Messages

1

Pacific Northwest / Car Free Crater Lake

« on: September 19, 2014, 02:24:13 pm »

The East Rim Drive at Crater Lake National Park will be closed to car traffic tomorrow, September 20, 2014 and also September 27, 2014 from 7 am to 5 pm.  The Park Service had a similar car free day last June and plans to repeat in future years - especially the third and fourth Saturdays in September.  The idea is to encourage bicyclists and pedestrians to explore the area.  This is one of the most scenic rides in the world and that much more enjoyable without car traffic! 

The route is a 24 mile section of the paved road from Park Headquarters at Munson Valley to the north entrance.  Be aware that there are some good grades involved and you are at, round about, 7,000 feet elevation.  There is parking at the north entrance and at Park Headquarters as well as a parking lot just south of Park HQ.  These will fill up early, but if you are up to it,  you can park elsewhere and bike farther to get to the rim road.

You can bike this out and back starting at either the north entrance or Park HQ.  It would also make a great one-way trip if you have a driver that wants to explore the West Side Road and meet you at your destination.

Find details here: http://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/vehicle-free-days-on-east-rim-drive.htm

2

Urban Cycling / Klamath Falls, Oregon

« on: September 17, 2014, 08:28:29 pm »

I live in Klamath Falls, Oregon.  You don't see many bikes in town, because the separate bike trails that generally follow canals get the cyclists.  One can travel from Oregon Institute of Technology diagonally across the entire city and suburbs with short hops on city streets to get wherever you want to go.  Getting out of town is easy too since the trails connect to the OC&E Woods Line State Trail a 105 mile Rail to Trail conversion that runs from Klamath Falls eastward out into the woods.  All the trails are asphalt paved (except the OC&E past the hamlet of Olene), smooth and clean. 

Just south of town there are miles and miles of relatively flat and smooth rural roads with essentially no traffic - just for exercise. 

Winter?  Well, that's another story . . . .

3

Pacific Northwest / OC&E Trail - South Central Oregon

« on: September 17, 2014, 08:05:55 pm »

I've been documenting sections of the OC&E Trail from Klamath Falls, Oregon eastward when I get a chance.  The most recent addition to the story is the 10+ mile segment from Olene to Dairy.  Find the article at: http://explore.globalcreations.com/places/oce-woods-line-state-trail/

Has anyone here traversed the whole trail?