June 24, 2025
Day 14: Ruckles the Deer
Baker to Halfway and as it should be, Halfway is about halfway for us
Baker City was a good place to take a break. We slept well, ate well, rested well. The only downside to Monday’s zero day was the bike shop was closed. But we managed.
We ate a fine motel breakfast. The Bridge Street Inn does well for an old school motor inn. They have fresh eggs, bacon, potatoes, waffles, and assorted continental choices. It filled us up for the road ahead. We will return!
After taking the river parkway through town, we joined the official route and made our way east through the high desert. Plenty of sage brush, and I’m sure not much has changed since those early transplants following the Oregon trail.
The first 25 miles went by fast. I thought we would be in Halfway before noon and would wanna go on towards Oxbow. But then it warmed up and even on the long downhill towards Richland, we were pushing a slight upstream headwind.
We met up with Brennen. He has been traveling west on the Trans Am since April. He sees the end is near. We had a great 20-30 minute visit. We assured him he would be in Astoria within 2 weeks so he can meet his obligations to make it to school to start his phd program. When he gets to Astoria, our mutual new friend Robert whom he met on the trail will gather him up and get him to Portland so he can fly home. We parted ways each heading in opposite cardinal directions but somehow I think we are headed in the same direction of adventure.
By noon we found Richland not conducive to stopping. Nothing seemed opened. We were hot, dry and hangry. We found the Grange park and sat under the shade and finished that awesome AJ Corner Brick pizza. It was supplemented by some dry protein bars and an orange left over from breakfast. Rhonda being wiser, ran through the sprinkler before we straddled our bikes and continued east.
Soon we were on our third and longest climb of the day. It was brutal. Depending where you claim the climb started and ended, it was 5-7 miles long, climbing nearly 2000’ averaging a steady 7% grade. Nothing epic but the heat after 40 miles made it something outside of type II fun. I required several stops and considered hike a biking….but I pushed onward. And surely as Brennen said, there was a false summit, hence the inconsistency of 5-7 miles long climb.
Finally we earned the downhill. Reaching 35 mph, I wished I was unloaded on my speedy bike. With the loaded bike I worry about stopping and handling beyond 30, now 35mph. After 3 miles of bliss, signs to the junction for Halfway appeared.
Yesterday Rhonda emailed for a tent site at the hotel/rv park. I had already decided we could use some AC action and when we arrived we upgraded to one of the last available rooms. And walking into the motel, I saw the coke vending machine. I gave up sodas over 20 years ago, but after our North Carolina bike tour, I’ve found the occasional cold coke just what I need after a hot long ride.
After settling in, showering and getting our wind back, we walked to the Halfway Main Place grill. The cod fish tacos and salad were just perfect. And possibly the cheapest dinner of the trip.
Tomorrow we cross Hell’s Canyon and into Idaho, familiar territory.
54 miles. 2684’
Today's ride: 54 miles (87 km)
Total: 627 miles (1,009 km)
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