Sept. 20-21, 2008
Southway Boat Launch 7 am Sept. 20
Accommodations
Nestled in the Wallowa Mountains
of North Eastern Oregon, this resort community near Wallowa
Lake attracts so many visitors it scarcely notices 15 to 20
cyclists arriving one Saturday in late September or early October
every year.
From Lewiston, Southway Boat launch
to down town Joseph is about 95 miles with 8,000 feet of verticle
climb over Anatone Grade, Rattlesnake Grade and Bufford Grade.
We have suffered both heat and snow; yet, every year we return
like Swallows to the Wallowas.
We leave the boat launch on Saturday
morning at 7 headed South to Asotin and arrive, most of us,
about 4 in the afternoon, time to shower and have a libation
of our choice before dinner together at a local restaurant.
We have breakfast together on Sunday
morning and are back on the road by 8. The return covers the
same route climbing gently back to the top of Bufford grade.
The elevation gain is less on Sunday. Only Rattlesnake Grade's
11 miles of 6-8 percent climbing keep us from home today.
This is a tour, not a race. No entry
fee or registration process commits the rider to show up if
the weather turns foul as it might. Nor do we expect everyone
to ride the entire distance on either or both days.
Many of us like to turn this into
two days of centuries. Others choose to sag or trade off with
others. We depend upon volunteer sag drivers and have had great
success in recent trips. We take up a collection for gas money
for the sag vehicles on Sunday morning.
In addition, we added a shirt option
for the first time this year. It is a wicking fabric in black
with "I Survivied the Joseph Ride 2007" on the chest.
No word about a shirt for next year yet.
Look also for a form
to declare your interest in this ride for next fall. We'll
email you when a date has been set and planning has begun. Or,
you might choose to just volunteer
your services as a sag vehicle on a second form.
Accommodations:
Last year some of us had to stay in Enterprise. Generally we
try to stay at the Indian Lodge Motel in Joseph which affords
walking distance to dinner. However, we may be trying our own
barbecue this year. More to come. Make your reservations early
for the Indian Lodge.
Support our Sag: We have been
lucky to have several sag vehcles to carry luggage and rescue
us when the weather turns bad. We usually take up a collection
on Sunday morning at breakfast to buy gas. This is a no
fee ride, please be generous to our sag crew.
