rod mclaughlin

Over the Siskiyous (01 apr 09)

How to bike from California to Oregon without going on the freeway

From Yreka, highway 3 east to Montague. Turn left, go north fourteen miles to Hornbrook. Lovely farmlands with views of mountains all around. Through the poor but honest hamlet of Hornbrook north, cross over the freeway. Don't take Cottonwood Rd. right, go straight on through horsey farmlands. Birds of all shapes and sizes. A flock of little yellow birds landed in the bushes. It's spring.

A branch forks left: take the right branch. Up and down, mostly up. After maybe ten miles, with views of valleys, mountains and trucks coming down the freeway south, to your east, you come to a T junction. Turn right. You soon come to a fork. Take the right fork. This takes you down through farmlands and running water to Hilt.

It was during this stage that I saw in the distance a stretch of freeway much higher than me, and thought I was looking at the north side of the Siskiyou Pass from Oregon. A quick check of the compass showed otherwise - it was the south side, I was still in California, I'd set of from Yreka at midday, and it was March 31st. There was another big cliimb ahead of me. I would be riding in the dark - which is not dangerous on a deserted road, but slow. There was a half moon, giving a little light.

Down into the small village of Hilt. Cross railroad. Turn left (north). A sign says the road may be closed 1¼ miles ahead in Oregon because of snow. It's misleading - Oregon is a lot further than 1¼ miles. Another long climb, leaving farmlands behind. After dark, I reached a fork. There were prayer flags by the side of the road. I thought the brightly lit building I could see ahead of me might be the Ashland Ski Resort, but then I noticed the freeway high above me to the east, and read the signs on the road by headlamp. The road signs said 'Temple Drive' and 'Nepal Road'. The building is some sort of Buddhist type of thing. Instead of Nirvana, I took the left fork which led up another long climb.

I couldn't find anywhere to camp. Either it was farmland, or it  was so high I didn't want to camp because of the cold. Most of the way I could ride, but sometimes I had to push because my gears weren't low enough and I was getting tired. Up and up. Eventually, you are looking down on the Siskiyou Pass on the freeway, where truckers pull over for a break. Red lights on top of TV towers are below you. You are at nearly 5000 ft..

The whole area between Ashland and Weed must be the size of Southern England, but has a few thousand instead of thirty million people. The Siskiyou mountain range shields the south side from the damp north-west wind. It's within easy reach of everywhere because the I-5 freeway runs right through it. I want to live here.

I often saw rain in the distance, but luckily didn't encounter any myself. The wind was strong up here. This is only to be expected when you climb a hill from the south when there is a north wind. There was snow at the side of the road. Then I ran into the paved (ashphalt) Colestin Road, and made a slight right turn onto it. This goes past the ski resort and reaches a T junction. Took a left, and this led under the freeway onto old Highway 99 which leads down to Ashland, Oregon. Big coat, gloves, balaclava, two football shirts - but I was still cold. Then I saw what I thought was a gas station - just right for a cup of cocoa from a machine, which I would never drink normally because it is about 50% sugar, but on bike tours, it's OK, particularly bike tours over mountain ranges at night. However, it wasn't a gas station, but Callahans Lodge, a luxury ski resort with a hot tub in every room. I talked them down to $100. My electronic key wouldn't open the door, but the owner, Donna, happened to be walking past, and she sorted it out. I made Ramen noodles in the microwave, and jumped in the tub. I looked at the weather forecast. Whichever route I took to Portland 350 miles north, I'd encounter rain and snow. I rode down the hill to Medford. It was spring in the Central Valley, early spring on the south side of the SIskiyous, and winter on the north side. It would have been freezing to ride down last night, and just as expensive to stay in Ashland in an inferior hotel. I rented a car. Now I'm back in Portland.

Portland

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