Today will be a challenge. We need to climb over 4000 feet, and as usual, I'm nervous that I won't be able to do it. The back-up plan is to go halfway up, about 17 miles and evaluate how we're doing, and maybe bandit camp. One of the steepest stretches is leaving Colonial Creek CG and getting up to the Diablo Lake Overlook.
At 17 miles, there are patches of snow on the ground. It's only noon, so we decide to go for it.
At 33 miles, we're at Rainy Pass, 4855 feet. Sadly there's now a one-mile steep downhill, then a 4-mile steep uphill to the next pass.
We made it, but it's now 6:30. Time to bundle up, it's rather cold and now it's 18 miles downhill to a campground . . . or maybe a motel and a restaurant for dinner.
The bundling up wasn't nearly enough to keep us from freezing on the way down. Parts were so steep that we had to keep the brakes on, resulting in hand cramps. It was rather overcast and seemed darker than ususal. We skipped the campgrounds and rode into Mazama. It was 7:30 and the lodging and restaurants seemed buttoned up for the night. What to do?
At 17 miles, there are patches of snow on the ground. It's only noon, so we decide to go for it.
At 33 miles, we're at Rainy Pass, 4855 feet. Sadly there's now a one-mile steep downhill, then a 4-mile steep uphill to the next pass.
We made it, but it's now 6:30. Time to bundle up, it's rather cold and now it's 18 miles downhill to a campground . . . or maybe a motel and a restaurant for dinner.
The bundling up wasn't nearly enough to keep us from freezing on the way down. Parts were so steep that we had to keep the brakes on, resulting in hand cramps. It was rather overcast and seemed darker than ususal. We skipped the campgrounds and rode into Mazama. It was 7:30 and the lodging and restaurants seemed buttoned up for the night. What to do? 
'Freezing doesn't describe the cold coming down from Washington Pass. It was a bone-chilling frozen snot roar for 30 minutes. I wanted to stop and put on ALL my clothes, but I couldn't catch up with Arlete. She carries all my clothes in her saddlebags. The woman is F...ing crazy and tough as nails.
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