April 17, 2020
Down to Galena
That ride to Monument was crazy yesterday. Several cars, three dogs, a branding party. Who needs all that excitement in their lives at a time like this? Today we seek out something a bit more serene, and find it - blissful county road 20, quaintly named the ‘Up the Middle Fork Road’.
This road, as you might have divined from its name, follows the Middle Fork of the John Day downstream for 40 miles, from its beginning by Austin Junction in the Blue Mountains to its junction with US 395 at its west end. From the map it looks like forty miles of quiet wonderfulness, with scarcely a settlement along the way.
It would be a fine day ride if you had a shuttle or were going one way, but neither of those fits us at the moment. Instead, we’ll break it in half. Today we tackle the east end, driving east on US 26 to Austin Summit and then biking down Up the Middle Fork Road to its midpoint near Galena, the only settlement along the entire forty miles.
Galena, now a virtual ghost town, began as a gold mining community but was renamed when another type of ore was discovered nearby. Bonus points if you can guess what they discovered.
Austin Summit is roughly 25 miles east of John Day. On the drive there we climb over 5,200’ Dixie Summit and case it out to see if we want to tackle it as a day ride from home before leaving the region. Three miles and a thousand foot descent later, we pull in at Austin Store. It’s open today (coincidentally, for the first time this year), so I walk in and ask if we can leave our car in their lot for about four hours. The owner is agreeable, if we’ll agree to give her our business when we return. Deal.
Up the Middle Fork Road really is as serene as it looks on the map. It feels like we’re biking through a park all day long. For the entire route we’re alongside or within sight of the Middle Fork as it meanders through a string of meadows and modest canyons, steadily growing as we follow it downstream.
Some metrics for the ride: one state park, closed for the plague; two National Forest service cabins, both also closed; one small roadside ranch; and at our endpoint for the day, another small roadside house. An lone passing car every mile or so. Zero trucks. Zero dogs. Nice.
Along the way, we often see evidence of habitat restoration activities. This has been ongoing for the last fifteen years, in an effort to restore the river to something like its former natural state before the miners had their way with it 150 years ago. There has been extensive excavation to reestablish meanders in a two mile stretch that was straightened for dredge mining. Miles of the river are fenced off to protect it, young tree plantings are fenced off to protect them from deer and elk; snags and logs are strewn across the river here and there to create shallows for spawning fish. It’s work that makes us feel proud of our region and fortunate to be able to call ourselves Oregonians.
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Video sound track: Out in the Country, by Three Dog Night
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Date Night
We’ve been keeping track of the time today, because we want to be sure to be back in town by 5:30. We’ve been eagerly anticipating this evening for several days. When I was looking at the 1188 Brewing Company website earlier this week to see when they were open for growler fills, I accidentally clicked on the link for Little Canyon Food Cart and saw that they’re taking orders for Pad Thai takeout Friday afternoon. When I showed this to Rachael when she woke up she instantly raised her arms up with glee, exclaimed ‘My Hero!”, and gave me a big hug.
It’s as good or better than we’d hoped - the best meal since we came to John Day. We’ll watch their website, and with luck maybe they’ll do this again next week. For $10, it’s a super deal too - copious servings, which we both begin by thinking we’ll enjoy the leftovers tomorrow. But no leftovers remain. We’re both 4C members in the Clean Cardboard Carton Club.
After this feast, we retire to our private movie theater for a viewing of Dark Waters, the Todd Haynes docudrama that came out in December. You really should see it, if you get a chance. If you’re anything like us, it will upset, alarm and enrage you. And it will give you a whole new lineup of evil characters that you’d love to see jailed (after flogging in public, preferably) to go with the large cast that you probably already have in mind for such just desserts.
Ride stats today: 43 miles, 900’
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Thanks for keeping your journal up to date during these very unusual times. I look forward to reading it every day. Al and I are really impressed with how adaptable and creative you and Rachael have been in making the best of a crazy situation. Not to mention the dog bites--we’re so glad neither of you suffered permanent damage. I hope the town of John Day appreciates your contribution to their bicycle tourism prospects when all this is over—your photos of the area are great—and I love the food info. Enjoy your rides and stay well.
Best wishes, Eva
4 years ago
Funny you should check in today though, because Rachael and I were just talking about you, Al, and Nelson this morning. We haven’t quite thrown in the towel on our planned European fall tour yet, but we expect it will be scrapped also. We’ve been brainstorming ideas for where to go instead, and heading back up to your region in the autumn is high on our list - assuming Canada will let it in by then. If you’re around, it would be great to visit again.
Take care, stay healthy!
Scott & Rachael
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