Taking Nancy’s advice it was onto McKenzie pass. This would mean a 21 mile climb with 3700 feet in elevation gain. Nancy left more than an hour before I did. I caught up to her 10 miles into the climb and she was walking her bike uphill. Where I caught up to her there was a campsite where another transamerica rider was camping. Nancy stayed there and I continued the rest of the way to the top. Along the way I got passed by a few day tripping cyclist because the road was closed to vehicles. Snow on the road at the top, supposedly, was the reason the road was closed, but this road will be open to vehicles real soon.
On the way up I encountered more burned forests and an enormous lava field. I mean acre and acres of lava. All spilled from Belknap crater eons ago. McKenzie pass is 5,300+ feet above sea level. The downhill was on a road that needs repairs, windy, and then straight through ponderosa pine forests.
Arrived in Sisters and had no desire to go any further for the day after a well deserved lunch at a nice bistro. Stayed at the campground in town for $5.62, but missed the senior discount of $5. Even so $5.62 is a bargain. Sisters is a cool town.
Today’s stats: total mileage 38.4 miles; average speed 8.4 mph; elevation gain 3,923 feet; elevation descent 2,422 feet.