Google Maps told us that we had a short 45-mile day to Union Creek so we took our sweet time in the morning. When we go to take the turn on the road that's supposed to take us there, we are met with pure wilderness. Huh? Confirmed by the ranger we befriended: that road doesn’t exist. He said it was probably some power company’s old gravel easement that Google thought was a road. He said the only way to Union Creek was through Diamond Lake. That added an extra climb and another 30 miles to the day. Better get movin’, Ursa and Ale!
It ended up being an absolute beauty of a ride through the Umpqua National Forest. We stopped for a waystation at a burned forest stand near Diamond Lake, where we played our favorite Vashti Bunyan song: Diamond Day. Afterward, we soar down the mountain and make it to Union Creek by sunset. Just another Diamond Day!
-Ale and Ursa
