Oregon - trails to the back of beyond!!!

Friday 11th July - We're staying in a motel tonight, at least it was when it opened in the 60's, now it's just a shithole in the woods run by a 60+ year old lass whose chest is round her knees & she's wearing a dirty grey vest top to make sure you get the best impression!

They forgot to add its an insect reserve in every room!!

It's cleaner outside the room!!

Microwave sandwiches... mmmm...

We've just finished a 250 mile day of mostly forest road with one section of great steep & rocky single track right at the end of day. We had planned to stay in Glendale but the motel has closed down, this is a financially depressed area it seems as Tiller, our original fuel stop as per the TAT notes had also closed, so we drove 15 miles down to Dry Creek & got totally robbed by the old guy who served us the fuel, (Apparently, in Oregon, it's the law that fuel is served by someone rather than you just helping yourself as normal), he seemed to just make up the prices, so mine was $14, Geoff's was $16, Kevin's was $13, Brian's was $3!! (It should be noted here that Brian has the biggest tank of all of us!!).

Come on in sonny, we'll take all your cash!!

There was a section of trail that was closed today, it was 12 miles into the bit that started with a sharp left turn onto the  2950 dirt road. It looks like it's been blocked off for a couple of years now judging by the undergrowth & trees, yet both Sam's & GPS Kevin routes take you through here. We returned to the road, (Hwy 29), then followed this to Tiller, to find there is no shop or fuel there anymore hence the drive to Dry Creek. En route we did find a cool little cafe where we all had steak or chicken burritos, this was breakfast, it had been 6 hours since we'd set off, so just a little hungry by then!

Oops no trail here sir!

Boulder field under the shrubbery that was the trail...

Tiller - shop & garage for sale anyone??

Great little store on the way to Tiller.

We returned back to the TAT & then headed back into the trees at Elk Creek to go over another hillside, this took us to the best bit of the trail for the day near Coffie Butte. Steep & rocky with great views down into the valleys below. Geoff & Kevin both had a couple of little 'offs' here due to the steepness & I'd ended up in front of all of them due to a bit of poor nav on Brian's part. I thought they were all still in front of me so I got a bit of a lick on, which turned out to be unnecessary as I found out when I retraced my steps to find them.

So as there was no accommodation in Glendale, we chatted with the fuel pump guy who was a Mexican lad with good sense of humour, he suggested we head to the RV park in Sunny Valley which had cabins to rent as well, but the guys decided to try the motel, hence where we ended up for the night!

Another eventful day on the TAT, that leaves is 124 miles to Port Orford tomorrow.... watch this space!!

Oh & I forgot we also found a museum for old stage coaches in Sunny Valley, great little place, & Sunny Valley is aptly named it was basking in beautiful sunshine whilst we were there