Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Bridge of the Gods - Columbia River ride (many photos!)

On Saturday, my friend Bruce and I did the Bridge of the Gods ride, a well-known scenic ride along the Washington and Oregon sides of the Columbia River, East of Portland. It was also my first century of 2009 (106 miles total w/ 7k feet of climbing).

I believe this is the most scenic bike ride I've ever been on before. We were frequently surrounded by mountains partially covered by clouds, views of the river, and low traffic consisting of courteous drivers. We weren't buzzed or honked at once.

Bruce tells me he's often done the ride once per month in the summer. I can totally understand why. Centuries like this are right near my physical limits, but the rewards of the ride are worth it.

The ride begain with some light drizzle and the overcast skies remained with us pretty much the whole time. However, with temps in the mid-60s (F), I certainly wasn't going to complain. I had my fenders on, so the wet roads didn't bother me in the least.

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00002.800x600.jpg
My first dilemma of the morning - which bottles to take with me? :)

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00032.800x600.jpg
Good advice. This is the bike path along the Glenn Jackson (I-205) bridge between Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA. It is pretty miserable to ride along with all the noise and eternal wind, but at least it exists as an option to get across the river.

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00041.800x600.jpg
Vancouver, WA

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00052.800x600.jpg
The Washougal River

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00083.800x600.jpg
View from Cape Horn

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00112.800x600.jpg

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00152.800x600.jpg
This is the Bridge of the Gods, which crosses the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon. I couldn't take any photos while crossing it because it's a steel grate bridge and I got a bit of vertigo when I looked down at the Columbia. :)

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00147.800x600.jpg
This is a mural you'll find under the South side of the BOG.

Continued...

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00166.800x600.jpg
All of my photos along this section of a bike path came out poorly, but this at least gives you an idea of how lush the vegetation is. The path itself was also mostly covered in moss. It was beautiful to ride on.

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00174.800x600.jpg

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00183.800x600.jpg
This section of the bike path reminds me of the kinds of narrow mountain roads you'd see in Europe.

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00192.800x600.jpg


http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00199.800x600.jpg
For a short stretch of about a mile you actually get to ride on Interstate 84. Yes, it's legal here. But not very pleasant.

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00206.800x600.jpg

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00219.800x600.jpg
Horsetail Falls

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00222.800x600.jpg

http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00238.800x600.jpg


http://www.zenlinux.com/bf/bog_jun09/00253.800x600.jpg
Bruce at Crown Point

This is only a selection of some of the photos I took. I have a photo gallery web site with higher resolution photos of this and other rides. Send me a PM (private message) if you'd like the link - I prefer not to post it on a public forum.

Enjoy,

Scott

Nice pics!

Wasn't that mossy trail more slippery than snot????

Excellent pics. Looks like you two had a great time.

I love that part of the gorge, right around the US97 Bridge (I think that's that bridge. ;) ) It;'s been a while since I've driven the gorge.

Beautiful country!

That looks like a sweet ride. Did you ever decide which bottles to take?

I hope he took the Pace picante and the Lagunitas!

Thanks for the replies:

Mazama: the moss definitely didn't inspire me to try carving any turns, but I had decent traction otherwise. There were also some bumpy sections due to tree roots kicking up the pavement that kept our speed down.

Tom: The US 97 bridge is quite a ways north of where we were, by Biggs Junction, OR. But you definitely can't beat the beauty of the Columbia River Gorge no matter where you are on it.

I enjoyed that.... thanks. At some point on a long ride like that I might want to cool my dogs in one of those streams! :)

I spent a few days out there on a work trip 3 years ago. I stayed in the hotel right by the bridge on the OR side and worked on the WA side. The scenery and the Columbia were just amazing.

Yeah... this ride is a treat. If you want to do a variation, follow Washougal River Road from Washougal to just east of Cape Horn. This avoids some of the tightest stretches along SR14. It works out to nearly the same distance.

The 'bent gang and I do this every year on the 4th of July weekend (http://www.ohpv.org/events/bog/BoG.htm). We're going to go on Sunday the 5th this year, since there's always festivities on the Old Gorge Highway on the 4th. It's kind of neat doing this kind of riding from our front door.

What, no pictures of carrying the bikes up the stairs?

zpl,

Make sure to post some of those pictures in the PNW photo tread. Thanks for sharing what a wonderful part of the world we live in. I have not been to the gorge for quite some time, I may need to make the drive up to get a ride in. :)

Is this the route you followed? http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/vancouver/819451655
I've been thinking of trying this in late August/Sept.
I'm curious to know about the trail that parallels 84. Is it easy to find?
Thanks,
Brian

Is this the route you followed? http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/vancouver/819451655
I've been thinking of trying this in late August/Sept.
I'm curious to know about the trail that parallels 84. Is it easy to find?
Thanks,
Brian

Yup, that's the route. The bike path is easy to find, although there is a short stretch you eventually have to ride on I-84.

Once you've crossed over into OR on the Bridge of the Gods, you loop around and pass under the bridge. Just past the mural and right next to the road is the start of the bike path.

Scott

May I ask how long did this take you? Also where did you stop to fuel up/get H20? I'm seriously thinking of doing this in the early fall. This would be my first century.
Thanks,
brian

Yup, that's the route. The bike path is easy to find, although there is a short stretch you eventually have to ride on I-84.


I don't know about "easy to find"- I seem to miss it 50% of the time, even though I know where I'm going. It's probably the post-lunch-at-Charburger-naptime kicking in.

The bike path starts at the west end of the Charburger parking lot. It's just to the right side of the onramp to I-84. Once you find it, it's like "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride"- it swoops up and down through the trees.

Get one of these if you haven't done it before:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/HCRH/images/HCRHbikemap.pdf

Another weird point that's confusing if you haven't done this previously is at the Cascade Salmon Hatchery: to continue, you need to go the wrong way up the I-84 offramp (against auto traffic) and then climb the stairs up to Wauna Point. It's funky, but keep going- the ride is worth it.

May I ask how long did this take you? Also where did you stop to fuel up/get H20? I'm seriously thinking of doing this in the early fall. This would be my first century.
Thanks,
brian

There's a couple small stores along SR-14 good for snack stops, and Cascade Locks has several restaurants. On the Oregon side, Multnomah Falls has a bunch of tourist trappings and Troutdale has a mini-mart if you're in late. If you get there early enough, have some ice cream at the Troutdale General Store.

There's a couple small stores along SR-14 good for snack stops, and Cascade Locks has several restaurants. On the Oregon side, Multnomah Falls has a bunch of tourist trappings and Troutdale has a mini-mart if you're in late. If you get there early enough, have some ice cream at the Troutdale General Store.

Yeah, what Jeff said. We stopped in Cascade Locks for lunch at a small pizza/sandwich shop.

The ride took me exactly 10 hours total, including stops/lunch/photo taking; with just under 8 hours of ride time.

125psi, drop me a line if you want to do some riding this summer. I'm not a hammerhead and enjoy meeting new people on two wheels. :)

Scott

You didn't stop at stonehenge?

Wow, that's super nice!