Day 4 - Kah Nee Ta to Prineville, OR - 60 miles and +3,000 Feet

We started the day with this view of horses, one fenced, one longing for the one within the fence, as we left the Warm Springs Native American Reservation,  There are hundreds of wild horses on the reservation, and perhaps the one behind the fence had been brought in to be broken for trail rides. One can only guess, but the free one wouldn't leave the side of the other, even with the approach of several cyclists at close range.

We rode on to several long climbs, the first between Warm Springs & Madras OR on a road we had traveled many times before by car on our way to Central Oregon. We looked back at the top, and there was Mt. Jefferson, partially obscured by clouds, against a foreground of cloud shadows.  Thx to Don for this shot.

Here's our group at the top of the climb.  New friends from NH, AZ, NV, NY, and 3 from Portland, Don, Drew & me from the Oregon shirt over.

Sorry - couldn't resist another mountain shot of Jefferson.  This time the view is over irrigated wheat fields off small country backroads on our way to Madras, OR.  We enjoyed this and many more quiet views as we rode on small two-lane roads after we left the highway.

I stopped on the descent toward Madras when I saw this valley and the expansive bridge over it. Quite a lovely sight, and I don't just mean those gorgeous clouds against the blue backdrop!

We forged on to our final destination today of Prineville, Oregon, a small town that now houses data centers for both Google and Apple, as well as growing a stellar crop of mint!

We are turning in early tonight, for tomorrow brings a ride of 117 miles and 5,000 feet of elevation gain from here to John Day, OR.  We load bags at 5:45 am and leave by 6 am!  That means breakfast at ???  This  blog may be abbreviated tomorrow.