May 20: Mouth Watering Curves
Is it possible to have too much fun in one day? I can’t think of anything much better than a slew of mouth-watering curves carved in the foothills of multiple mountain ranges weaving past rivers, lakes, and waterfalls on one back country road after another. Of course, the house made honey marshmallow dessert with chocolate ganache and buttery pecan nut crust was delicious also.
After so many weeks of rain and cold weather, today’s ride to the tip of Eastern Oregon and around the bases of Mount Hood and Mount Adams was gloriously warm, sunny, and mild. Leo Guzman Fernandez and I followed the Clackamas River east to highway 216 past Pine Grove, Wapinitia, and Maupin and then north on highway 197 to Pine Hollow.
As we traversed the foothills of Mount Hood on our way to the reservoir, we zipped up and down a variety of mountain passes in the fresh crisp air, weaving through thickets of evergreen trees, past patches of snow and waterfalls cascading off cliffs. As we neared Maupin, we were greeted with warm rolling, honey-colored hills, and valleys.
After a small but delicious shared omelet breakfast at the reservoir, we headed north up highway 197 to the Dalles and up highway 142. This section of road is downright delightful as it zips along the rapids of the Klickitat River and zig zags back and forth rising in elevation towards Glenwood and spectacular views of snow-capped Mount Adams. With sheer drop offs to the east and no center line in the middle of the two-lane road, riding here always feels like an adventure.
From Glenwood we headed south on highway 141 and along the Columbia River to Hood River and Solstice Wood Fire Pizza.
Leo and I couldn’t decide which pizza to order so we decided to get both. The “Hot Mamma” with Ezzo pepperoni, peppadew peppers, pepperoncini, mozzarella, and house marinara had just the right amount of heat and a hearty meat flavor. I also really enjoyed the “Country Girl Cherry” made with local cherries, house-made chorizo sausage, goat cheese, Pecorino, and house marinara. Both were made with homemade crust that had been fermented for 72 hours. I think the real cherry on top, however, was the wood fire s'more dessert. The lightly browned homemade marshmallow, rich chocolate ganache, and buttery pecan crust had the perfect blend of textures and flavors.
Leaving Hood River, we were greeted with a breathtaking view of Mount Hood towering above the local fruit orchards. The steep snow-covered slopes of this active volcano stood in sharp contrast to the bright blue sky and deep green fields at its base. The crisp clean mountain air rolling off this beauty kept us cool in the sun as we swooped down and around the mountain on our way home.
