Difference between revisions of "2023-10-14 42 -119"

Revision as of 16:43, 15 October 2023

Location

Off of Hogback Road, north of Plush.

Participants

Expedition

From 2023-10-14 41 -117, my long two-day drive continued on Nevada Highway 140 until it became Oregon Highway 140. Eventually, I reached the Adel locality, where I turned and headed towards Plush on one of the relatively few Oregon roads I had never been on before.

My only real association with Plush has been the Plush graticule. Until this expedition, Plush has been the last major Oregon graticule (outside the ones shared with Idaho on the eastern border) that hasn't been hashed. But, it turns out that Plush itself is an unspeakably remote but surprisingly viable little village, with an operating general store and children hanging out on the tiny tiny main street on a warm fall evening. The official population is 39 but it seemed, heck, TWICE that size. I was kind of charmed.

Continuing north, the road turned to gravel and wound through the sagebrush until it got to the particular area of sagebrush I was interested. I unpacked the bike and cycled a mile in down some tumbleweed-strewn ruts. Then, shinnying under some unposted fencelines (which is perfectly legal and customary in open range country) I tromped another half mile or so to the particular procedurally generated point which was the day's hashpoint in the Plush graticule. Why? We do what we must, because we can. After enjoying the moment, I hiked out, cycled back to the vehicle, and spent ten minutes pulling tumbleweed out of my bicycle gears and sharp seeds out of my shoes and socks.

You know it has been a long drive when you arrive in Burns, Oregon, and it seems too busy and urban to deal with. But after two days on the road, it was definitely nice to see a bed.