Every year around this time [MENTION=111144]Andy_K[/MENTION] starts bugging me about doing this ride. It's a mountain pass in Central Oregon that divides the wet and dry sides of the state (yep, much of Oregon gets very little rain!). The old highway closes for the winter, and is closed off for car traffic until the highway snow gets cleared and branches from trees are removed. Technically, the road is either open or closed for everyone, but on weekends there's no one around to enforce this. Andy and I figured that out last year when we played hooky from work mid-week - there was somebody guarding the gate on the dry side. The wet side takes longer to clear, and the climb is much longer and harder.



It's not a particularly hard ride. From the local high school parking lot it's about 15 miles to the pass, mostly a 5% incline, so 30 miles round trip. The Dee Wright Observatory at the summit is pretty cool.

On a clear day you can see almost all of the volcano mountain tops in the PNW from up here.

I think at least half of the reason Andy and I like this day trip is lunch at the Sisters Meat and Smokehouse. They probably have the best meat in the world. Their website says so, and we have no argument. I have taken my wife for lunch there, and she says they have the best french dip sandwich she's ever had. They also have proper rehydration there as well.



We're leaving Portlandia at 8am on Sunday, probably get to Sisters around 11:30, ride and be back at the Smokehouse for lunch around 2, back to Portlandia by 5. Andy usually chauffeurs me and my bike in his car, but if a couple of people need a ride I can drive and can carry 5 total bikes and riders in my extended cab pickup. Alternately we could caravan or just meet up in Sisters at the high school.

Want in?