Rides around Mount Hood

[zpl]

I was just reading the BikePortland article today about the Bikes & Brew Century, and now I feel the start of an obsessive desire to do an out-and back ride similar to this, with an overnight stay at a hotel or B&B near my turnaround point. I think it would be a great alternative to STP, which I am not doing this year.

Here's the Bikes & Brew route:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Ftrail.motionbased.com%2Ftrail%2F kml%2Fepisode.kml%3FepisodePkValues%3D3553910&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=9

Where can I learn more about bike-friendly routes around Mt. Hood? It looks like 26 and 35 are the only options. What's it like to ride on them? Are they crazy on the weekends?

Scott

[bikieboy]

Scott, check out this other BP forum thread:

http://bikeportland.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3100

this'll keep you off hwy 26 as far as the Lolo Pass road/ZigZag. From here, hwy 26 is the only option up to Mt Hood. It's got a lot of traffic but there's a generous shoulder. Once you get on to hwy 35 past the split with 26 the traffic drops off considerably. I've only ridden 35 in the uphill direction, but it was quite pleasant. You can get off 35 if you take the side road up to Cooper Spur, and follow it beyond to Parkdale, but this adds some significant climbing in exchange for a quieter road. Probably a better bet to get off 35 somewhere lower down -

[bobcycle]

a very quiet dirt road runs from the area of Lolo Pass Road at 26 all the way up to Trillium Lake. It is good gravel surface but better suited to 1.5" tires then 23mm tires. The reward is quiet mountain scenery with very few autos. Also don't forget the short spur road after 26/35 intersection that takes you past Pioneer Woman's Grave. A great but short alternative to Hiway 35 that offers a cold natural spring to fill up those water bottles.

[bobcycle]

Oops. I forgot to say its name is Still Water Creek Road and it is paved for about the first 3 or 4 miles.