Any Suggestions for a Good 5-7 Loop Ride near Portland?
 

I have a week off work in June and am looking for a suggestion for a 5-7 day loop ride near Portland. Ideally I would just take a bus or Max as far as I can and then ride from there. I would be loaded, camping along the way.

Ideally I would like to ride east of town, either in the Gorge or down to Bend area or high desert or mountains. Views and nice stealth camping spots a plus!

Thanks for the help!

Tim ::D

loop ride from Portland
 

GM, given your predeliction for heading east I'd recommend something like:

- out the Gorge to Hood River - the Dalles
- the Dalles south on hwy 197 to Dufur - Tygh Valley
- Tygh Valley west to Wamic - FS 48 to Barlow Crossing Rd (FS 43)
- FS 43 west to Hwy 26
- Hwy 26 north a few miles to Timothy Lake turnoff
- FS 42 to Timothy Lake, then down the Timothy Lake outlet* to the Clackamas River/Ripplebrook Ranger Station
- Clackams River downstream to Estacada, Portland.

about 6 days, 7 if you're leisurely?


* the old road (closed due to washouts) is paved the entire way but involves a cople of fairly easy bike portages - at least they were easy a couple years ago. Essentially, a paved bike path almost all the way down to Rippllebrook. It's FS road 5820, just norht of the Pine Pt. dam -- you can see it on the Mt Hood National Forest map.

The coast...