Day 1: Baker City to Halfway

Today’s Highlights:

I woke up at 4:00 this morning, but stayed in my warm sleeping bag until 5am. Breakfast was at 5:30 in the dark, with the temp around 38. After breakfast and packing, I started the ride a little before 7:00, bundled up for the 40 degree clear morning. After a short ride through town and passed some ranches, we turned onto RT 89 and followed it all the way into Halfway Oregon. It was a beautiful ride though vast open terrain of dry high desert hills. Often we looked down onto lush irrigated farms in the valleys, and we had a long stretch riding in a canyon along the Powder River. There was a short climb or two in the morning, then about 20 miles of downhill to and along the river until we reached the little town of Richland (population 131) for lunch. Immediately after lunch, at mile 40, we climbed an 8-mile hill. It was quite a challenge for me. I used to climb better, but now it is harder. I was really happy to see the top, and then flying down the other side into the little town of Halfway was really fun. Halfway Oregon is incredibly beautiful – a little lush valley surrounded by pine-covered foothills and towering mountains. The population is 110.

Pictures Of The Day:
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Statistics:
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Check out Cycle Oregon Classic Day 1 on Relive! https://www.relive.cc/view/1845989233