Evidence of the forest fire in OR

You can see the smoke from the still smoldering forest fire next to the Umpqua River in OR. This road had been closed the week before due to the fire. This was less than a 1/2 mile from our accommodations.

--K of Kobag

Burnt tree cut next to road

This photo was taken on the road we were cycling on the last day of the bike trip. Trees had been cut by the firefighters and had landed on the road. Trucks subsequently came through and pushed them off to the side of the road... some were still smoldering.

--K of Kobag

Fly fishing in comfort

What else can I say?

--K of Kobag

Personal bests

Peg and Susan celebrate personal bests with 70 miles in one day. Woohoo!

--K of Kobag

Fire at steamboat

This photo was taken less than 1/4 mile from the inn. This was part of a major backfire burn causing an evacuation the previous week. Smoke was evident in the canyons -- I expect the PM 2.5 levels were quite high.

--K of Kobag

Kobag minus Peg

Friday night at the hotel, post-trip. Missing Peg, Art, and Sharon. Tomorrow we'll spend the day in Portland, then fly home.

Crater Lake at dusk from the lodge

Had a grand day of climbing up to the crater and going 3/4 around, down to the pinnacles (like the hoodoos in Bryce canyon but ghostly gray). Rather than climb up again for 6 miles, we took a lift up and cycled our last 10 miles to the night's lodging at Mazama, this is where we had dinner at the lodge. There have been meteor showers for the last 2 nights but no one has seem them as we've been too tired to get up at midnight.

--K of Kobag

Voodoos of Crater Lake

First touch

Mt Washington and Mt Jefferson

At the top of McKenzie pass -- after a 32 mile climb.

--K of Kobag

Bike Trip Maps

Day 1 - Pinots and Pedals
Along the Aufderheide
High Desert Hop
Climb to the Crater
Delightful Downhill
Along the Umpqua

--Mark

Susan hits the links

Susan spotting mule deer on the Meadows course.

Mark at the lava field

Turned in the tandem, turned in the bike friday, borrowed the leader's bike and surged to the front.

Peg at the 32 mile point

She did it!

Covered bridge

On the way up McKenzie Pass -- we were the first bikers up the pass. It opened that morning!

--K of Kobag

Mark and stoker 3 -- Kitty

--K of Kobag

Mark and stoker 2 -- Katie

--K of Kobag

Mark and first stoker Susan

--K of Kobag

Start of day two- Covered Bridge

We started today at the lovely covered bridge at Westfir , complete with separate pedestrian walkway. From there it was a 60 mile ride with a 2500 ft climb at the 30 mile marker. At the top we had a great lunch which everyone just inhaled, followed by a 30 mile downhill to Mckenzie River. I'm sitting on the porch about 30 ft from the river with bull trout and a few salmon (according to resident flora/fauna expert Peg), sipping a beer before dinner. More pix to follow.

--K of Kobag

Shark bites

Peg is asking how she is to get rid of shark bites -- see right calf.

--K of Kobag

King's Estate Vineyard

Lunch and day 1 starting point. K of kobag buys a bottle of Pinot noir for later this week.

--K of Kobag

Day 1: Kings Estate

Had a lovely 39 mile "shakedown" ride starting from King's Estate Vineyard, winding through some lovely less-traveled roads in the Willamette valley. The temps have dropped from the record-breaking 100's of last week to some very civilized 70's today. We have 4 doctors on this trip so any and all medical issues should be taken care of quickly and efficiently as long as they are anesthetic internal neurological pediatric in nature. Katie is riding with no training- hats off to being 20-something. Peg did the entire route on her new Jamis bike. Susan showed her multiple talents in riding 2 different bikes in one day. Mark burned thru 3 riding partners on the tandem-- and it's only the first day. At this rate, he'll have everyone on the bike by day 4. Tomorrow is a 60 miler. More photos to follow.

--K of Kobag

The trip begins

The trip begins with kitty's early arrival in portland. She heads off to downtown and starts vacation with a leisurely cup of coffee, a side trip to Nordstrom's rack, and a nice stroll around town. After getting back to the hotel, by which time Katie has arrived, they meet up at the bar--kitty has a Blue Moon.Mark and Susan arrive, we have another Blue Moon and then a bite to eat. Both Bike Fridays get assembled in record time -- we're tired and everyone heads off to bed.

--K of Kobag

Arrived and chilling out

--K of Kobag

Arrived and checking Portland out

Am sitting at a little coffee shop at the heart of downtown and having a very civilized cup of coffee. Temps are quite comfortable unlike last week. Am thinking I could live here! Cyclists are everywhere.

--K of Kobag

Kobag Does the Crater Lake Tour

2009 brings Team Kobag to the interior of Oregon - riding the Crater Lake Tour sans Art and Sharon but adding Katie and Mark Orndorff.

--Sharon