Is it downhill from day 1 extra?

Redmond OR to Crater Lake is around 128 miles. It took us 230 miles to get there (as planned). What a treat!

I actually scrambled a bit to fill the week with enough mileage. I was looking for best places to fill the itinerary, start middle or end. And it has to be on par with the other epic roads otherwise why bother. I ended up with an extra day at the beginning, taking the very long way to crater lake.

We left Redmond going NE around Sisters then south to crater lake. I thought I knew all the best roads around here. Wrong. We started the ride going through the town of Sisters and the vast farm fields overlooking the amazing Sisters mountains. Then we passed through McKenzie pass, the lava fields (and plenty of charred forests). This was all new and beautiful.

(US forest service marker form 1930’s)

At some point after the lava fields the road filled with millions of butterflies and we rode thru them for miles. Not sure what they were doing flying on the road committing suicide with the cars driving through them. Our bikes turned yellow from the massacre (sorry, butterflies). There were just too many for miles. Nothing we could do. I was wondering whether the road heat attracted them. There was plenty of endless forest around us. I need a “butterflyographer”to advise here. And someone to add this word to the English dictionary. Somehow the species survives.

From there, we continued through Aufderheide Drive south. I guess the roads here somehow lead to German sounding names. In nowhere Oregon. Go figure. Anyways, we had a tasty lunch at McKenzie Highways classic country sideways pub (near McKenzie Bridge) just before hitting that Auf… Drive road.

As we were riding through a recovering low vegetation burned forest I asked Roee how long does he estimate since the fire. He suggested 5-8 years, I thought more like 10 years. Then I realized that it is too familiar. I was there and had to turn around due to the fires. It turned out I was there with Jeff in July 2021. Roee was right.

This time we took it all the way through and it truly amazing. Going through beautiful scenery, and more remote “towns” with a corner bar called… “the corner”. And a bank which had very few branches when I started my career ages ago in Seattle. It primarily serviced the Hi-tech Microsoft employees in Redmond, WA. All of a sudden, it pops up out in nowhere, OR. That was a shot-back to the past right there in nowhere. Just weird (for me).

The road and the views were magnificent. Gentle endless forest curves to rt. 58 where it turned into beautiful fast sweepers, and finally we arrived at the majestic Crater Lake and to Mazama campground for our first camping of the trip.

With a camp fire, dark sky with bright stars popping in between the tree branches. You know, the usual mountain camping vibe. And of course with freeze dried food, beer and long conversations. I so much love these moments - long exciting, satisfying day ending in a beautiful nature settings with campfire, chill company (my son!), and relaxing fire.

Reflecting (summarizing, repeating, I guess), the day turned out to be just a perfect riding day with hairpin twisters, gentle turns, sweepers, uphill, downhill, amazing varied scenery with just the right pace.

We both felt that it was totally on par with some of the best rides we did in Europe. It reminded us that epic trip to the French Alps all day.

It may be the best day of the trip. And it’s the first day, so for sure this far :)