Day 34 (May 29) - Burns, OR

Carson here. On occasion after the day's ride, I don't exactly feel like writing in the blog, so I ask Eric to do it. This evening is one of those times. Due to a mystery flat from taking the road bike off the car rack, I was semi-forced to ride the time trial bike over what turned out to be terrain with several considerable pre-Cascades climbs (not to mention the galing headwinds again). The time trial bike isn't geared up for that kind of riding, making for an interesting day, which ended about 12 hours before the planned longest day of the trip - an epic 131 miles to Bend, OR - giving new meaning to "bend, don't break." In the spirit of climbing with aplomb, Eric found a blog of a novice cyclist who has signed on to ride over the Col du Tourmalet, a mountain in one of the Pyrenees stages of the Tour de France. Each year, the Tour organizers open up a mountain stage to amateurs a few days before the pros get there....his article, "What Have I Gotten Myself Into?" is worth a few minutes. Too bad all this isn't leading to that. Now on to Eric for the real post.

If the word "burns" conjures up an image other than a great conflagration or Mr. Burns, then perhaps you've been to the booming burg of Burns, Oregon, our first stop in the incorrectly named Pacific time zone. (Um... this is Eric writing now. Yeah.) This blog post is on the late side because of the time change, and the need to consume mass quantities, and the various and sundry other activities that take place every night to make the next day's ride possible: laying out of clothes, inspecting of bikes, packing of food and water, examination of route, analysis of weather, and appeals upward for smooth roads, no trucks, and an immaculate hotel, with a showerhead strong enough to fell an elephant.

A freak pre-ride flat, rain, face-sanding headwinds, and the 4,848-foot Stinkwater Pass couldn't keep Carson from logging yet another 100+ mile day. Even I turned in 30, after doing battle with the proprietor of our lodging establishment and his wide-eyed and staring "associate" who were astonished to find a guest showing up at 9:00 in the morning, asking to check in. At least this room has internet access... and the door locks.

And now, we need to get busy digesting the evening meal, which consisted of several selections from a local "American Chinese" bistro, featuring garlic chicken, lo mein, and customers who drink the soy sauce at the bottom of their noodle bowls with straws. Hypertension!