Traveling Twosome
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Favorite Bike Rides 3:  Harris Park, Umatilla County, OR

8/25/2014

2 Comments

 
Continuing our series of favorite road rides in the Walla Walla Valley, this ride takes us up to Harris Park in Umatilla County, just over the border in Oregon.  It's one of the longest rides we do, and we tend to add on a few extra miles by riding farther west to begin the ride than this map indicates. Fortunately, we go right through Milton-Freewater in each direction so can stop for a rest room or food stop, as needed.
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This is also one of the hillier rides we do in the area, as it climbs up out of the valley into the hills along South Fork Walla Walla River Road to the park.  Of course that makes for some fun riding on the way back, once we've paid the piper on the way there!
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This county park is a true hidden gem.  And amazingly, we usually have it almost completely to ourselves when we ride up on a weekday, though I'd imagine it gets more use on weekends.  That's exactly the reason we avoid it then -- to avoid traffic coming and going on the road.
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South Fork Walla Walla River
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Barry riding in Harris Park -- we have it to ourselves!
Once the road turns to gravel, you can ride for many more miles...wish we'd brought our mountain bikes!
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The day-use picnic area -- empty, as usual.  Does no one know about this beautiful place but us?!
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Day-use area...just me and my bike taking a break
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South Fork Walla Walla River running behind day-use area
The small campground is equally deserted, save the camp host. What a lovely place to camp this would be.  You can hear the roaring Walla Walla River from the road, so it would be even louder from the tent and RV sites that back right up to it.  Ahhhhh....
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Campground with RV sites to left and camp host in center
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Tenting area at campground
The ride to and from the park is as special as the park is and includes some of the prettiest scenery we've seen in this entire area.  The terrain is more varied than down in the valley as well, and there's actually some shade here and there -- rare in the valley.
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I always admire this neat, tiny farm right by the road.  I could live here...well, a few months a year anyway!
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There are loads of blackberries dripping from each side of the road, free for the picking.  Oh yes!
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There are numerous river crossings along the way.
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South Fork Walla Walla River
The water is seriously clear!
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In a flashback to our former lives, we came upon a piece of Northern Telecom switching equipment right on the way to the park, a DMS-1 Urban.  Barry and I both worked for NT for many years, so seeing this old logo brought back a lot of memories.
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DMS-1U in cabinet along WW River Road
So, there you have it, another of our favorite bike rides in this beautiful area.  
2 Comments
Paula Segrest
8/25/2014 11:19:01 am

AMAZING photos as usual. I just love the ones of the river. I hope you took the time to go 'rock hoppin; in the creek. I'd love to be a camp host in that park! :D

Reply
Emily
8/25/2014 12:50:25 pm

Nope, didn't make it into the water, which I am sure is very cold. The banks were high and no easy way to get down to it...plus it is rushing very fast. It's actually a river, not a creek! Glad you enjoyed the photos...the beauty of the nature int his area makes it easy to get good shots.

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    Emily & Barry

    We're a long-married, early-retired couple who are currently traveling as nomads with no fixed home base.  After years of living in North Carolina (Emily's home state), we spent 18 months living oceanfront on Ambergris Caye, Belize, a year road-tripping the US in a Honda CR-V, a year in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and are now roaming North America in our 32' motorhome, Pearl, following warm weather whenever possible.

    Our passions are bicycling, walking and hiking, birding, continuing our midlife struggles to learn Spanish, enjoying healthy food (and the occasional donuts & pie!), traveling (duh!)  We travel with a fleet of bicycles and Paisley, our 10-year old Boston Terrier. 

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    Paisley, May 2016
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    Pearl, a 2007 Newmar Bay Star
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    States visited in "Pearl"

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  • Traveling Twosome Blog
  • BeBelize - Our life in Belize (2011-2013)
  • Earlier adventures (2003-2010)
    • First Belize Trip 2010
    • Fall Sail Cruise Aboard Logos 2009
    • Conch Key 2007
    • Charleston Sailing School 2007
    • Biscayne Bay Sailing School 2007
    • Key Lime Sailing Club 2006
    • Southwest Parks 2006
    • BEYC/Jost van Dyke, BVI 2005
    • Offshore Sailing School 2004
    • Annapolis Sailboat Show 2004
    • Finger Lakes 2004
    • NY State Bike Tour 2004
    • Biras Creek, BVI 2003