Day 6, The Land at Eden’s Gate: Champoeg → Vernonia

Generally we tried to force ourselves to take it somewhat easy so as not to over do it, get injured and so on, but I just couldn’t help myself that morning. I was so excited to be riding my bike and for my knee to be working that I got a bit carried away for the first part of the day’s ride and not even the light rain we started off in could dampen my spirits. We were averaging about 15 or 16 mph when usually we tried to keep it more around an average of 12 or 13 mph. I also found myself barreling down the hills at 30+ mph when I usually am a super chicken and get nervous at 25 mph. I think my top speed that morning was 34 or 35 mph.

It was also fairly gorgeous in the Willamette Valley. I was a little bit surprised at how breath taking it was. I was expecting it to be nice, but it is the area I grew up in and whenever I’m in OR that’s where I am so I thought it wouldn’t startle me. But it really was gorgeous – mist and rain and cold and all – and I can understand why Louis & Clark referred to it as “The Land at Eden’s Gate.” The photo here really doesn't even come close to doing it justice.

Despite the excitement at being back on my bike and the beauty of it, I do have to admit that the portion of the ride after lunch was not exactly super fantastic. It was cold and raining – raining rather a lot – and I really wasn’t prepared. I didn’t have enough warm clothes so I was cold and stiff and when it was really raining there was a direct river of water streaming off my front tire or the back of my jacket (or something) directly into my left shoe. It wasn’t just wet in there, or soggy. It was absolutely flooded. And to top it off my dad was having hamstring trouble. I had to go faster than he could go – otherwise I would have frozen – but then I would have to stop to wait. Huddled under an awning at a rest stop I was literally shivering. The hot shower when we finally got to camp in the timber town of Vernonia was exceptional.