As I write, the mosquitos are begging outside our wonderfully netted tent ceiling. Already got a piece of me while we ate our hearty dinner of fried chicken (a la McKenzie Bridge Country Store) and carrots. So nice to be camping. Today was nice - country roads led to roads shielded on either side with evergreens. Logging trucks are still a big fear factor but better than yesterday. Highlight of the day was when we found ourselves behind the truck that was painting new shoulder lines on a newly-paved road. We held our position directly behind the painting truck and the "watch out for wet paint" truck holding traffic behind us cruising on the new pavement - glorious. Eddie and I snacked on a beautiful bridge off the side of the road just before a town called Nimrod - beef jerky and apples...yum.

Upon arriving in McKenzie, we had great luck finding the chicken (so tasty) and met a fellow biker who claimed to be the "Ochoco Kid" - a bit strange. We let him pedal his way before departing in the same direction. Our camp is right next to the raging river. We took a little stroll to the boat launch to wash our faces - cold but refreshing. Tomorrow we will not be heading up McKenzie Pass as expected because the road is closed due to snow! Instead, we will climb up and over Santiam Pass into Sisters (ahhh, miss you Jessie and Marnie). Bedtime before 8?...definitely. Getting up at 5:30A to beat the traffic and afternoon heat.

Fried chicken, Fried chicken, Fried chicken. The soulful gastronome's delight. That is what we had for dinner and we should have for dinner every night. The day started out cool with just enough bite to keep us happy with our helmets on our heads. But the oregon land quickly heated up as the sun rose past its noon position and drove us to the Harbrick Country store for some refreshments, a break from the heat, and the fried chicken I just so longingly spoke of.

So the Ochoco Kid that meg referred to told us that he was "86'd" from a town and was not allowed off of his bike as he pedals through it. Which town is unknown to us. It might have to do with the the 11 robbers that went to steal his stuff one day but never returned from the wilderness that the Ochoco Kid occupies. So we decided it was best to let him go ahead of us to his 5000 acre compound. A half broken christopher robin perhaps.