Part 1 – The Oregon Outback, It’s Out There

3 Days Out

I want to start off by saying unfortunately 3 days before we left my helmet was stolen off my bike. Who does that?? I am very glad they didn’t get my bike, and they tried, (my commuter bike: New Albion Starling) but I never would have expected someone to take a helmet as a consolation prize! They also managed to take a bag and a bungee net but those are the sorts of things I expect to disappear eventually.  Fortunately I do work with a bike shop (A Convenient Cycle) who has an overabundance of affordable helmets at the moment so I was able to scrounge up another helmet relatively quickly, but it was definitely not something I had been planning to spend my last few days doing!

2 Days Out

Andrew of course was jealous of my new helmet dilemma and decided to one up me and take a tumble on a group ride 2 days before we left. So after hitting his head he also needed a new helmet. He opted to buy the same make and model of his old one returning to River City for a new helmet the day before we left. (I don’t know the specific model of mine since it disappeared on me). Fortunately he seems mostly unscathed from his tumble aside from some scratches and bruises and a sore elbow that he says won’t stop him. Maybe he’s putting on a tough show out of determination…..

Hopefully we got all the bad juju out of the way.

“No Crashies. No Flatties. No Whammies!”

Day: 0 – Go By Train

Distance: 8.9 miles (8.9 total)
Portland to Klamath Falls (via Amtrak)

The morning for us was pretty chill. We finished packing and did a mini shakedown ride to lunch (mileage included in daily count).

Finally it was late enough for us to reasonably head to Union Station. This trip was actually our first time taking our solo bikes on the Amtrak. We booked our tickets pretty far in advance to make sure we would be able to snag some of the limited bike tickets and cheaper fare and then waited for the day to come. The scheduled train service was boarding at 2:20pm, with an arrival in Klamath Falls set for 10:00pm.

Riding to Union Station was a simple enough task. We even spotted Austin just outside the train station arriving only moments before us. What timing!

The check-in process was pretty smooth; they gave us tags for our bikes and we waited for the train itself to arrive. Unfortunately they did make us take off not just our paniers, but also our handlebar bags and saddlebags. I was very thankful they said I could keep the “triangle” bag on referring to my frame bag. It wasn’t fun carrying everything from the front of the train where our bikes were stored to the back where our seats were located, but we managed.

On board the train ride was lovely. Trains have so much more room than planes that Austin joked they accidentally gave us first class seats instead of coach.

The train ride itself was about 8 hours. While the train had an observation car with tables and big windows, we didn’t feel like fighting for chairs so we mostly hung out in our seats at the very back of the train. We chatted, read books (I just got a copy of Wildwood from the library, prepping for the upcoming movie!), napped, and ate lots of food and snacks.  The views were pretty spectacular as well!

Our train did leave a little late but managed to make up for lost time. The train had to slow down once for a passing freight train but surprisingly we made it to Klamath Falls a little early! Amtrak’s are notorious for being late so we laughed every time they made an announcement about how long until the next stop: “We think we’ll probably maybe arrive in about an hour-ish”. I think they could have fit a few more softener words in there.

With the late night arrival we opted to book a cheap hotel (Townhouse Inn & Suites) for our first night of the trip. It was 4 miles from the train station and we were pleasantly surprised that we could take a bike path the majority of the way. The path was near a creek and we enjoyed a symphony of frogs and crickets as we pedaled along.

It felt good to be riding. Spirits were high and we were all excited to start riding the next day.

By the Numbers:

Ice Creams consumed each to: 0 – I’m disappointed in Amtrak for not having an ice cream machine, even submarines get ice cream machines apparently!
Reptiles spotted: 0
Discarded Beer Cans: 0
Other Bike Tourers: 0
Bike mechanical: 1 – Andrew dropped a chain already, front derailleur probably got bumped in transit

Day: 1 – OC&E Woods Line State “Trail”
Saturday, May 23, 2026

Distance: 63.5 miles (72.4 total)
Klamath Falls to Foster Field (Link to Route)

Not having to strike down a camp site sure makes the morning go faster. We got on the road around 8am. The first bit of the route is a paved pedestrian bike path out of town and there was a decent amount of folks out for a morning stroll. We wished good morning to everyone and them to us. It reminded me of the opening scene of Beauty and the Beast, but sadly no one broke out in song.

