I rode the Sierra Cascades last summer. Our group did not do Windigo Pass; however, we did hear about it from southbound cyclists. And I also have a friend who did it. We went through in early July, when the mosquitos were just hatching, and heard that at that time the mosquitos in the Windigo Pass area were horrible and the surface was difficult. We went north over Crater Lake, and turned right at 138. That area seemed like practically a desert, but when I stopped at that corner to put on sunblock I was mobbed by mosquitoes.
A friend who was going south on the Sierra Cascades in late August 2010, and who, like me, generally loves to take unpaved roads, did Windigo Pass and didn't like it. He said the surface was loose and difficult. This friend and I rode cross-country in 2006, delighting in taking gravel roads instead of paved roads when we could; he is not one of those frail flowers who can't have their tires touch a piece of gravel. How are you planning to get from Crater Lake to Crescent Lake? Backtracking past the lake, or going around via Klamath Falls? I don't recommend the latter. The road from Crater Lakes to Klamath Falls is fine, but the part of 97 that we rode, from Highway 138 to Highway 58, was nothing much. It wasn't awful, and it was perfectly safe, but it was rather dreary, hot and bare. On Wed, May 15, 2013 at 8:11 AM, Joan Oppel <oppel...@verizon.net> wrote: > Oregonian Riv listers - I'm deep into planning a bike trip for late August > (more or less 23rd to 31st) and want to ride in the Cascades area. I'd > love to get feedback from folks on my proposed route, and any information > on a couple of questions. I'm going with a friend, we are NOT campers, so > motel/cabins/whatever for lodging (not picky). We're distance bikers used > to climbing (in the East), who love to stop and take in scenery, take > pictures, picnic, etc. We don't mind long days, and are more interested in > the day's journey than the end location. I've identified places to stay > for each overnight, and we'll carry enough water and food for each day (if > no services available). Oh, because of my friend's work schedule and > family stuff, we've really only got 7 days for biking, though might be able > to squeeze one more in if we can get exactly right flight timing. > > Here's our proposal (mileages are somewhat approximate though I've checked > online mapping programs in detail so I think estimates are close): > Rainbow to Oakridge (Auferheide Hwy) - 64 miles > Oakridge to Diamond Lake (I know it's part highway) - 86 > Diamond Lake to Crater Lake Mazama or Lodge - 42-50 > Crater Lake to Crescent Lake - 70 > Crescent Lake to Bend (Cascades Scenic Hwy) - 75 > Bend to Sisters - 30 > Sisters to Rainbow - 45 > > Questions - > Does anyone have information about Windigo Pass Road between Crescent Lake > and Diamond Lake? Web research leads to a report of a touring cyclist who > turned back because he thought it wasn't doable. But I'm wondering. Have > also read 3 trip descriptions of cyclists who did the Hwy 97 & Hwy 138 > sections and found them doable, if not as fun as the more rural roads for > other sections of this same tour. > > Is doing Cascades Scenic Hwy in one day shortchanging the route, that is, > not leaving enough time to enjoy the scenery. There is at least one place > to stay (cabins at a campground) midway between Crescent Lake & Bend. > Staying there would mean we'd probably not overnight in Bend, but go on to > Sisters for the overnight. Do we miss a great overnight in Bend or do we > give more time to the scenic ride? > > Any suggestions for places to stay in Bend or Sisters? > Your feedback is much much appreciated, > Joan > > Who has biked a lot in the west: across Washington State, Sierra Mountains > in Nevada, across all of southern Utah so if this part of Oregon is > anything like any of those places, I'd have an idea of what to expect. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en-US. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- -- Anne Paulson My hovercraft is full of eels -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en-US. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
