We gobbled up some fantastic granola and Liam and I packed up our bikes while dad threw down the tent and tried to get the car started. He had to get a jump from our neighbor, but it all worked out. As he drove off leaving us to it, he gave some sly advice through the window, like "Don't do anything stupid."
Breezey found a new friend and like dogs, they sniffed eachother's rear.
Liam and I rode out and made our way to town and then turned at the main intersection where a large painted hand pointed to the North Cascades highway. A quick stop at the bike store for air and then we went for it. Mostly on 20, and some on a side road, we were in Mazama within the hour. A firefighter stood by a map and billboard where curious people asked him questions. The diamond creek fire was only 15 miles north of here.
We had a banana and loaded back up again. From here on out, it was up. Slow going with gear again, but a good feeling to back to it again.
Road was well kept. A decent amount of traffic, it being the weekend, so Liam and I made tracks towards a campground where I had told my buddies to meet us- the welcoming committee. Lluc and Evan both got days off from thier work and were bringing bikes to ride alongside.
The road was smoky. I knew we were in the cascades but it was hard to tell- the steep hillsides and peaks were only vague silhouettes.
Wore dust masks to keep out the smoke while huffing and puffing uphill. Makes my beard rather wet but I think it does help.
Felt like surgians on bikes... Found camp around 2 and nabbed a great spot by a rushing creek. We spent the afternoon chewing sunflower seeds and stacking rocks by the creek. Very cold water.
We were just getting hungry enough to start cooking something ourselves when Lluc and Evan pulled up. Real good to see em, and lo and behold, another one pops out of the car! Ian, (a friend of Evan's he had met in Cleveland while riding his bike from Boston to Milwuake) had hitchhiked all the way to Seattle and had been shanghaied to come along that morning. He was a nice chap (with an English accent) and agreed to drive the car while we all biked.
Dinner was an assortment of pre-made items from PCC and it was great. Hung out by the river talking for a while before hitting the hay in preparation for the morning and the passes to come. The posse assembles...
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