At 11:00 a.m. today I departed from the Palm Springs of Washington, heading 300+ miles south on Hwy 97 to visit my late cousin’s wife Janet Rodman and her lovely children Calvin [14] and Claire [9] at their home in Redmond, OR. For those who don’t know, my 46 year old cousin, Bo Rodman, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the spring of 2009 and shortly after visiting us on Easter 2009, he passed. We were very close as children and lost contact until shortly before his death. I’m grateful for the few months of reconnection we had.
The ride down central WA and OR was truly fabulous! The perfect asphalt toggles between lush farmlands, pine-covered mountains, golden fields of dry grassland, ghost towns and desolate brown rocky moonscapes that look like nuclear test sites. Up to 3500 feet and back to sea level, over and over again – perfect on a motorcycle, but hell for bicyclists. I passed windmill farms, Rivers, fields of hops, apple orchards, corn fields, alfalfa and flower crops. I included a picture of hops vines that grow as trellised vines about 12’ high and the flowers are used to naturally flavor and preserve beer. The truckers and RV drivers were courteous and moved right as I whizzed by. I stopped for gas in a ghost town and chatted with two 50-something bikers on a BMW enduro and a fake-Harley Suzuki. They ogled my bike and said they were on their way home to southern WA from a ride through ID. So far my decision to ride America’s highways and byways has been a real treat and much more pleasant than sterile interstate freeways.
I arrived in Redmond, OR at around 4p.m. and Calvin spotted me as he and Janet were driving to pick-up his friend. They turned around to great me. We had a nice chat and the kids sat on my bike and pretented to ride it. Calvin and Janet look forward to the day Calvin can get his own bike. They live in God’s chosen riding country. At around 5:30, they took off for a last summer vacation to an Indian casino resort with natural hot springs, pools, water slides and golf. I rode over to Smith Rock State Park [http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_51.php]. This park is a world renowned outcropping of sheer rocks that draws world-class rock climbers from around the globe. It’s also a sanctuary for Golden Eagles and other wildlife. As I rode out of the park I saw a field filled with deer. It truly looked like a deer ranch.
I arrived in Bend, OR around 7:30 and I was cold, tired and hungry. I rode around town and stopped at a burger joint that has a scary clown as its mascot. After an Angus Burger, I felt better and I had a chance to locate a Choice Hotel on my I-phone. As I rode through Bend, I snapped a couple of pictures of the Deschutes River that runs through it. Bend is another town to add to your Bucket List. Fifteen minutes later, I was in my room and watching the New Orleans Saints dismantle the Chargers.
For you home-gamers, I’m 1,846 miles into my odyssey and tomorrow I’m planning to head east.
Cheers, John
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