NE Corner Of Oregon

[GeorgeS]

Hells Canyon, In the N.E. Corner if Oregon. If you happen to be in the Area. It worth a days ride, out of Baker City, Oregon or from La Grande, Oregon.

 

--- check this web site if of interest http://www.hellscanyonbyway.com/Map/map.htm

 

Overnite in one of the above towns, and spend a day rideing the area.

 

Not a lot of folks across the country even know this place Exists !!

 

Canyon deeper then the Grand Canyon, though no where near as wide or long. Great Hunting and fishing area also.

 

Also, a great old train ride

[RSTDRIDER]

Have you done hwy 3 from Enterprise, Or. to Lewiston ID. George? I've put it on the to-do list for late spring and a little info would help. Thanks!

[k7mdl]

June 18 did Seattle to Baker City via I-5 to Vancouver, WA, Hwy 14 to the Dalles, then south to pick up the John Day river westward. Very nice bike road, lots of twisties and hills. As I recall 4 passes over 4K feet, 3 over 5K feet. Met many other bike riders for ice cream and sandwiches in Shaniko. Not much else there! The road to Antelope just outside of Shaniko is a canyon decent full of 15mph switchbacks. Should have stopped for a picture from the top. Took about 12 hours to get to Baker City. Raods hit as I recall, hwy 14, 26, 218, 19, 7, 395.

 

Did Hells Canyon hwy 86 to the end at the dam on June 19. The canyon was easily over 90 degrees.

 

June 20 was supposed to be a loop east of town to Medical Springs, but I messed up the road plan and got blocked by gravel roads in Keating off Hwy 86. Should have headed north on I-84 a bit and picked up hwy 30 east then north. Instead went up to North Powder via I-84 from Baker City and west to Anthony Lakes and Elkhorn Summit (7200ft) but the road is under contruction and turned to gravel so abandoned that and instead went through the back roads from North Powder to Union by a wind turbine farm and then through the back of La Grande to I-84 over the Blue Mtns to Pendleton. There we visited the Pendleton Woolen Mills store, Hamley and Co saddle/leather goods store, and had dinner at their new Steak House opened Nov 2007. It was a very nice place, good food. Returned to Baker City 1.5 hours south on I-84.

 

While returning rom Keating, I just got off some gravel roads and onto the hwy where we were stopped waiting for a cattle drive to cross the highway. Several cowboys were on horses and of course there were a few cattle that wanted to go the opposite way, made for entertaining viewing. A few dogs helping out. When I stopped, I heard this loud hissing noise, not unlike the sound from the nail a few days earlier, so I hopped off the bike and was looking all over at both tires. I figured I punctured someting on the gravel roads. Finally took my helmet off and it was a hundred crickets in the sagebrush roadside disturbed by the cattle drive. Really did not want a flat out there.

 

Sat June 21 was to be a ride to the Hell Canyon Scenic Overlook and NF39 up to the Mt. Howard tram in Joseph then home via Walla Walla. While at the Pendleton Info Center Friday, they called ahead and found the tram is still closed due to snow. They also said other visitors tried to follow the NF39 road and was blocked by snow and had to double back. Instead we haded back to Seattle via I-84 then to Yakima and I-90. It took a bit less than 7 hours.

 

I put new Avon tires on a week before the trip, got a nail in the rear tire a couple days later - ouch, and got a new rear tire delivered and installed just days before the trip. The tires made a very nice ride compared to the Bridgestone stock tires that were square, howled at 40 and 70mph, and followed every groove in the road. the Avons were silent and road straight. Nice.

 

1400 miles over 4 days. Gas was $4.21 to $4.56. Averaged 40mpg consistently except for the return through Yakima and over I-90, where the 70 mph speed limits took its toll. Oregon is 65mph or less limits to rarely went above 69.

 

Lost a front side reflector other than that no casualties and was a very good trip. Stayed at the Gieser Grand Hotel. It was a nice place, and they had a great design-your-own pasta buffet Wednesday night.

 

- Mike

Edited June 22, 2008 by k7mdl

[Mariner Fan]

You know that most old timers in Baker City call the town Baker. Adding the City thing was just weird.