Fulfilling a Dream (36 years later): Day 77: Prairie City, OR to Mitchell, OR

Saturday, August 4, 2012, 85 miles - Total so far: 2444 miles*
* Miles ridden on the TransAm route
Odometer miles - Today - 90.1 Total to date - 2545.0.miles

Another LONG hot day, some spectacular views, another flat

We started the day with a nice long flat to downhill stretch of 44 miles on U.S. 26. The route follows the John Day River through the towns of John Day and Mount Vernon to Dayville. I made very good time riding with Jake and Gina. We stopped at a gas station in Mount Vernon for water and ice then continued on. We made a lunch stop in Dayville, but they only had two stores and no café or restaurant open. We managed to find enough snacks to supplement our lunch but didn’t take a long break. It was just as well, because it was a long mileage day.

The closed lumber mill just outside of Prairie City - many of the city's jobs left when it closed.

Gordon Butte (4,738 ft.) approaching Mount Vernon, OR

A farmer out cutting the hay in his field.

More hay bales - this field has a mix of rectangular and cylindrical.

Interesting rock formation alongside U.S. 26 approaching Dayville.

Mitchell, 39 miles - just outside of Dayville.

After lunch, 7 miles outside of Dayville we came to Picture Gorge. This is a beautiful gorge carved through the rocks by the John Day River. It was a tight, high walled rock canyon with some great views. Just after Picture Gorge we took a side trip on highway 19 to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. They had some very interesting displays and a movie explaining the large number of fossil finds in this area.

Entering the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument area - Picture Gorge straight ahead.

Riding through Picture Gorge

On highway 19 approaching the John Day Fossil Beds Visitor's Center - interesting rock colorings and formations.

Sheep Rock - near the Visitor's Center

The John Day River and multi-colored rocks across the valley.

This note in the Visitor's Center explains who John Day was - his name appears all over this region.

Approaching Picture Gorge from the north after the stop at the Visitor's Center.

Back on U.S. 26 on the road from Dayville to Mitchell.

A rare "Shoe Tree" seen alongside the road - don't know the explanation.

By the time we finished looking at the fossil visitor’s center it was ~1:30pm and it was sunny and hot. We still had a 26 mile uphill climb to a pass and then 7 miles down into Mitchell, OR. The climb wasn’t real steep, but it was long. I rode with Jake, Gina, Wendy, Judy and Paul and it was a pretty slow ride. Two miles from the top my rear tire went flat. I swapped in an inner tube (my last new one) with a bit of help from Paul. Everything went smoothly and Paul said it took 17 minutes which is pretty good.

It appeared that the hole in the tube was caused by a tire “boot” Paul and I put in way back before Sheridan Lakes, WY when I got the first nail in the tire. We suspected the boot might have rubbed a hole in the tube, but I figured it had lasted several weeks so I could probably make it the rest of the way to the coast with this new tube.

I made it the last 2 miles to the top of the pass (Keyes Creek Pass, 4,357 ft.). Fortunately the last 7 miles was a great downhill so I was able to coast most of the way. My bike wasn’t feeling real steady because I only got minimal air into the tire. With the delay, Paul and I were the last two into Mitchell.

"Keyes Cr. Summit, Elev. 4369" - one more pass climbed.

Our overnight location was the Historic Oregon Hotel. It was on the main street in town and appeared to be the only place in town to stay. There was one store, one restaurant and not much else. Dinner was at the one restaurant because we couldn’t cook at the hotel. We all went there together which took a while, but the meal was good.

The Historic Oregon Hotel in Mitchell, OR

After dinner Nicole drove everyone in the van to the Painted Hills section of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. We arrived just before sunset, so we were able to see some of the brilliant colors of the rock in the hills and take some photos. The sun set as we were there and we drove back just after dark.