D11 Mt. Vernon to Unity Lake

(No yellow bike here)

Mileage: 58

Tomorrow’s destination: the Bates Motel in Vale (I’ve heard the showers are great)

Video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqoky82ryq

Map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/91246944?privacy_code=3kysgZf0VEGAgWWm

“Just turn left at the white church”. That’s what Phil, the person who collects Grant County’s dead was telling me about how to find the short cut to Unity Lake. He was spot on and here I am. Phil does the job because it needs to be done and he’s willing to do it. In a small county he often knows the people who have passed making it a sad duty. 

(The Strawberry Mountains)

I just had a great chat with Mike and Kathy from Puyallup. They asked for this blog so if you are reading, HI! Mike manages the Mountain View Edgewater water system so that another public service connection! They’ve been on a swing through Utah and are heading home. Safe journeys!

The day began with parting ways with Jim who’s headed west. I told him to stop at the Spoke’n Hostel. He didn’t commit, but I hope he does. (BTW - I never saw Chad. He texted me that he got a late start and only made it to Dayville). 

It was a short 8 miles into John Day. I stopped by the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site and what a site it is! Two Chinese men set up businesses in a building in town. Lung Ho set up a store and Ing Hay, Chinese medicine practice. Lung Ho passed away first and Ing Hay passed in 1952 after decades in town. There were no heirs and their building was abandoned. In 1968 the town was going to demo it, but a wise soul looked inside and found it was filled with undamaged household and business items, all of which have been left in situ. This is easily one of the best local history sites I have been to in my life. The docent had great stories to add. Ing Hay had the equivalent of $300,000 in uncashed checks under his bed because he thought the people asking for his services needed the money. Many of his patients were the anglo community members because he was a community fixture and trusted. Lung Ho floated a Portland bank that was underwater during the Depression. There’s a thank you from the bank in the shop. So cool.

(Inside the building. These items are original)

Then it was on to Praire City. I didn’t give the time the town deserved and hope to come back. It seems to be seeing some tourism. I had a nice iced drink at a store that sold fancy knick knacks. On the way out of town I saw a Tesla. It has a very Old Westy vibe. 

( The drought hitting hard)

Past Praire City, I began the first of a long moderate uphill grind. I slowly entered pine forest. I avoided looking at my navigation so I wouldn’t fixate on distance. Instead I fixated on analyzing each curve to decide if this curve was the last before the summit. After long miles the Dixie Pass Summit was attained and so began a long downhill to Austin Junction and its store. The store was closed. I am so, so glad I opted to stock up in John Day and lug the food up the hill because there’s no services for 70 miles tomorrow. (But I won’t have a proper lunch, just bars and junk food). I was still on US 26. It went over a high plateau then another uphill grind to the Blue Mountain Pass Summit before the final 10 miles to Unity Lake / Reservoir. It was amazing how fast the pines gave way to sagebrush.

(Hauling huckleberry wine up 1700')

So here I am, typing in the purpling light as I listen to a neighbor's fire. I can hear cattle lowing across the lake. I finished David Hamilton’s wine. I lugged all the way. I guess I was technically in violation of the open container law. Ssshhh!

(Making dinner)