Day 28

Joseph, OR:

John Day Fossil Beds, Hells Canyon, Meet back up with Sean

Original images here.

Short version. Plan was to meet back up with Sean who called me last night saying his route sucked and he was going to head north to meet me. Made for the John Day Fossil Beds, then road through Hells canyon, and met Sean in Joseph, OR. Check out the pictures for now, will update more later.

OK, it is later now. Sitting in Greg Henderson's dining room in Ottawa, getting caught up. Let's see how much I remember. Woke up to another lovely morning. I really have lucked out in the weather department on this trip. I started to break down camp, but had to fight off some of the locals in the process. Just kidding, they stayed out of my way. :)
The plan was to ride out mostly northeast and meet up with Sean. So once I was packed up I left Tumalo, went through Redmond and east on 126 into Prineville. I gassed up, stopped for a late breakfast, where I think I totally entertained the locals by getting the leg zipper of the stitch caught in my pant leg. It was really, really stuck. I had to go back out to the bike to get some pliers to free it up, much to the amusement of the locals, I'm sure. Watching this stranger in a powerrangers suit trying to get out of it. Anyway, after a great breakfast I looked at the map, figured I could make it to John Day by lunch and called Sean to let him know that is where I would try to hook back up with him.
Back on the road I took 26 east. There were some great views and the roads were fun. I stopped every now and then at an overlook to take a picture or two. As I was riding along, I saw a sign for the John Day Fossil Beds much sooner than I had anticipated. Huh, oh well, turn and head for them. The landscape changed immediately. Very cool, and very hot. I took lots of pictures, browse through the full size ones for now, but here are some of the better ones:

Leaf Hill - All the leaf fossils.
Leaf Fossils - Ditto
Bike and Lake - A oasis in the middle of the desert
Clay Hills - What makes the hills
The hills -
Drainage -
Hills and lake -

After spending some time looking around, it was back on the road. Then I realized that I had gotten off at one of the smaller sights, not the main one I was shooting for. Oh well. I stopped at an overlook and took a picture at the main site. I then pushed on to John Day. I got there a little later than I had planned. It was about 2pm or so, but still no call from Sean. Hmmm. I gassed up and stopped for lunch at this place. Still no word from Sean, so I pushed on, staying on 26 into the Umatilla National Forest. Jumped onto rt 7 and then onto 24 to head into the mountains. The roads were great. Smooth, great grip, FUN! I also passed some spots where there was obviously forest fires in years past. Miles and miles of this. I followed 24 to 73 and then into Haines, where it flattened right out, towards Baker City. I was planning on getting gas in Baker City, but my turnoff for 86 was before town. Looking at the map there were plenty of towns in my direction, so I pushed on.
86 heads towards Hell Canyon, my next destination. It was very hot and dry, but the road followed the Powder River most of the way, where I saw this guy playing in the water. Not a mile later I saw what I swear was a mountain lion, but he didn't stick around long enough for me to get a picture.
As I passed through one town then the next, there were no gas stations. Then the low fuel light came on. I was once again in conserve mode. Steady throttle, coast down the hills. I rolled into Halfway a little before 6. The first gas station was closed. Then I came to the end of town. This was it, if I didn't find gas, I was there for the night until the gas station opened. I stopped to ask a local if there were any other stations open. She said this one was just closing, but I might catch them. This one? I was parked right next to a hardware store, but it was also a gas station, the tanks were above ground. The guy was just taking the numbers off the pumps, but I just snuck in. Whoa. Gassed up (5.2gals in my 5.4gal tank) called Sean, who had left a voice mail that he was in Enterprise for the night. Awesome, I'll meet up with him there. And I was back on the road.

Made for Hells Canyon. The sun was just starting to get low, so I was in shadow in the valleys. Rt 39 heads right through the valley. This is a fun road. It would have been more fun in full daylight, as I had to watch out for bambi, but it was awesome. Ride this road. I got to the top and pulled out at the overlook. I guess you can see see OR, WA, ID, and MT from there. Cool. Then I continued on. Had to stop for a few bambi here and there, but nothing bad. Once out of the forest it was back onto prairie and I made a little time.
I got to Joseph and thought about calling Sean to see exactly where he was, but Enterprise was just 8 miles up the road, so i pushed on. I got there, called Sean, and guess what, he was back in Joseph. Turn around, meet him in main street, get some food at a great outdoor pizza joint with nice fire pits burning outside, then back to the campground Sean had found. Turns out I was just behind Sean most of the day. We even ate lunch at the same place, just an hour apart!

