Day 34: Home to Oakland

September 30, 2008

I got up at twilight and had soaked in the hot spring until 8 AM. The hot spring is best in the cool morning. I got on the road just after 9. The sky was overcast and it was still cool. I can't goof off too much if I expect to get home before dark. 75 miles with a 2100 foot elevation drop.

The pipe on the left diverts the Clearwater river to a hydroelectric turbine on Toketee lake.

This huge wooden pipe diverts much of the North Umpqua river to a hydroelectric turbine.

The sky was clear for the first 5 miles going west on highway 138. But then it became "high cloudy".

Highway 138 and North Umpqua river entering the smoke zone.

Suddenly the air got very smoky and soon after that I could see the aftermath of a fire all around me. The highway just reopened a few days ago after being closed due to the fire.

The fire was mostly north of the highway, across the river in the Boulder Creek wilderness. But the fire crossed to the south of the river and highway in an area with extremely steep slopes, causing trees to fall across the highway. The highway department took down additional scorched trees that were likely to fall, but a 5-mile section is signed "no stopping" because of the danger of falling trees and rocks. The area will be prone to landslides in the next few years until the understory re-grows and stabilizes the steep slopes.

The fire caused several large trees to fall across the road into the river.

This steep unstable hillside just burned a few days ago. Fortunately the fire didn't spread to the canopy.

For a couple miles the smoke was extremely dense with bits of ash floating in the air. It was hard to keep my eyes open.

The nearby fire has increased business at the Dry Creek store.

The smoke gradually thinned as I continued downstream past the fire but it was still dense at the Dry Creek store 5 miles past the fire. The store has done good business this summer because of the nearby forest fires. Firefighters buy large quantities of fuel, tobacco and energy drinks.

Still somewhat smoky 30 miles away from the fire.

The smoke was noticeable in the sky until I got to Glide, 35 miles west of the fire. The prevailing wind is from the west. That would normally blow the smoke in the opposite direction. But today the wind is from the north, blowing the smoke far down the North Umpqua river valley. I would prefer the usual headwind to all the smoke.

Narrows of the North Umpqua river. The initial ledge drop is a class V rapid.

Colliding rivers. Little River flows in from the bottom. North Umpqua river flows in from the top.

In the town of Glide I stopped for lunch at Munchies, then turned onto North Bank road. This county road goes 17 hilly miles on the remote north bank of the North Umpqua river.

North Bank road crosses the North Umpqua river with a view of 4300 foot Scott mountain.

The scenery changes dramatically. No more steep river canyon with Douglas fir trees on the slopes. Now the valley is wide and the predominant tree is Oak. This is oak savanna, less than 1000 feet elevation. I'm out of the Cascades now.

Pasture along North Bank road. Now I'm west of the Cascades, in oak savanna of the Umpqua valley.

North Umpqua river, view from North Bank road.

North Bank road ends at highway 99 in the village of Wilbur. From there I go north 9 miles to home. The first few miles is a dreary flat area sandwiched between I-5 and a railroad track. Not exactly the highlight of the trip. Traffic and roadside debris were annoying. Then through the town of Sutherlin, over a small hill and down to Oakland.

Back home in Oakland, Oregon after 34 days on the road.

I got home at 6:30 with plenty of time to spare before dark. As expected today was warmer because I'm now in the lowlands. High of 85F. Very nice for the last day of September. I really appreciated the unseasonably warm weather for the last week of the tour.

Distance: 76.4 miles 122.3 km)

Climbing: 2189 feet (663 m)

Average speed: 11.2 mph (17.9 km/h)

Maximum speed: 35 mph (56 km/h)

Today's ride: 76 miles (122 km)
Total: 1,582 miles (2,546 km)

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