MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
J OURNEY
A SUPPLEMENT OF EO M EDIA G ROUP
Blue Mountain
The
C1
EAGLE
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
THROUGH
G RANT C OUNTY AND BEYOND
Scenic vistas abound for
TOURING MOTORCYCLISTS
Grant County boasts lots of curves, little traffic
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
M
otorcyclists interested in
“the road less traveled”
— free of heavy traffic
— will find the sights, curves,
forests and rock formations in
Grant County a breath of fresh
air.
Whether on a Harley David-
son, BMW, Yamaha or Suzuki,
riders say they enjoy the friendly
atmosphere of the people.
Alice LeBarron, president of
BMW Riders of Oregon, spon-
sors the long-standing Chief
Joseph Motorcycle Rally in John
Day. She said the group enjoys
its rides in the area.
“I hear it over and over,”
she said. “The community is so
welcoming.”
Jay Bennett leads riders on
various tours through the area
during the rally. He said one of
his favorite routes is the Middle
Fork Ride, a 124-mile loop. They
start in John Day and head east
on Highway 26 through Prairie
City and Austin Junction. They
turn left onto Oregon 7 and
travel 1.1 miles, then turn left
onto Middle Fork Lane (County
Road 20), motoring for 39 miles
alongside the Middle Fork
John Day River, which travels
through a spot called Galena.
At Highway 395, they take a
left turn and go 13 miles to the
town of Long Creek and another
29 miles to Mt. Vernon, where a
left turn is taken on Highway 26
back to John Day, 8 miles away.
Bennett said he enjoys this
particular ride for its peaceful
scenery and clean roads, gener-
ally free of gravel or fallen rocks.
Locals and visitors alike enjoy
an 87-mile loop that takes them
from John Day, south on High-
way 395 up Canyon Creek, 23
miles to Seneca where they turn
left on Forest Road 16.
The road goes through Logan
Valley on the back side of the
Strawberry Mountain Wilder-
ness. After 25 miles and a bend
in the road, another left turn
is taken onto Forest Road 62,
the Summit Prairie Road. That
23-mile stretch leads to Prairie
City. Forest Road 62 becomes
Bridge Street where another left
is taken on Highway 26 to travel
west 16 miles to John Day.
Doug Carpenter of Prai-
rie City said it’s a great ride
up through the mountains, and
there are places to stop along the
way.
“You’re out there, enjoying,
relaxing and cruising and look-
ing around,” he said.
As with any route through
Eastern Oregon, riders must be
on the lookout for wildlife at all
times, but especially in the morn-
ing and evening hours. Motorcy-
clists must also start with a full
tank of gas.
One ride surrounded by stun-
ning geological features takes
riders west on Highway 26
through Picture Gorge. It’s a
31-mile trip to Dayville. After
continuing 7 miles, a right turn
in Picture Gorge onto Oregon 19
leads to the John Day Fossil Beds
National Monument’s Sheep
Rock Unit. The Thomas Con-
don Paleontology Center, Blue
Basin Overlook and Foree trail-
head are along the 18-mile route
to Kimberly.
Riders can then turn around to
return the way they came, or con-
tinue the loop from Kimberly on
Highway 402, traveling 14 miles
to Monument, then another 21
miles to Long Creek. In Long
Creek, riders turn right on High-
way 395 and travel 29 miles to
Mt. Vernon, then left on High-
way 26 for an 8-mile trip back to
John Day. The 128-mile loop is
a favorite for riders throughout
the region.
“YOU’RE OUT THERE, ENJOYING, RELAXING AND
CRUISING AND LOOKING AROUND.” — Doug Carpenter of Prairie City
RANCH
•
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
A motorcyclist takes a route
through the Malheur National
Forest on County Road 65.
TOP IMAGE: BMW riders drive
through the Malheur National
Forest on County Road 65.
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