July 3, 2003

As I said earlier, we took a rest on the 2nd. We started at about 7:30 in the morning for our McKenzie Pass climb. We started at about 1600 feet and had to climb to 5325 feet over 22 miles. The first couple miles were pleasant enough, but then it got steeper and steeper. Finally we hit the switchbacks about 2/3 of the way up. They were a little less hard. You can see this switchback was only maybe 50-60 feet in a few hundred yards. You can see a little bit of the switchback below the main one through the trees. About 2/3 of the way up, we hit some Lava Beds. Not sure that the picture brings out the sense of devastation. Several times the road cut through the lava and you could tell that it was at least 8 to 10 feet thick at that point. I'm pretty sure I don't want to get in the way of a live one. At last! We hit 5000 ft of elevation. Unfortunately, about a 1/2 mile further and the road heads down for awhile. ARGGGGGGHHHH!!!! All that effort lost! One final push and we're at the We hit top!!!!!!!!!! I think it's about 4:30 in the afternoon now. It was pretty cool and breezy up there. In fact my bike blew over. There was lookout area (that I don't seem to have a picture of) that you climbed up to. It pointed out the various mountains. I'm not sure at this point but I think that this is of two out of the three sisters, but it could be this one. I forget the downhill, but think it was about 15 miles. Almost no pedaling, but we did have to stop to let the rims cool. When we got to Sisters we checked in to the Sisters Motor Lodge, bought groceries, and went to a bar for supper. The captain got mad at the poor service there. But it really was a management fault. Only a single person to tend bar and wait on tables in a pretty crowded place.

Switchbacks Lava Beds Almost There? At the Top! Sisters? or Sisters?