We camped at Diamond Lake, not far from Crater Lake, which had a great bike path that went all the way around the lake. It turned out to be a really fun ride and the longest ride either one of the Dudes have ever done.
That morning, I could see my breath in the air. So, I encouraged the Dudes to put on every piece of clothing they owned. I like “the cold” but, I don’t like to “be cold” and I didn’t want them to wimp out half way into the ride because of the cold. I failed to anticipate how quickly the air and little kids bodies would warm up so we stopped six times in the first half hour to adjust our clothing. So much for my over protective parenting skills.
above: Fireweed gone to seed.
We also got off to a rough start when the Hippygeek and I miscommunicated our meeting point. The Lil’ Dude and I got to the trail ahead of the “slow packers” and took a left. When the other two got to the trailhead, they took a right. When we finally realized our mistake, the Hippygeek and Big Dude ended up logging three extra miles to catch up with us.
left: A giant tree.
Once we finally got our act together, the ride was great. Up until Diamond Lake, most of our bike rides have been between 3 and 8 miles in length. The Diamond Lake Loop was going to be a little more of a challenge just because of the added distance. But, the beautifully paved trail made the ride more manageable and more enjoyable. The Lil’ Dude logged 11.5 miles and the Big Dude logged 14.5 miles.
right: Our lunch spot with Mount Theilsen in the distance.
This ride blended the best of road and mountain biking. With a paved trail there were no roots or rocks to navigate but, it did wind its way through woods with old growth trees, wetlands with streams and up onto bluffs with great views. There were just enough curves and gentle hills to make it interesting and challenging but not severe enough to ruin the Dudes on biking forever.
Since it was mid-week, we had the trail to ourselves. We didn’t encounter another human the whole ride except for a couple of fisherman at our lunch spot. There also wasn’t a cloud in the sky so we got great views of Mount Mazama and Mount Theilsen.
The beautiful day combined with the beautiful scenery made for an experience that would convince anyone that riding a bike is one of life’s pure joys and made it easy for the Dudes to record their personal bests.
above: The wetlands with Fall color.
“Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the human race.” H.G. Wells
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