Cycling from Sisters offers scenery, exercise.Byline: The Register-Guard If you're looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. some good bicycle riding away from the Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley (pronounced [wɪˈlæ.mɪt], with the accent on the second syllable) is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its with its pollen and intermittent wet weather that sometimes seems scheduled just for the weekend, or if you just want a change of scenery, you can find some great cycling country just across the Cascades around Sisters. Sisters may not guarantee dry weather, but that high central Oregon Central Oregon is a geographical region lying near the center of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is commonly considered to include Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Primary cities in Central Oregon are La Pine, Sunriver, Bend, Redmond, Madras, and Prineville. country with its clear air and breathtaking scenery presents a nice change from the valley, and it's only a couple of hours away. Here are two great rides that start in Sisters. The first, a fairly easy 46-mile out-and-back, goes around Black Butte Black Butte may refer to:
a commercial establishment dedicated to the hatching of bird eggs to provide day old chicks and poults to the poultry industry. hatchery liquid the contents of unfertilized eggs. Used in petfood manufacture. . The second will take you up the old McKenzie Highway to the pass and back. The first ride begins near the east end of Sisters, by Sisters Elementary School elementary school: see school. . Look for North Locust locust, in botany locust, in botany, any species of the genus Robinia, deciduous trees or shrubs of the family Leguminosae (pulse family) native to the United States and Mexico. Street and start heading north out of town. North Locust soon turns into a nice country road going out past the Sisters airport. Somewhere along the way, Locust turns into Camp Polk Camp Polk may refer to
Turn left onto Road 11 and go a few yards to Highway 20 and turn right (west). Unfortunately, you have to ride about 4 miles along this heavy-traffic, high-speed section of highway. The shoulder is fairly narrow, so be sure to wear highly visible clothing. Look for signs indicating the Metolius River, Camp Sherman, etc. and turn right (east). After 2 1/2 miles, veer to the right onto Road 14. Another mile and a half brings you to the headwaters of the Metolius. Even if you've seen it before, you'll want to pull in and see where the Metolius River surges out of the base of Black Butte, a fully formed river launching out from a quiet hillside and winding away across a glade. Another 6 1/2 miles brings you to the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery. The falls, which once flowed out of another spring and into the river, now provide a source of fresh cold water for the hatchery. But there is a very fine ledge falls where the bluish blu·ish also blue·ish adj. Somewhat blue. blu  ish·ness n. green Metolius shoots through a
slot just upstream from the bridge that crosses to the hatchery.
The hatchery provides a great place to take a rest and look at the huge fish in the settling pond. The hatchery doesn't offer any food (except some rather smelly pellets to feed the fish), so bring something to eat or head back to Camp Sherman, where you'll find a market and the Kokanee kokanee Noun a freshwater salmon of lakes and rivers in W North America [after Kokanee Creek, in British Columbia] Cafe with its elegant menu. Overall, this ride drops only 500 feet in elevation from a high point near Black Butte to the fish hatchery, and of course you'll have to climb to get back to Sisters. However, there are a few minor climbs that will lift your heart rate and reward you with terrific views of Cascade peaks. Mid-June is a good time for the ride from Sisters to the McKenzie Pass. If you time it right, the road will be closed to auto traffic and cars will be sparse on the highway and nonexistent non·ex·is·tence n. 1. The condition of not existing. 2. Something that does not exist. non beyond the gate. However, cyclists can get around the gate with little difficulty, and in June the road will likely be clear all the way to the pass. Just take the scenic Old McKenzie Highway 242 west out of Sisters and ride 13 miles to the pass. This is a great workout, a chance to get those climbing muscles exercised over a long, steady pull to Windy Point, where you get a terrific view of Mount Washington and the expanse of lava from Belknap Craters. From Windy Point, you get a little break as you ride through forests, alongside and through lava flows on the final few miles and climb to the summit at 5,325 feet. With no cars, the pass is a greater treat than usual. You'll want to take in Dee Wright Observatory with its views of the lava flows and Cascade volcanoes, or just ride around the pass area and enjoy the amazing high altitude air. If you've ridden your mountain bike, you may be able to explore some of the trails and roads that cross the highway in that area. If you've been riding only in the Willamette Valley lately, expect to take a little time to get your lungs used to the higher altitude. Also, even if it's warm in Sisters, at 3,100 feet, after climbing 2,200 feet, you'll probably need a windbreaker or jacket when you get to the pass. A great plus for both of these rides is that you'll end up back in Sisters, where you can relax, remember the great ride and replenish your energy with some good carbs at one of the many eating places. John Aeby, a Eugene-area freelance writer, can be reached at coaster_john@hotmail.com. |
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