With our launch date quickly approaching, it was time for us to get fully loaded and beta-test our rigs and setups. As with any shakedown, the purpose is to surface any issues or concerns we might have and make sure we’re good to go.
We started our ride in beautiful Haines, Oregon, near Baker City.
In addition to whiskey in the water and gold in the streets, it’s a great route to test ride—check it out on Dirty Freehub. In a nice 20-mile package, we were able to hit all the surfaces (pavement, luxury gravel, chunkier gravel) and get a gentle climb in. All on peaceful, relatively traffic-free roads with charming scenery.
We started in Dick Camp Memorial Park and made our way through ranchland before climbing into the pines for a bit.
Amazing scenery and company.
We could both feel the weight, but our bikes handled it without a hitch. We’re not out to break any speed records and going low and slow makes enjoying your surroundings all that much better.
And as Cortney wisely noted, she prefers smooth paved surfaces and DOWNHILL.
After the ride, someone asked us if we were getting back from Burning Man. Um, no. Just dusty gravel roads out in Eastern Oregon.
On the way home, we stopped off in Baker City for a well-deserved post-ride pastry at Sweet Wife Baking. If you’re in the neighborhood—and in the mood—we highly recommended the lemon scones. And the Barley Brown’s taproom was open, so naturally we grabbed a quick one.
The importance of electrolytes should never be underestimated.
-Erik
Love the shots of your bikes all loaded up. It’s happening!! I love you both so much and I am so proud of you!
How wonderful to experience your adventures with you both.