[ORRando] King's Valley 600k pre-ride report

[Keith Kohan]

Here's another opportunity to ride through the beautiful coast range and lovely green Willamette valley.  Almost all of the climbing is on the first day and there's a stretch in there where it is just plain flat for what must be over 100 miles.
The route heads straight south by way of Dallas and the King's Valley Highway.  So straight that the first control isn't until the Blodget Store at mile 69.  There wasn't a great deal of selection at the store on Friday, but I told the owner you'd be coming by next Saturday and he was very happy to hear it.  He promised to stock up.  I didn't have any this time, but as I recall his pizza is pretty good.
After Blodget you climb west over the coast range to Logsden.  There's a 1.7 mile (by my measure) stretch of gravel road before Logsden.  The switchback climb was pretty loose and steep so I had to get off and walk a short distance three times.  The downhill on the other side was well packed, almost like pavement, so it caused no problems at all.  It helps that there's almost no traffic on this road.  
The Logsden store is the next control and it was it's normal congenial self.  Every time I've stopped here I've had a pleasant conversation with the locals while I snacked at one of the picnic tables.  The woman running the store was anxious about seeing you next Saturday and, like Blodget, she plans to stock up.
The ride continues to be beautiful and mostly down hill as it follows the Siletz River all the way to Lincoln City on the coast. On Friday the temperature dropped to 59 degrees and misty after Lincoln City as I climbed Slab Creek Road bypassing busy highway 101.  I saw no cars on Slab Creek Road and there was even some new pavement on a few short stretches of it.
The Neskowin Store is the next control and it is open for business until 9PM now.  Good thing because there are no other services until you climb back over the coast range and ride down to Grande Ronde.  And a special treat.  All new pavement on that twisty decent from the top of the coast range!  That whole section that used to have the rain grooves and pot holes.
If you want something in Grand Ronde and it's late I think the casino is open.  If you go in the non-smoking entrance to the right of the front door there is free water, juice, coffee and soda just inside the door.

>From here back to Newberg it's flat and on Friday I had a strong tailwind and hit the motel at 8PM or so.  After dinner, 7 hours of sleep, and breakfast I headed south through Salem and on to Independence.  This is all flat and continues to be flat to the next control in Waterloo.  You get there by way of the Buena Vista Ferry which conveniently is now running from 7am to 7pm.  They even sell water and ice cream on the new ferry.
After Waterloo there are some pleasant rollers through some beautiful terrain to Scio.  The grocery store in Scio has a deli department and a nice picnic table.  I spent quite a bit of time there before heading north to the steepest climb on the 600k.  It's short and it's an absolute blast to go down.  But we go up.  
Stayton is next and only about 7 miles from Scio.  But make sure you leave Stayton with plenty of food and water because there is no reliable place on the route to get any before Newberg some 48 miles away.  It's a pretty flat 48 miles through the farm lands of Marion County which, by the way, is the richest agricultural county in Oregon.
It's a beautiful ride.  Have fun!
Keith Kohan
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