Bill Beers
Explorer
Thursday, 6/23/16
Route
Now in its fifth year, the Ochoco Challenge has grown from five guys in three trucks in 2012, to 22 people in ten trucks* + a motorcycle in 2016. (*For this trip report, we're classing the Volvo 245 as a truck.) The basic idea is to get off-pavement in a stock truck/SUV and enjoy Oregon over a long-weekend. To make it more of a challenge, bring a car, or something that you picked up off craigslist for under a grand.
For the second year in a row, I was taking my '89 Volvo wagon. When I bought it, it had 242K on the clock, and the clock had been broken for years. The 2015 challenge was pretty hard on it, (flat tire and blown strut,) and within a month of getting back, the intermediate cam seal blew out, (unrelated?) I replaced the seals and timing belt over the winter, I took the Thursday before we left off to change the oil, put the skid plate back on, and get it "ready".
Last year's route, (which I still plan to make a report on, someday,) took us south to the heat of Christmas Valley, so I was really looking forward to returning to the Ochoco NF. Picking a date in June is always a bit tricky. I chose the last weekend of June so we wouldn't be on top of Father's Day, and to give us the maximum time for snow to melt and downed trees to get cleared, but before fire restrictions are in place. As a result, I've managed to be right on top of NWOR three years running. Someday I'll get up there to see what it's all about!
Sandy Fred Meyer is a convenient jumping off point; gas up, and buy any last minute items. It was pouring buckets outside, and HVAC performance in the Volvo was way off the mark on account of fan settings one, two, and three having the same air-flow as off. The 2016 crew started to arrive; Jeep Liberty, Ford Explorer, Honda Africa Twin, Volvo 245, Ford F250, Nissan Frontier, GMC 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee, GMC 2500, Jeep Cherokee, and an Acura MDX. 13 adults, 9 kids.
I crossed my fingers that Freddie's would have one of the cheap 12V fans in their automotive department, but got skunked. From this point on, it was windows cracked, despite the late-June downpour.
Heading east on 26 up the slope of Mount Hood, the rain kept coming down harder and harder. We all felt pretty bad for Dan on his brand-new Africa Twin. In reality, emotions were mixed; we were all clearly jealous of the new bike, but not the riding in the rain aspect.
At the north end of the Barlow Road, (yes, we ran it backwards!)
Ben's kids, Abby and Jack!
Libby never likes to stay in her seat!
I'd never run down the Barlow Road previously, and was glad I could include it on the route, even though we'd be running it backwards from the Oregon Trail settlers, one of the many hazards of loop-route planning. My wife and I had pre-run the section the weekend prior to make sure it was Volvo-worthy, (or rather that the Volvo was up to the challenge!) In previous years, bridges have been washed out, or I've been up there too early, (snow,) to drive the route.
The Volvo was able to scamper through this gap, but the big Ford, (and GMCs,) had to take it slow!
On our way into Thursday night's camp, we passed a group of ~50 horses and riders, camping in the same rain that we planned to. They were in my backup camping spot, so I was really hoping that the prime location was still available. I shouldn't have worried, as the monsoon we were in the middle of ensured that our camping spot was vacant.
After the first year, when I broke the tongue on my tent trailer, I've been using just a cot, and the Gore-Tex shell on my sleeping bag. I forgot my cot, and had to sleep on the ground that night. Thank you Gilbert and Robert for the (mostly) dry night! And thank you to Ryan for coming out early the next morning, (with my cot!) to join us for the rest of the trip!
Next: Horses, water crossing, Ochco NF.
Route
Now in its fifth year, the Ochoco Challenge has grown from five guys in three trucks in 2012, to 22 people in ten trucks* + a motorcycle in 2016. (*For this trip report, we're classing the Volvo 245 as a truck.) The basic idea is to get off-pavement in a stock truck/SUV and enjoy Oregon over a long-weekend. To make it more of a challenge, bring a car, or something that you picked up off craigslist for under a grand.
For the second year in a row, I was taking my '89 Volvo wagon. When I bought it, it had 242K on the clock, and the clock had been broken for years. The 2015 challenge was pretty hard on it, (flat tire and blown strut,) and within a month of getting back, the intermediate cam seal blew out, (unrelated?) I replaced the seals and timing belt over the winter, I took the Thursday before we left off to change the oil, put the skid plate back on, and get it "ready".
Last year's route, (which I still plan to make a report on, someday,) took us south to the heat of Christmas Valley, so I was really looking forward to returning to the Ochoco NF. Picking a date in June is always a bit tricky. I chose the last weekend of June so we wouldn't be on top of Father's Day, and to give us the maximum time for snow to melt and downed trees to get cleared, but before fire restrictions are in place. As a result, I've managed to be right on top of NWOR three years running. Someday I'll get up there to see what it's all about!
Sandy Fred Meyer is a convenient jumping off point; gas up, and buy any last minute items. It was pouring buckets outside, and HVAC performance in the Volvo was way off the mark on account of fan settings one, two, and three having the same air-flow as off. The 2016 crew started to arrive; Jeep Liberty, Ford Explorer, Honda Africa Twin, Volvo 245, Ford F250, Nissan Frontier, GMC 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee, GMC 2500, Jeep Cherokee, and an Acura MDX. 13 adults, 9 kids.
I crossed my fingers that Freddie's would have one of the cheap 12V fans in their automotive department, but got skunked. From this point on, it was windows cracked, despite the late-June downpour.
Heading east on 26 up the slope of Mount Hood, the rain kept coming down harder and harder. We all felt pretty bad for Dan on his brand-new Africa Twin. In reality, emotions were mixed; we were all clearly jealous of the new bike, but not the riding in the rain aspect.
At the north end of the Barlow Road, (yes, we ran it backwards!)
Ben's kids, Abby and Jack!
Libby never likes to stay in her seat!
I'd never run down the Barlow Road previously, and was glad I could include it on the route, even though we'd be running it backwards from the Oregon Trail settlers, one of the many hazards of loop-route planning. My wife and I had pre-run the section the weekend prior to make sure it was Volvo-worthy, (or rather that the Volvo was up to the challenge!) In previous years, bridges have been washed out, or I've been up there too early, (snow,) to drive the route.
The Volvo was able to scamper through this gap, but the big Ford, (and GMCs,) had to take it slow!
On our way into Thursday night's camp, we passed a group of ~50 horses and riders, camping in the same rain that we planned to. They were in my backup camping spot, so I was really hoping that the prime location was still available. I shouldn't have worried, as the monsoon we were in the middle of ensured that our camping spot was vacant.
After the first year, when I broke the tongue on my tent trailer, I've been using just a cot, and the Gore-Tex shell on my sleeping bag. I forgot my cot, and had to sleep on the ground that night. Thank you Gilbert and Robert for the (mostly) dry night! And thank you to Ryan for coming out early the next morning, (with my cot!) to join us for the rest of the trip!
Next: Horses, water crossing, Ochco NF.
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