Once the pavement ended the trail was a real mixed-bag of gravel surfaces. Parts would be the coveted champagne gravel but most was sandy or chunky or slooshy-that’s a technical term.

The scenery was lovely and it was magical watching the prairie dogs (or prairie dog adjacent critters) skittering about in and out of the holes that we would later curse them for having left in the trail. Sagebrush lined the trail radiating lovely smells as it scratched our exposed ankles and calves.

We got to the top of “Switchback Hill” right around lunch and found a perfect spot for a long lunch break. There were some lovely picnic tables with one still in the shade, a gentle breeze, an amazing view and a convenient pit toilet. What a find!

After lunch we had a section with a higher than normal amount of cow gates. Most people complain about the nuisance but I thought they created nice natural regroup points for our riding party. I also felt like the terrain shifted after every gate so I started treating them like new levels in a game. 

Some levels were smooth and scenic, and the upcoming gate would be a bad omen, but some levels were so slooshy or hole covered that the gate in the distance would bring hope of something different. Sometimes the trail was so overgrown you could barely make out the path – those levels truly made me feel like an adventurer!

One particularly hard level was guarded by cows. A little nervous to cause a stampede we tried to shoo them from the opposite side of the gate.  Two cattlemen rode up (later Austin was chatting with someone who told him that’s their preferred gender neutral term for “cowboy”).  They told us not to fret about worrying the cows and let us pet their horses while they were already stopped! That level, on top of the too close cows came with several fresh cow pies. Gross. If that wasn’t enough it was chunky rock and had massive craters that you would think someone had blasted dynamite with! (The prairie dogs are really advanced out here!)

As we neared Beatty we realized we’d have an opportunity for a detour with a store stop. Ice cream is on the menu! We reveled in the smooth pavement of the road to town and stocked up on fluids and of course ice cream.

After lunch Andrew saw that there was a paved road alternative to bypass some of the slooshy trail we had been on so we utilized that for a bit. The smooth pavement was nice but the asphalt was so hot and while there wasn’t a lot of shade on the trail, there was none on the road.

After reconnecting with the trail, Austin noticed a gravel road running parallel to the trail. He and Andrew opted to take the faster road, but I wanted to stay on the trail where it felt cooler to me. I was only marginally slower than them but we regrouped whenever the gravel road crossed the trail. 

Eventually the side road disappeared and we found ourselves all back on the trail. Some levels were nice again and we were able to easily chat. Others were bumpy, fishtail inducing sandy lava rock. I got really good at sliding. *Insert sliding sound effect here*

We eventually made it into forest land where we knew there were legal bush camping opportunities as well as a creek. With the heat of the day getting to us, the mission became “get in the creek”. We found a spot that had decent enough access, set our bikes down and cooled off in the stream. It worked wonders on our weary muscles. And it was nice to wash a lot of the dust off-we had some pretty intense dirt tans! Although I did get pinched by a crawdad in the creek, so rude!

By the time we got out of the creek it was 7pm, and where we were had some flat-ish areas for tents. Our weary muscles couldn’t ask for a better spot to camp.  We set up right there, made dinner, chatted for a bit and fell asleep nice and early thanks to all the hard work we had put in.

