Showing posts with label biking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biking. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Other rides


Pictured: Bald Eagle, Sunriver, Or.

These other bicycling trails in the Pacific Northwest have been recommended, but I have not had a chance to ride them yet:
Sauvie Island (road) is a 12 mile loop with side trips available, near Portland, Or.
Deschutes River Trail (mt.) from Bend, Or. to Sunriver, Or (10 1/2 mi.). Out-and-back trail.
McKenzie River Trail (mt.) east of Eugene, Or. South half easy, north half tough out-and-back trail. 26 1/2 total one way. South terminus is near McKenzie Bridge and north terminus is at Clear Lake in the Willamette Nat'l Forest.
Willamette Middle Fork Trail (mt.) south of Oakridge, Or. is an out-and-back (27 total mile one way) trail beginning at the south end of Hills Creek Reservoir (Sand Prairie Campground). Jurisdiction is Willamette N.F.

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"(mott section) umpqua river"/ "riverside"


Pictured: N. Umpqua River (Mott Segment).......100 more photos here.The Mott segment of the North Umpqua (River) Trail, east of Glide, Oregon, can be used in conjunction with the Riverview Trail for a 12 mile mountain bike loop. Note that to complete the loop about a 1/2 mile ride west on Rt. 138 is necessary to pickup the Riverview Trail westbound. Also about a mile westbound (at the end of the ride) on paved Rt. 138 from the Bogus Creek Campground back to your vehicle, which should be parked at the Wright Creek Bridge.
Don't miss the Bogus Creek Camp turn-off on Riverside Trail!
Due to heavy vegetation, I would wear long pants and shirt for this loop. The Mott section is narrow and rough and damp.
If this loop is not enough, the Panther segment of the North Umpqua Trail meets the Mott, traveling eastbound. Other good options for lengthening the ride would be a ride on paved Forest Rd. #38 to see Little Falls and Steamboat Falls.
For the 12 mile loop we parked at Wright Creek trail head, went east on "Mott" and west on Riverview.
Pick up good informational brochures "North Umpqua Trail" and "Thundering Waters" at the North Umpqua Ranger Station Colliding Rivers Information Center, just east of Glide. Sections or all of this trail system may be closed much of the year, (due to weather, rock slides, fire, etc.) so check with the Info. Center before riding (or hiking).

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

"siltcoos lake", "eel lake"

Siltcoos Lake loop trail (fee area), south of Florence, Oregon is neat but short (4.3 mi./ mt. bike) trail. There are a lot of wild mushrooms to see in the fall on the trail. DON'T DRINK THE WATER IN SILTCOOS LAKE! Wm. Sullivan's book (mentioned in "Blacklock Point") has a good description. It's a hiking book but the bicycle ride is the same.
Ditto the neat and short for Eel Lake (6 mi/ out-and-back), also technically a hiking trail. Just yield to hikers. The hopeful plan is for the trail to eventually circle the entire lake, situated in Tugman State Park, near Reedsport.
I recommend both of these for 1 day, with a 25 mile drive on scenic Rt. 101 between.

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Thursday, July 9, 2009

"row river"

The Row River Trail (road bike) near Cottage Grove, Or. is suggested as a mountain bike route. Wrong, it's paved! It's a nice, easy 25 mile out-and-back. Or it can be a loop (my preference) of about the same distance. The trail begins in Cottage Grove and traverses nice country to Dorena. We began at the Mosby Bridge Trailhead. Access is via Row River Rd. in Cottage Grove. The loop option entails turning south at Dorena to Shoreview Drive westbound. Turn left at Garoutte Rd. and right at Mosby Creek Rd. back to your vehicle. There are historic covered bridges to see on the route, if you like that. Not much climbing, good touring. A good resource is American Trails. They do list it as a road ride at least.

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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

intro w/ "blacklock point"

Well, I used to live near Moab, Ut. and in Fruita, Co. Any fat tire peeps who know those areas can understand that I am disappointed in Oregon bicycling trails. It's all green! Oh well, I'm a desert rat. Still, we found a few tracks to enjoy.

Blacklock Point Trail (9 mi. loop/ mt. bike) near Port Orford, Or. can be ridden during dry seasons. It starts in woodlands near a rural airport, continues to scenic bluffs above the Pacific Ocean, and then drops to ocean beach level dunes, where there may be windsurfers on Floras Lake. Mr. Sullivan has a good route description in his hiking guide (ISBN 978-09677830-2X, Navillus Press). There is also a waterfall, he says. I haven't found it yet. Good luck! O.K., so go around again.

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Leif Erickson Trail (22 mi. out-and-back/ mt. bike) is discussed on my bicycling website. It works for hiking, running too.

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