It was nice thinking about the time I spent with Folker at Paradise Campground a few years ago, it was our second night of many together. The time at Campsite 6 is when he really showcased his lightweight camping chair and emphasized the importance of such a valuable piece of equipment on a bikepacking adventure. Just one of many tips he has given me over the years.

It felt really nice this morning as the temperature was the lowest it has been on this trip making the morning such a pleasant cycling experience. I headed out before the crack of dawn with the mission of finding the Aufderheide Scenic Byway.

Once at Cougar Reservoir, I realized that I have seen this before. Then the entire day I was trying to figure out which way I rode it with Cycle Oregon in 2019. To not be too suspenseful, we road it in the opposite direction from Oakridge to Rainbow.

Just before the Terwilliger Hot Springs, a young man called out from behind. He was moving out in Teva style sandals on a new light weight road bike. He was all smiles as he said he just got this beauty last week. I asked him when he started riding bikes and guess what his answer was? Yep, last week. He was cruising up to a trail head and then turning back so I got to see him once more before he pushed on back down the hill.

The 25 mile climb today was on a smooth road with only a couple cars passing by all while remaining shaded. The conditions were as perfect as anyone could ask for all things considered. I took numerous breaks and kept on keeping on until it was time to enjoy the gradual descent that followed.

I was fortunate to have had those conditions because once off the scenic byway, the sun was in full force making the last climb up and over into Oakridge more challenging than necessary. All that was soon forgotten once I received tons of help from a nice older lady sitting outside of the town museum.

She set me off in the right direction to find accommodations and also told me all about the route I would be on tomorrow. It was so nice to have any intelligence offered all while hearing a great story about the one time she drove her jeep on the route as her husband was not being a good right seater! He just could not trust her when she said she knew exactly where she was going and there was no need to ask anyone else for directions. They are no longer married, but I really doubt this was the root cause of their doomed marriage, just saying.