Guns, Beer, Cycling: An Unlikely Trio

….but when you’re faced with a 70-mile day with two snow-covered passes in remote Eastern OR, it seems you look to the locals for unlikely solutions.

It's true what they say about messin' with the bull

Jeff, a Halfway, Oregon chap, was our hero for the day who took us in his pick-up (that I had to practically rock climb to get into) over the sketchy passes.

Snowy Pass, Hells Canyon Rec. Area

Jeff!

Besides being a darn good country DJ (I LOVE the Zach Brown Band), Jeff was also a provider of fire arms and a Powerade target.

Check out Pete's bullseye in the Powerade Bottle. Stud.

Thanks to Jeff, we made it through our second day of the tour without even donning chamios, save at breakfast. 

The weather was quite unruly.  On the first day, we dove for shelter from the pelting 40 degree rain in an RV laundry mat where we dried our clothes.

Riding through a rain cloud

Rain

more rain

I have to say, however, I had a number of things working in my favor: I mentally prepared myself to be dumped on, I had the right gear, and I had a riding partner who had a great and snarky attitude.

Pete and me freezing our nethers off

We actually had a lovely time in light of the weather.  It shows that having a positive attitude and a good sense of humor can be priceless. 

Hells Canyon!

Eating lunch at the laundry mat where we dried our soaked duds

Me, Sun, Cues

On the last day, the weather broke.  Of course, Joe showed up to ride the last day with us and cycled on the perfect day.  Well, the first part of the day could have been plucked right out of the Mists of Avalon.

Sweet fog

More fog

fog lifting

One of the most killer roads on our ride:  Medical Springs Highway.  The last day, we savored it and the sun that showed it off.

Despite the ornery fall weather, this tour further tips my favoritism towards Eastern Oregon bike tours.  It is absolutely spectacular out there and the people are my kind of folks: sweet, able to laugh at themselves, and generous.