By the Numbers:

Ice Creams consumed (each): 1
Reptiles spotted (collectively): 23 – all lizards except one snake….I may just count snakes from here on because that was too many to keep track of…. Honestly there was probably more
Discarded Beer Cans: 1 – Bud Light maybe? It was really faded
Other Bike Tourers: 5
Bike Mechanical: 2 – Andrew has got to hold on to his chain better! (3 total)

Day: 2 – Let’s Pave the Way
Sunday, May 24, 2026

Distance: 73.9 miles (146.3 total)
Foster Field to Fort Rock Tavern (Link to Route)

Several of the tourers we had seen had asked us our plans for an upcoming blow-down section with downed trees. I guess we hadn’t done enough research because we hadn’t been planning to detour off the trail. But, the “level” just before the aforementioned section had enough downed trees (2 walked around, 2 carried over) for us to heed their warnings and opt to take a detour. We saw a a dirt road that cut up to Ivory Pine Road bypassing the last 4ish miles of the OC&E Trail that intersects with the Outback route.

We turned onto the road and right out of the gate it was steep and sandy. I was already questioning our decision. Andrew, slightly ahead, promised us it gets better just up the first ridge so we trudged upward on foot.

It did get a little better and we were able to get back on the bikes but then it got a lot worse. We were all pushing our bikes at a slugs pace hoping we didn’t loose focus and have our bike roll down the hill. I tried to convince myself the beautiful wildflowers made it worth it. But as I caught up to the other two at the top of the hill I exclaimed “there must be hundreds, no thousands of downed trees on that path we skipped for this to be worth it!”

We carried on across the plateau enjoying those wildflowers a little more now that we were riding and not pushing. Then at our turn onto Ivory Pine Road we discovered a paved road! What a relief. Our choice to detour was feeling a little better. Then, a downhill. The most glorious downhill one could imagine after that gruesome climb. Moods took a complete 180. I was no longer upset about our decision, in fact I was happy for it. A few downed trees would be enough to justify the detour.

We stopped for second breakfast at the Horseglade trailhead, complete with picnic tables and a pit toilet; so fancy. As we made our way out of the trailhead area we passed by the other end of the OC&E trail we had bypassed. We took one look at the tree covered path and were VERY happy we suffered through that hill for the detour. There is a lot of cleanup to do on that last 3-4 miles of trail!

We got to enjoy smooth pavement for about 15 wonderful miles, catching up on miles and enjoying the chance to focus less and ride three abreast. Eventually the gravel did return but it was standard road gravel, mostly smooth, but some sections did have some intense washboard. 

As the morning wore on we enjoyed the scenery, even if it was through a burned area, there were still lots of new growth and flowers. We also yoyo’d with another tourer, Robyn from Portland, chatting with her every once in a while. She had reservations for that steak at the famous Cowboy Dinner Tree tonight and basically planned the whole bikepacking trip around the diner- I hope she enjoys her massive steak!

We pushed on to Thompson Reservoir for lunch and a chance to dip our legs in the lake. Cold water can do wonders on your morale. By this time it was becoming apparent that Andrew was struggling with food more than normal as he was barely able to finish his half of the beans and a few other snacks without getting queasy.

The boys were getting sick of gravel so they planned to deviate a bit and ride on Silver Lake Road. I had already set my heart on a burger and fries at the tavern in Fort Rock for dinner, so nervous about time, I was happy to oblige to the paved detour.

Silver Lake Road had some really annoying and big gaps every 30 or so feet that had had several patch attempts that failed. We occasionally had things bounce out of our bags or our paniers would come unhooked on some of the bigger gaps as we Thudded over each one. We later realized one of Austin’s paniers had also broke likely from one of the massive thuds caused by those gaps. Talking to some of the other tourers later who took this route as well, this was probably the bumpiest section of the whole route – and it was paved!

Thankfully we crossed into a different management area so the pavement smoothed out as we crested the plateau. The views were absolutely stunning. It was amazing how vast the landscape was. The sweet downhill may have contributed to the good emotions as well.

We rolled into Silverlake in good spirits. We grabbed a few meals and snacks at the store and rested a bit before carrying on.

