I went on a gorgeous bike ride yesterday to the old mining town of Monte Cristo. It's off the Mountain Loop highway in the Cascades. There used to be a railroad up to Monte Cristo and 100 years ago it was a thriving town with a hotel, shops and saloons. There was gold mining in them thar hills and people flocked there to find their fortune. Now it is a ghost town and a four mile hike in. We took our mountain bikes but it was an adventure riding there. We had to cross the river via a log (dicey business when you're on a bike) and the road was very rocky in many places making it necessary to get off the bike and walk.
The payoff was worth it though. It was a beautiful, late September day, the sun was shining and the mountains were splendid. This could be the last nice weekend for a while.
