OTT Day #14- July 26, 2018: Sisters to Fish and Clear Lakes... and Trout In My Mouth

Breakfast was as planned. Oatmeal and coffee and anything else we didn't want to carry on this last day. We popped by Blazing Saddles Bike Shop for Evan to fix a pedal issue, and to sign the OTT log book and air up the tires. Then we were rolling along the 

Heading out of Sisters

The first 10ish miles was flat and mellow- a perfect way to warm up, wake up, and gear up for the big day. Everything between Sisters and Suttle Lake was a nicely groomed single track or well worm gravel road. We must have been quite a sight to the fancy folks enjoying their weekend day at the lodge, as we leaned our bikes along the deck and ordered a beer and curly fries. I admit I was a little jealous of the visitors in bathing suits, playing in the water. That's OK, I can just soak my jersey and bandana in the cool lake. 

Not more than a couple miles after leaving Suttle Lake, things turned unpleasant. We had a steep hike (not ride) from Dark Lake up, up, UP to a gravel road. This road started innocent enough, but soon the "gravel" got softer and softer and looser, and eventually was just... sand. All three of us were on and off the bike constantly, due to the deep sand. And we were tired and we were hot. And SAND! It was the hardest I ever had to work to ride my bike along a mostly flat road. But hey, it was the Santiam Wagon Road and it was all historic and shit, so I should be proud and enjoy it, but... all the damn sand.


I had one melt down. It lasted about 4 seconds. I yelled a sigh of profanity. 


And when the Earth insults couldn't get worse, we came to a cute little interpretive sign welcoming us to SAND MOUNTAIN [quickly bring palm to face]



Finally, after a short water refill and a visit with a camper at Big Lake, we slowly road out of the sand, into some lava rocky sections, and finally back to the big woods. We were all pretty quiet the last few miles to Fish Lake at the McKenzie River Trailhead, and the end of our ride at Clear Lake.

Bill talked us into the trail ride option to and around Clear Lake to where Deann and Karey had set up camp and had cold beers and snack waiting. Deann caught us each a trout for dinner, cooked over a campfire. She also brought a solar heated camp shower and I used more than my share! We stayed up late. We drank plenty. We had NO plans to ride bikes the next day.

The next morning, we drove IN A CAR to the lake lodge for breakfast and later I took a kayak around Clear Lake. It's geologic history is pretty cool. Before too long, Karey and I were in the car, headed back toward civilization. Re-assimilation would be hard for a couple days, but I was ready for a rest.

The End For Now

For more photos, see the link on the right or... HERE