to ride for a campsite down the road.

Mount Hood. The view from Nigel and Ruth's porch. 

A state that gets it.

Huffing up yet another hill.

First in a series of tunnels

Nigel and Ruth.

The backyard fire pit with beads of blue glass.