Day 75: Friday, 14th September. Destination: Village Squire Motel, Redmond, Oregon

Leaving Mitchell, the road headed straight back up to the 3rd-last pass of my trip, the Ochoco Pass (4,720ft). Another 2,000ft ascent, and good to do it in the cool of the morning before the afternoon head/crosswind and heat picks up (that's pretty much been the model for the past few days since entering Baker City). The rest of the day was rather flat and uneventful, other than a scrumptious slice of apple pie a la mode in Prineville served by a waitress with a nice smile and a fabulously layered 80's hair-do.

Stopped in Redmond for the night. I'd originally wanted to stay in Sisters, some 19 miles down the road, so as to shorten next day's mountain stage. But Sisters was packed due to a Jazz Festival and the annual Cycle Oregon ride. It's a shame, because Redmond's not a pretty place, encircled by a loveless one-way road system. Can't wait to leave, and even eating a tasty burrito from a funky little Mexican take-out while watching the 2nd half of a movie on TV (Scorched) in my motel room couldn't stop me from feeling just a little forlorn. It's not all drinking beer with the bikers, you know.