Ending mileage:	7603
Starting mileage:	75834
Miles for day:	470
Total:	8090

	Short version. Plan was to meet back up with Sean who called me last night saying his route sucked and he was going to head north to meet me. Made for the John Day Fossil Beds, then road through Hells canyon, and met Sean in Joseph, OR. Check out the pictures for now, will update more later.
	OK, it is later now. Sitting in Greg Henderson's dining room in Ottawa, getting caught up. Let's see how much I remember. Woke up to another lovely morning. I really have lucked out in the weather department on this trip. I started to break down camp, but had to fight off some of the locals in the process. Just kidding, they stayed out of my way. :) The plan was to ride out mostly northeast and meet up with Sean. So once I was packed up I left Tumalo, went through Redmond and east on 126 into Prineville. I gassed up, stopped for a late breakfast, where I think I totally entertained the locals by getting the leg zipper of the stitch caught in my pant leg. It was really, really stuck. I had to go back out to the bike to get some pliers to free it up, much to the amusement of the locals, I'm sure. Watching this stranger in a powerrangers suit trying to get out of it. Anyway, after a great breakfast I looked at the map, figured I could make it to John Day by lunch and called Sean to let him know that is where I would try to hook back up with him. Back on the road I took 26 east. There were some great views and the roads were fun. I stopped every now and then at an overlook to take a picture or two. As I was riding along, I saw a sign for the John Day Fossil Beds much sooner than I had anticipated. Huh, oh well, turn and head for them. The landscape changed immediately. Very cool, and very hot. I took lots of pictures, browse through the full size ones for now, but here are some of the better ones: Leaf Hill - All the leaf fossils. Leaf Fossils - Ditto Bike and Lake - A oasis in the middle of the desert Clay Hills - What makes the hills The hills - Drainage - Hills and lake -
	After spending some time looking around, it was back on the road. Then I realized that I had gotten off at one of the smaller sights, not the main one I was shooting for. Oh well. I stopped at an overlook and took a picture at the main site. I then pushed on to John Day. I got there a little later than I had planned. It was about 2pm or so, but still no call from Sean. Hmmm. I gassed up and stopped for lunch at this place. Still no word from Sean, so I pushed on, staying on 26 into the Umatilla National Forest. Jumped onto rt 7 and then onto 24 to head into the mountains. The roads were great. Smooth, great grip, FUN! I also passed some spots where there was obviously forest fires in years past. Miles and miles of this. I followed 24 to 73 and then into Haines, where it flattened right out, towards Baker City. I was planning on getting gas in Baker City, but my turnoff for 86 was before town. Looking at the map there were plenty of towns in my direction, so I pushed on. 86 heads towards Hell Canyon, my next destination. It was very hot and dry, but the road followed the Powder River most of the way, where I saw this guy playing in the water. Not a mile later I saw what I swear was a mountain lion, but he didn't stick around long enough for me to get a picture. As I passed through one town then the next, there were no gas stations. Then the low fuel light came on. I was once again in conserve mode. Steady throttle, coast down the hills. I rolled into Halfway a little before 6. The first gas station was closed. Then I came to the end of town. This was it, if I didn't find gas, I was there for the night until the gas station opened. I stopped to ask a local if there were any other stations open. She said this one was just closing, but I might catch them. This one? I was parked right next to a hardware store, but it was also a gas station, the tanks were above ground. The guy was just taking the numbers off the pumps, but I just snuck in. Whoa. Gassed up (5.2gals in my 5.4gal tank) called Sean, who had left a voice mail that he was in Enterprise for the night. Awesome, I'll meet up with him there. And I was back on the road.
	Made for Hells Canyon. The sun was just starting to get low, so I was in shadow in the valleys. Rt 39 heads right through the valley. This is a fun road. It would have been more fun in full daylight, as I had to watch out for bambi, but it was awesome. Ride this road. I got to the top and pulled out at the overlook. I guess you can see see OR, WA, ID, and MT from there. Cool. Then I continued on. Had to stop for a few bambi here and there, but nothing bad. Once out of the forest it was back onto prairie and I made a little time. I got to Joseph and thought about calling Sean to see exactly where he was, but Enterprise was just 8 miles up the road, so i pushed on. I got there, called Sean, and guess what, he was back in Joseph. Turn around, meet him in main street, get some food at a great outdoor pizza joint with nice fire pits burning outside, then back to the campground Sean had found. Turns out I was just behind Sean most of the day. We even ate lunch at the same place, just an hour apart!