PS -

For someone inexperienced heading east from Ashland, Oregon will put a cyclist into some of the remotest area in the lower 48. Going towards Winnemucca, there are some brutal climbs and stretches where it is 50 miles between any services - and even those are very limited services. Going towards Burns has some pretty remote riding as well.

Lack of experience, marginal weather, and extremely remote areas are not a good combination.