Grass in the Asphalt

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May 30th 2009

Published: May 30th 2009

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Reverend Bill

Oxbow Morining

Morning in Oxbow brought pink skies and a balmy 60F. Soon we were honoring our compatriot Rob by roasting bacon on a stick. Mmm good!
The ride out of the canyon to Baker City was a great stretch of high speed sweepers and canyon curves.
Soon we were ordering breakfast at the Oregon Trail Cafe. Nineteen year old Sandy, who had waited on us at the same table last year, brought us a big helping of humor and buckwheat cakes. Reverend Bill had traveled over 2,500 miles for the buckwheat. It was a primal motive to pass through this Eastern Oregon town. That and the homemade corned beef hash......
We asked if sitting at the same table twice and ordering the same breakfast twice from the same waitress made us "regulars." No, apparently we had to have a dispute with a local. We soon picked a point about whether we had cleared out the cafe, or if they were simply between rushes. Well, it's almost a dispute, and next time through, we're in.
Our route Northwestward through rural Oregon, comprised largely of paved Forest Service roads, was a fantastic endless racetrack. While sections of the road were a bit "goaty" with

Bacon on a Stick

Eat your heart out, Rob.

crumbling pavement, frost heaves, and tumbled rocks and dirt in the roadway, the route was largely untraveled. In fact, so little traffic travels this section of Oregon that in many places grass grew in the cracks in the asphalt. When we took a twenty minute break for photos and views, not a single vehicle passed.
The segment from Ukiah to Heppner was better engineered, higher speed corners more like a highway. It was a pleasure to blast through this section of Oregon, and it was a fitting last day of riding for our adventure. Reverend Chuck had offered a couple cornering tips to Reverend Bill the night before, and Reverend Bill put these to work today. By looking further through the corners and accelerating earlier out of the turns, Reverend Bill's riding improved immensely in short order. Or as Reverend Chuck reflected as he watched this from behind, "Oh my God, I've created a monster." Thanks.
Our possible camping option in Heppner was dashed by the 94F temps. We continued West to Condon, where a huge thunder shower cell threatened as it rolled up from Fossil. The lightning strikes scared the bejezus out of us.
We had just checked into

Sandy

We wanna sit in her section.

the Condon Motel when rain began to fall. No room with two beds, so two separate rooms were booked. Separation Anxiety!
After we walked downtown for a giant Ranch Burger, we settled in for a little blogging.
Tomorrow we head home, with a final episode to come.

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