Doug’s daughter and son-in-law live in Sisters, OR (very near Bend, OR). We’ve been lucky enough to visit on several occasions ( link to prior post here).
This last time we visited (June 2021) we were able to scenic cycle like a local…yup, we finally rode the road to McKensie Pass (Highway 242) to the Dee Wright Observatory before they opened the road to cars for the summer/fall season.
This road follows an 1860s wagon route. The first few miles of it you’ll suck in some pine-scented breaths (perhaps a few breaths less if you e-bike it like I did). Once you pass Windy Point, you’ll get your first view of Mt. Washington and the huge lava flows in this area. This stark landscape has its own beauty and a bit later in the ride you’ll appreciate the lava formations up close as you snake through them to get to the summit and Dee Wright Observatory.
The 360 degree views from the top of the observatory are well earned!
Don’t dismiss the joy of the serpentine descent and flying around the curves with no worry that a car might be headed your way. It’s absolutely glorious – and particularly so if you time your ride to hit the peak near sunset!
Another great central Oregon activity that Kellen introduced Doug to was stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) at Hand Lake. That great trip combined with another SUP outing with friends in Bellingham WA later in our journey led to the purchase, in November 2021, of a light weight/backpackable version that fits well in the back of the RV for more SUP adventures to come.
Bailey and I did some hiking in the area.
