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                             Saturday, Sept. 8 -- Rainbow to Oakridge -- 66 miles
Breakfast was at the Rustic Skillet. Good pancakes. Also, a fine collection of toy dinosaurs is displayed on the windowsills. 

Kathy Matthews
This blog has quite a tribute to the place.
George and Arthur were traveling light, as they were only out for one overnight.



Rick & Lynne had more baggage.



.

Cougar Reservoir

South Fork of McKenzie River
The elevation profile in our guidebook was
a little off, and we didn't realize when
we reached Box Canyon, after a very steep uphill section, that we were at the summit
of the Aufderheide.
Thinking we had one more hump,
we kept going past the Box Canyon cabin
(the only building on this road)
and horse camp.
We started descending warily ...
until we convinced ourselves
the climbing truly was over.

.


Lunch was in a shady grove on the downhill.


We descended along the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River.

.

Rick rides through the Office Bridge.
It used to connect a lumber mill
and its office; hence the name.

We moved indoors for dessert.

Rick & I stayed at the no-frills Oakridge Motel. George and Arthur stayed at the Oakridge Hostel.



Most of the day was on the Aufderheide Memorial Drive, aka Forest Service Road 19,
a super scenic, low-traffic road through the Willamette National Forest.
The road follows the South Fork of the McKenzie River (above) and the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River.

Cougar Reservoir


Also called Cougar Lake, the reservoir was created in 1964 with the construction of Cougar Dam.

Here's what happens when you try to take a picture behind your back while riding.


Arthur tries out Rick's heavy rig
and seems surprised that it actually rolls.

The North Fork of the Middle Fork
of the Willamette River

The Aufderheide ends at the Office Bridge
in Westfir.

George and Arthur waited for us at the bridge.
We had a few miles to go into Oakridge, and there were some steep parts.

In Oakridge,
dinner was outdoors at Brewers Union Local 180.

PREVIOUS OREGON bike trip 2012
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