Up at 5.a.m. again. It is the only way to beat the heat! I stopped for breakfast, along with about two table loads of other cyclists in Dayville. I had my two eggs cooked over easy, my bacon crispy, wheat toast and a biscuit! (scone).
It was then down hill into the pits of a canyon again!, this one is famous for its fossils. The river running through is called the John Day River, after an early fur trapper - in fact most places in the area bare his name in some form.
Fellow cyclist Nat and I took the two mile diversion to visit the visitor centre near the fossil beds. The animal and plant remains recall a time, when this arid region was a tropical jungle inhabited by the rhinoceros, saber-toothed tiger, giant sloth, and the miniature forerunner of today's horse. Volcanic action and lava flow has meant that deposits were carried to this area.
We also visited a ranch house, which had been run by a Scottish immigrant.I realy liked the large wooden barn, which had a large area devoted to very small pens, in which newly born lambs were placed with their mothers until they had bonded. Most people in this area have Scottish ancestry and apparently, bagpipes were played here until the 1950's.
It was then a long hot cycle upwards.The town of Dayville is 1,000 ft. above sea level, and the top of the pass was over 4,300 ft.!
Camped in the park in the small village of Mitchell, along with other cyclists. There was one café/bar. BUT - they had run out of beer! Two minibus loads of thirsty geology students come into town each evening! I had to referee a discussion between them on the proper method of making a cup of tea!
No comments:
Post a Comment