Day 2: Madras to Maupin
Unlike riding out of Bend, it took only a few minutes to leave the "city" of Madras behind and find ourselves on a quiet country road. More high desert scenery and ranch land, with
occasional views of the Cascades to the west. There are no towns at all along this route until you get to Maupin, 50 miles away. At the halfway point we turned left onto Highway 197, an even smaller, quieter road, and began our first ascent to about 3300 feet. Where the road levels out there's a view of seven

Cascade mountain peaks, from Mount Adams (about 70 miles north across the Columbia River in Washington State) to the Sisters south of us near Bend. Clouds usually obscure the mountain tops, but a few were visible that day. The photo on the right is Mt. Jefferson, with some farm equipment in the

foregound taken along the roadside of Highway 197. The town of Maupin is hidden until you're right on top of it since it lies in a deep arroyo along the Deschutes River. We had a nice little downhill coast into that arroyo and the town, fully realizing we'd be climbing back out of there the next day.


Rafters on the Deschutes
 The town of Maupin is pretty small (population less than 200) and sits on the west side of the river a few hundred feet up the hill. But on the eastern river bank is the Imperial River Lodge and a bunch of whitewater rafting outfitters who run hundreds of people down the Deschutes River everyday. The Imperial Lodge was great - just 8 units and a very nice restaurant in a cozy log cabin type room. Theres also

a large lawn stretching down to the river with outdoor tables for lunch service and an active border collie who was ready to play with any of the guests who would throw him a ball. We spent most of the afternoon sitting outside on the lawn watching people having fun floating down the river. And had a great dinner at the lodge.


The Imperial River Lodge
On the way to
the best fishing spot
on the Deschutes