Today started with a 6.5 mile climb right out the gate. I started with people that I met at the hostel the night before. Andrew a 25 year old from NYC riding from Florence, Oregon and a French Canadian couple living in Arizona riding from Astoria, Oregon to Montreal. They anticipate the US/Canada border would be open by the time they get there. I am not sure Andrew is going to make it. He was struggling and has poor riding technique. He wanted Uber to take him to the top of the next hill. Not good signs for a successful adventure. The French Canadian couple will definitely make it.
The day started in the mid 40s which was great for the beginning of the 6.5 mile climb. I left Andrew after 3 miles up the hill because he was taking too many breaks and I planned to go 30 miles more than him today. By the time I got to the top it was 84 degrees. Today was the hottest day riding with the bike thermometer reading 103 to 104 for much of the day. When I started increasing elevation to John Day it dropped to 95 degrees. Very dry heat but still hot.
John Day is an interesting town and at one time it had the 3rd largest Chinatown in USA. Who would have thought that would be the case in the middle of Oregon. Though once the gold was mined the Chinese split for other locations.
Day 10 stats: total mileage 70 miles; average speed 13.1 miles, max speed 33.4 mph, elevation gain 2471 feet, and elevation descent 2452 feet. I am beginning to think once it is all done, USA is really flat where elevation gain = elevation loss and therefore there are not mountains but a mirage created by the glare on the roads. We will see.