2014 Multimodal Memories

My bike on a bus on a ferry. Now that's multimodal!

When I contemplate 2014 in terms of biking, one theme overrides all others; multi modal. It is, after all, the title of my blog (which rarely gets updated but I vow to blog more often). Since I purchased my Bike Friday New World Tourist in February,  I have traveled out of Eugene more often than I would have otherwise because the folding bike was built specifically for hauling me and all my gear while easily maneuvering the bike on and off buses and trains. My other tour bike, a Koga Miyata Traveller, is much larger and weighs about 15 lbs more, so it is more difficult to lift and maneuver onto bike racks, not to mention I want to preserve the integrity of the Koga for my cross country trip I plan to take in 2017 (fingers crossed).

I went carfree in May, 2013 by donating my old 1991 Jeep Cherokee Laredo to charity (which had over 342,000 miles on it!). Since then, I found a way to get up to and/ or over the mountains to camp with my bike. We are fortunate here in Eugene to have an award winning transit system. The Lane Transit District bus 91 travels 55 miles up the McKenzie River to the base of the Cascade mountains. From the last bus stop at the McKenzie Ranger Station, it's possible to bike only about a mile to the junction of Hwy. 242, which is part of the McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway. I also easily accessed the McKenzie River Trail, as there is a connector trail just across Hwy 126 across from the ranger station. I camped at Paradise campground nearby, and at Belknap Hotsprings, where you can also rent a cabin and/or enjoy a dip in one of 2 hot spring pools.  

McKenzie Ranger Station

Bus stop at the ranger station

Getting ready to unload the bike off bus rack

Biking the McKenzie River Trail

Watching rafters on the river

Camping at Paradise campground

At the 91 bay at the Lane transit station in Eugene

Oregon Scenic Bikeway 

Snack stop at Belknap Hotsprings

Another route I have taken from Eugene to the Cascade mountains is on the bus that runs from Eugene to Bend, with a stop in Sisters. This bus leaves from the Amtrak station in Eugene, then stops at the Greyhound station before departing for Bend. The bus is a shuttle, thus it does not have bike racks. My folding bike fits in the rear luggage compartment and, once, the driver allowed me to put it over the seats. Beware; if there is a wheelchair rider, or the bus is full of people and/or luggage, a bike will not be allowed on board. I have yet to be turned away. However, on one trip, the driver did not show up and the bus was cancelled. I was offered a refund. ALWAYS have a plan B!

Waiting for the bus to Bend at the Amtrak station

Bike over seats on bus to Bend

Drop off in Sisters

On my three trips to Sisters, I was able to access McKenzie Pass from the east side, as well as the Sisters to Smith Rock Scenic Bikeway. Sisters is a small western town with great facilities, but lacks convenient bike parking. There is camping in the city RV park but it is expensive and noisy, so I prefer biking 4 miles west to Cold Springs campground or disperse camping for free in the Deschutes National Forest. For about a month in the late spring, McKenzie Pass is closed to vehicles and open only to bikes and pedestrians. It's awesome!

Biking from Sisters to Cold Springs campground

Believe it or not, this campsite is free!

Campsite at Cold Springs

Biking through the drifts toward McKenzie Pass

Almost to the pass

It's nice to run into friends!

I had a week long vacation back in June and rode from Sisters to Smith rock, then took a transit bus to Bend and biked half the Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway. I camped in a yurt at Tumalo State Park, then biked the other half the following day and rode Hwy 20 into Sisters. Once again, I camped at Cold Springs then biked across McKenzie Pass to catch the bus back to Eugene (Note: showers are available at Camp Yale on Hwy 242 for only $2 and they are nice and clean)!

Sisters to Smith Rock Scenic Bikeway

Alpacas on the way to Smith Rock

The Deschutes River and Cascade mtns 

Camping in the climbers bivouac area at Smith Rock

Sunrise at Smith Rock

Waiting for the bus at the Thriftway in Terrebonne

Aboard the transfer bus from Redmond to Bend

Cascades East Transit ticket gets you to a lot of places!

The transit station in Bend

Fresh fruit on the Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway

Camp Yale on Hwy 242

Clean shower stop!

Waiting for the bus back to Eugene

On three occasions, the driver of the bus to Bend let me off at an unscheduled stop at Santiam Junction so I could travel east on Hwy 22 towards Detroit and the Cascading Rivers Scenic Bikeway. The hiking club I belong to has a cabin on Whitewater Creek just off the Little North Santiam River. I go there frequently to meet friends during biking season. It's an awesome scenic bike ride along a beautiful river and a road with wide, smooth shoulders. There are lots of nice pit toilets in all the snow parks along the route. I rarely see other cyclists on this route. If you are reading this and live in Oregon, it's a must do! Don't miss the restaurant at Marion Forks. They have excellent burgers. They don't have wifi, but will allow you to make a phone call to check in with friends and family.  The return trip is just as incredible and I usually skip the big hill on Hwy 126 between Fish Lake and Clear Lake and take the McKenzie River Trail instead. Once at Clear Lake, I stopped for food and bike around the lake to Coldwater Cove where I join up with 126 to get back to McKenzie Bridge. The trail gets too narrow and rough for my low rear derailleur and the hwy is fun with decent shoulders.

Off the bus at Santiam Junction

Pit stop for photos

I walked out into the road to get this shot of the mountain

Beautiful river and a downhill ride

Great food stop

Yummy burger

Nice campsite at the cabin

Made it safe and sound

The start of the McKenzie River Trail near Fish Lake

Clear Lake, Middle Sister, and South Sister volcanoes

Breakfast at Clear Lake

Exiting the McKenzie River Trail

Eugene's water source, the beautiful McKenzie River

Being car free in Eugene doesn't mean you can't get out of town for bike overnights, short tours or an extended bike vacation. I have only begun to discover the byways and bike ways that are in and around Lane County. While I am limited to what I can do on a bike in the Cascades in winter, I can still take the bus over toward Sisters and Bend and rent a fat bike for snow biking. I hope to experience this at least once this winter. In the meantime, happy biking in (and out of) Eugene!