May 30th, 81 miles to Tulelake


Today had lots of climbing early and then gradually less through the day. It also got me into drier parts of Oregon.

It was overcast and cool when I started out. I crossed over I-5 and then followed OR66 where signs already indicated 60 miles to Klamath Falls. There were a few smaller ups and downs in the first miles as slowly climbed up and past Emigrant Lake. The real climbing started just past Emigrant Lake at 8 miles. Photo above taken part way up the hill with lake in the background.


Climbing was fairly steady grade and just before 15 miles I passed “Summit Ranch” so knew I was close. Next photo above taken at top of Green Springs Mountain summit. Ashland was about 2,000ft high so climb itself was about 2,500ft.

There was a hiking trail here and information about the National Monument in the area. Just after this, the next 8 miles were mostly downhill. They came through small town of Lincoln and also past two different B&B type inns. At 23 miles was at a low point and started climbing again until mile 28 for the next summit.

The second summit was Parker Mountain. By now it had gotten warm enough and sunny enough to change from jacket.

Next downhill wasn’t as far and then started climbing to 36 mile point to reach Hayden Mountain. After this still some ups and downs though no new summits. I came into road junction at Keno at 49 miles and was ready for lunch. Saw a cafe sign, but workers there told me they weren’t open yet. So at main road junction was gas station that also made Mexican food.

After Keno, went on side road via Worden. The landscape changed on way here. Instead of pine forest, this was open valley and some farmland. The road was smaller but at 58 miles joined up with US 97. US 97 had wide shoulder but also a lot of truck traffic, I assume this was the cutover from I-5 inland to Oregon.

At 59 miles I came to the border of California and shortly thereafter turned onto a smaller “stateline road” also known as CA 161.

In contrast to earlier in the day, CA 161 was almost flat as it went along a marshy wildlife area. It was good cycling and I saw pelicans below as well as a number of other birds. Stopped at a gas station for some food at 77 miles and then turned south to Tulelake on CA 139. Also good shoulder though looks like less traffic. Th e motel is still north of Tulelake but believe south of town some miles is site of a camp where 18,600 Japanese Americans were interned during the second world war.

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