Oregon Outback Day 2 — Cowboy Dinner Tree
I woke up without being mauled by bears or bitten by rattlesnakes. We didn’t have much water after cooking, and there were no resupplies until Silver Lake, 65 miles away. So instead of slogging through what bikepacking.com says is the worst part of the OC&E, we decided to backtrack to Beatty and ride on the road, eventually meeting up with the trail.
On the way to Beatty, I burped my tire and lost some pressure. Thankfully, the sealant held, but for the rest of the trip, I’d have to pump it up every once in a while. I recently purchased the Fumpa Nano Pump, and it performed really well on this trip. At Beatty, I re-inflated it, laid the tire on its side so the sealant could work, and went to find breakfast at Sarah’s store.
Everyone who walked into the store knew her. Sarah had a freezer full of frozen breakfast items like sausage, egg, and cheese burritos, as well as a microwave to defrost them. We enjoyed some breakfast, coffee, and bought some snacks for the road.
We were thankful for the road mileage after the trail yesterday. Nothing eventful happened on the road until we met up with the route again. We were passing through a burned forest, which was still pretty despite the damage. Eventually, we were back off-road. As we started running low on water, we tapped into the reservoirs in our frame packs, but around this time, a few people stopped and generously gave us some water!
One person was curious about what we were doing there, while another person had lost their dog, Murdock. I hope Murdock was found. A park ranger also stopped to return Joseph’s slipper, which had fallen off a few miles back. It was heartwarming to experience the kindness of strangers.
The day was scorching hot. Fortunately, we came across a few streams. We soaked our shirts, jerseys, and bandanas in these streams, which helped us conserve water.
Once we finished the gravel section, we had a decision to make. We could either stay on the road and head to Silver Lake, where there was an RV campsite, or follow the route and swing by Cowboy Dinner Tree. According to Google and a prior phone call from Jen, Cowboy Dinner Tree was closed on Thursdays. However, we thought there was a slim chance it might be open.
Once we emerged from the forest, I glanced back at the sign near what I believed was Cowboy Dinner Tree. To my delight, the sign indicated that they were open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with “Thurs” scribbled on. I couldn’t contain my excitement and yelled for Joseph to turn around. They were indeed open, and it happened to be the first Thursday they were serving customers. We felt incredibly lucky.
Although they only accepted reservations, they were kind enough to accommodate us. The meal we had there was one of the best I’ve ever had. The first course consisted of a salad with the most delicious honey mustard and ranch sauce I’ve ever tasted. We ended up devouring the sauce once we ran out of leaves to eat. The next course featured beans (or possibly chili) served with fluffy, crispy bread that was absolutely amazing. The beans had a tangy flavor, not spicy, but incredibly delicious.
For the main course, we had two options: a whole rotisserie chicken (yes, the entire chicken) or 30 oz steaks. Both of us chose the steaks. They were accompanied by a side of potatoes. If I had an extra hour to walk around and digest, I might have been able to finish that steak. And to top it all off, we enjoyed a fantastic cake with custard and fruits for dessert.
We also inquired about nearby camping options, and they informed us that we could camp right outside the restaurant. There was a charming shack next to the guest house that cyclists often stayed in. It was quaint and seemed perfect, except for the fact that a bat flew in. Uncertain whether it was a resident or simply hunting, we decided not to take the risk of encountering a bat and potentially needing a rabies shot. Instead, we opted to sleep outside.
I set up my camping spot between the cornhole and horseshoe throwing area, while Joseph hung his hammock between the shack and a tree. There was a porta potty conveniently located nearby, and it was left open for our use. As the evening progressed, the kind folks who owned the place circled back and asked if we had everything we needed. We felt truly blessed to have such a wonderful ending to our day.
Metrics for the day:
Distance: 75 miles
Elevation: 2,753 feet
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/9204683649
