Day 23 Lakeview to LaPine (Oregon)

There is just Phil and I left - and as such, the support truck (for the first time) becomes a pain: there's no-one to drive it!

We drove the truck to LaPine, and the plan was to ride the bikes back the 150 miles down the road to Lakeview and start the trail from there!
The first hurdle was finding accommodation in LaPine - it's Labour Day weekend - some sort of Bank Holiday.
After trying all the motels in the area, we sat on the trailer tailgate in a fuel station forecourt pondering our options. We decided that we would sleep in the truck, but we still needed internet access - so the plan was, to head back to the Best Western motel - and that I (being recognisable with my 'quaint' accent (although Phil and his brother have been telling people "it's not a speech impediment - it's an accent")) would see if we could use their internet access.
Result - the receptionist remembered us, and told us there had been a cancellation!!

So, early in the morning (6am) we strapped the 6 gallons of fuel onto the bikes, and set off on the road to Lakeview - and boy was it cold - brrrrrr.

Once in Lakeview - after a 3 hour ride, we joined the trail - it started as gravel road, but turned to untouched trail;



Whilst Phil was (again) retying his fuel can back to the bike - I met up with these 2 guys, who were filling their water jugs from a spring - they had been using the same spring (when on vacation) for the last 25 years.



As has been customary so far, we came across another road closed, and again continued through - although my little short legs let me down on this one:



The trail then turned onto a disused railroad line for 15 or so miles, which was great. Long sweeping gravel turns all on an embankment several meters above the forest floor.

We had found out that the fuel station at Silver Lake closed at 3pm today (sunday) so we were racing to make it on time (if you remember, we have fuel range issues!!).
Things were going well, until the trail turned to this;



The rocks got more and more frequent - it was like riding a ploughed field for the next 5 or so miles - except the rocks weren't as forgiving !

We reached SilverLake an hour late - and there was no sign of anyone.

Phil wanted to keep going, but I'd been told stories by many people, that Phil is notorious for running out of fuel. We had 50 miles by road back to LaPine - we emptied the cans into the KTM (filling it), and put the remaining litre (quart) into the XR.
The KTM has a 50 mile range - so made it back (just), and the XR crawled into the parking lot after 15 miles on reserve!!

It was 7pm, and we had to move on, so we packed up the bikes and headed to Diamond Lake where we would sleep in the truck, ready for the next day. (we will miss out 40 miles of trail - but so be it !!)