I ate a late lunch at the BBQ Barn in Estacada yesterday where their slogan is “Slow and Low.” I did indeed feel really slow afterwards and did not even eat dinner as I was full as a tick. Unfortunately, skipping dinner is never smart as I need all the calories I can get as these days on this route will be long and hard. I honestly feel I paid for this today.

I left just around official sunrise this morning with much cooler temperatures than yesterday and I found myself throughly enjoying the views offered by the Clackamas River. The highlight of the morning was when I spotted three Ospreys hovering above the jeep track I was riding down. As soon as I noticed them, I looked down towards the river and noticed a concrete-sided fish ladder that looked more like a canal that went on and on.

Apparently, it was reported by the Oregonian in 1961 that the North Fork Fish Ladder was the highest and second longest in the world. At two miles, it is definitely something that has the Ospreys’ attention. It reminded me of the Grizzles that wait for the Salmon to jump out of the water on their way up waterfalls in Alaska. Easy pickings I suppose. Lucky birds.

Today was all about the climb after leaving the Clackamas River. To be frank, I may have had my bottom spanked a little. It was just relentless as I had already been on a slight climb from the beginning of the day.

Just before the gradient started getting steeper for the next 15 miles, I ran into Brendon, a cyclist on Day 10 on this particular route headed Northbound. He had some good intel about this route and The Oregon Outback. Double bonus. He is a seasoned rider and such a kind soul. Seems the trail has definitely been treating him with the respect he deserves.

During the entire ride today, it was amazing to see the contrast between a landscape with fire damage versus one without. The burned landscape has a beauty of its own as the purple Fireweed is so abundant after such an event and offers such a stark contrast to the burnt landscape.

After the slog of the relentless climb that included both cycling and pushing of the War Dog, I finally made it to the second summit and down I came. The sun had came out near the last summit and the gravel was pristine, so down I came all the way to Detroit where my campsite at the State Park was waiting for me with open arms. So much gratitude for hard days like today, it will only make me stronger, yes indeed.