It was high time for my friend Rob Stevens to ride the beautiful roads of eastern Oregon. We decided 2 days would be enough, so I tried to pick roads there were the best of the best. Shaniko to Fossil. Middle Fork Road. Rte. 395 south of Ukiah. Rte 207 from Service Creek to Mitchell. Plus we did a little sightseeing at a couple John Day Fossil Bed units, despite the government shutdown barricades. Great weather, Both great and crappy food. All in all a good time.

Day 1 - Load'n up! Thanks for loaning us the trailer Paul! Rob's bike fit with 2 inches to spare. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Morning at the Dechutes Motel in Maupin. We drove down in the van to breakfast before this. Pretty chilly, but it was supposed to warm up. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Rob ready for a cold ride. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Rob staring down into the famed haipin corners just south of Shaniko on Rte. 218. Not sure his bike will make it around the corner. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Looking back (west) on Bakeoven Rd. between Maupin and Shaniko. Volcanos in the distance. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - Rob negotiating the big horseshoe bend. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - How many pictures of this turn are on the Interweb? Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Juicy curves on the way to Antelope from Shaniko. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - The top of the first rise between Antelope and Fossil. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - The Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds. Photo credit - Rob Stevens
Day 1 - Clarno Unit. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - Rob on the way to the Painted Hills Unit. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Approaching the painted hills. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - The elevated walk at the Painted Hills Unit. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - A close-up of the painted hills. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - Elevated walk. Photo credit - Rob Stevens
Day 1 - Fun to walk on this. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - More painted hills. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - This little loop hike takes about 15 minutes and gains a little elevation. An easy walk, but very cool. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Another view from above. Photo credit - Rob Stevens
Day 1 - Another view from above. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - Looking down on the larges of the painted hills. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - A camper heading up the gravel access road. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Because of the government shut down (Thank you John Boner), the park was officially closed. Barricades here to block entry to the main parking area. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Painted hills. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - Painted hills. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - A (rattle?) snake on the road. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - A rider on a BMW catching up to Rob. We chatted. He was headed to either Baker City or LaGrande. Nice roads ahead for him. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - The John Day river in afternoon light. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - The John Day. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Approaching Cathedral Rock on Rte. 19. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Cathedral Rock. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Rob checking messages. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - We ducked under the 'No entry' tape and sawhorses at the Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil beds to hike the Blue Basin trail. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Heading up the Blue Basin trail. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Cool formations on this trail. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Looking back down the trail. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Rob at an overlook. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Jim at an overlook. Photo credit - Rob Stevens	Day 1 - Jim approaching the Blue Basin. Photo credit - Rob Stevens
Day 1 - The Blue Basin. It really was blue(ish). Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Rob at the Blue Basin. Photo credit - Rob Stevens
Day 1 - For whatever reason, they installed quite a few bridges on this trail which were pretty fun to cross. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - More bridges. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Looking back at Picture Gorge. Right in the middle of it is the intersection of routes 19 and 26. Two gorges come together there to form a 'T' intersection. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Our bikes parked safely at the Little Pine in, in the town of John Day. Done riding for the day.. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - Rob checking messages again in the motel parking lot. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - The Little Pine Inn. Walking distance from some worthwhile restaurants. I like it. Photo credit - Jim Gallant
Day 1 - First course of dinner. Photo credit - Jim Gallant	Day 1 - Second course, prime rib. Yeah baby! Photo credit - Jim Gallant

Day 1   |   Day 2