The Gang of Three: Gary, Rod, Pete
5/24/2015 – 5/29/2015: My first adventure to Steens Mountain was on a biking trip with son Gary and his friend Pete. Our objective was to ride, counterclockwise, starting at Frenchglen, over Steens Mountain, to Fields, Mann Lake, Crystal Crane Hot Springs and then back to Frenchglen. About 260 miles in five days. This ride is one of the top rated bikepacking rides in Oregon. So, for my first bikepacking (not touring) ride with my new Surly Long Haul Trucker, I figured this would be the one to do.
Per Travel Oregon: This grueling but extreme-adventurous 276-mile loop takes you around and on top of Steens. You’ll come away with an up-close-and-personal appreciation for the scale of this geologic goliath, with its glacier-carved valleys, aspen groves, pure-water lakes and views to forever. And Steens is not the only wonder you’ll experience; there’s also the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the aforementioned Alvord Desert, and the milkshakes in Fields.
Read all about our trip in this very detailed (and wordy?) trip report: Biking Steens Mountain Loop