The stretch between Silverlake and Fort Rock was all sun. The afternoon heat was definitely getting to Andrew. Fortunately the gravel itself was some of the best riding of the trip. There were a few more cars on this stretch but we still mostly had this portion to ourselves.

When Fort Rock (the geological feature) came into view in the distance we all got a woosh of excitement. It is a really cool, really big rock after all. With the motivation of the iconic rock, and somewhere cool to sit, Andrew kept trying to push through his pain but ended up with terrible leg cramps 5 miles from town. After pausing in the shade of a single road sign for a few minutes he felt like he could push on to the Fort Rock tavern: The Waterin’ Hole.

The restaurant was great albeit they were out of a lot of things including the burger and fries I had been looking forward to. Austin and I ended up with chicken tenders and tater-tots, and Andrew had a grilled cheese and tots that he wasn’t able to finish despite taking a very long time. He was really struggling with it and feeling nauseous.

The Waterin’ Hole also has camping out back for $20/each which was super convenient for all of us albeit a little pricey for what it was. We ended the day wondering what tomorrow may bring and if Andrew would feel better or if he was too sick to carry on. We’re unsure if he’s suffering from heat exhaustion, or maybe nausea from the tumble he took on his bike Wednesday. Maybe it’s a little bit of both.

By the Numbers:

Ice Creams consumed (each): 1 – well technically we had icee pops because it’s what they had. But still counts! (2 total)
Reptiles spotted: 4 – 3 lizards 1 snake (27 total)
Discarded Beer Cans: 7 – at least one was a Keystone , but they seemed to be mostly Coors (8 total)
Other Bike Tourers: 1 (6 total)
Bike Mechanical: 2 – I lost a screw holding one of my front fork water bottle cages, and my nalgene was hanging upside down! Thankfully Andrew had a spare screw; Austin’s panier clip broke on one of the big bumps on the paved road, fortunately he was able to support it with a Paracord strap. (5 total)

Day: 3 – Morning – Abort Mission
Monday, May 25, 2026

Distance: 3.9 miles (150.2 total)
Fort Rock Tavern to Fort Rock and Back (Link to Route)

Welp. Overnight Andrew had a serious dizzy spell getting out of the tent and come morning still couldn’t eat much of the oatmeal for breakfast. The next 70 mile stretch is known to be some of the harder and most remote miles on the route with no reliable access to water or cell service. With that in mind Andrew opted to throw in the towel in Fort Rock; riding into the remote, no-water segment while already feeling weak was not the responsible choice and would put everyone in a more dangerous position.

We all spent some time figuring out our options and how we might rescue Andrew. Our last resort was to have Austin and me ride over to a nearby U-Haul center and pay the one way rate to get us all back to Portland. Fortunately we didn’t need to do that as we had some friends camping a few hours away near Sisters who were able to move stuff around between vehicles in their group to clear up space and come to the rescue! Huge shout out to Erin and Jonathan and all their crew!!

While we waited for our saviors, Andrew decided he had just enough strength for the 4 mile unloaded ride over to Fort Rock, the geological feature. While riding unloaded to Fort Rock, he confirmed he was making the right decision to not continue on the Outback route as that short stretch was still a bit of a struggle for him. Honestly Fort Rock looked more impressive from a distance, but it was still really neat to walk the inside of the giant rock ring for a little bit.

Our original plan was for everyone to bail with Andrew, but our saviors told us when they were on their way that they only had room for one bike and one human. So after a lot of mixed emotions, Austin and I decided to carry on in the afternoon. There was a small scramble as Andrew tried to share all of the planning information he had built up and I tried to figure out how I would carry the stove, fuel, and other cooking implements Andrew had been carrying. Good thing I brought the paniers with extra room!

By the Numbers

Ice Creams consumed (each): 0 (2 total)
Reptiles spotted: 0 (27 total)
Discarded Beer Cans: 0 (8 total)
Other Bike Tourers: 0 (6 total)
Bike Mechanical: 0 (5 total)