Midsummer. the Longest day of the year. The two moments when the Sun’s path across the sky is longest and farthest north in the Northern Hemisphere and furthest south in the Southern Hemisphere. sometimes Celebrated by the lighting of ritual bonfires, skinnydipping and folk magic, other times traveling long distances by bicycle. Traditions tell of otherworldly virvatuli, a fabled elemental ghostlight luring the foolhardy down paths perilous and quixotic in pursuit of elusive goals and destinations impossible to reach. Jennifer huston set out on one such midsummer solo journey and finish she did. here is how it happened.

The Summer Solstice was coming. The plan was to ride Falls Creek Hinterland 300k Endurance+. With a little bit of luck in timing I would see others along the way, but this mostly would be a solo journey on the longest day of the year! Feeling as though my setup was as dialed as it could be and with my trusty Garmin inReach Mini at my fingertips I took off for the hinterlands at 5am Sunday morning June 20th. I was surprised at how light it was already and wished I had left sooner feeling as though I was missing the first slivers of pink in the distance. It would take me thirteen miles to get to the route's official start point on the northeast fringe of Portland, OR. Upon arriving my first thought was "Oh great. The number 13! I must be doomed!" Seconds later I laughed it off then set my Wahoo to indicate Lap 2 as a quick mileage reference in the event simple arithmetic became too hard. For the first time I wrote down points of interest with mileage on a small hand written piece of paper and had it taped to the top of my bike's frame. In addition to provision stops I also added two bail out options. Mile 70 and 94. Going north into the tiny town of Yacolt, WA surrounded by stunning forest beauty, mile 30 offered a convenience store and coffee. There was another store option at mile 39 which I opted for as my first official stop even though the previous one looked very enticing! After arriving at the town store the locals lingering outside offered friendly looks my way. About 15 minutes prior a separate group of 12 riders would break trail for me so that my already tired self was hopefully less of a spectacle. An hour earlier the same group, like a swarm of bees would pass me and for a moment we exchanged greetings and good luck on our separate journey. They were flyin! My solo effort seemed foolish. "I could go so much faster, expending less energy if..." but then, here I can just do my own thing. I'm doing what I love, I reminded myself.

It would take me a minute to transition from pedaling bliss to the orderlies of store business . After gathering my goods feeling thankful for the options a friendly gentleman asked me if I was headed up the road. He pointed in the direction I was going next and I said "Yes!" Both excited and a bit nervous. "Oh... okay" he replied, adding in a long pause. "I didn't know they paved that road up there?" That's when I knew I was definitely going the right direction and the adventure was beginning soon! I mumbled something about my bigger tires in between bites of food and he still seemed unsure which was a very reasonable thought. From there I began a steady climb into Soda Peaks. Eventually the pavement ends and I'm thinking FINALLY! I was ready for the crunchy sounds of gravel and more interesting terrain to navigate. Up until this point I was running about 45psi and sometime after lowering to 20psi. I stopped a lot while climbing this section both to refill water and take a reprieve from the burning hot sun. This would be a pivotal move. Cold mountain water, using a small wet cloth to help cool off, chasing sections of shade and taking care of myself during the long, hot, arduous climb would prove to be very beneficial. I have found that the more real food I can eat upfront the better I will feel later when food becomes hard to consume or uninteresting. During this section I would finish my second sandwich among other snacks. I wasn't in a real hurry to be anywhere, but I also wanted to stay efficient with tasks like eating while riding, or walking my bike while eating, giving the body a change of position. It's not uncommon for me to walk the more steep sections while trying to conserve energy when it feels too hard.

After 80 miles (+13!) I would top out and begin a long and wonderful much-needed descent. Before descending I found a bit of shade and checked in with myself while starting my third sandwich (each one was different). While plopped on the side of the road at the bottom of Little Soda Springs I discovered that I had cell service. Here I was able to check in with loved ones and coordinate with another group to hopefully meet in Stevenson later in the day. I would end up hours behind and missing my friends. After 20-30 minutes of self care I was feeling alive again! Glancing over my cheat sheet I was almost at the first noted bail out. I would continue through the next section and see how I felt at mile 92.

It was 4pm when the sign read Falls Creek Trail 152. The best of the best! My timing ended up being perfect granted it was all taking way longer than expected. Shaded by the trees tucked away from the hottest part of the day my energy soared. This is so much fun! How have I not been here before? Here's that wooden bridge I've seen in photos and there are the downed trees full of character and obstacles. Oh, more people. Cool. Oh, geez these super nice mountain bikers are getting way rad on this trail. One fella gave me kudos for going up. All I really knew was this section was single track and no one was going up but me! Then the next group of mountain bikers appeared with wild eyes letting me know how hard it was about to get. At this point I wasn't too phased by the challenging vertical terrain. I was used to it from previous adventures and felt confident with bike handling skills. Couple more groups blasting their way down it was best for me to stand aside and wait each time. Every interaction was very polite and we were all enjoying ourselves. Gosh, maybe I need to get a mountain bike? Sure, right after you get that touring bike and all those other things you think you need. Not long before reaching the top my stomach growled. Great, I'm still hungry! Truthfully I was saving the last half of my third and final sandwich for the top, but heck, now was the time. Plus, I'm not going that much faster getting on/off the bike navigating this stuff might as well eat and walk. PB&J was not the easiest thing to eat. My mouth feels kind of dry, I'm walking uphill breathing heavily, eating and doing that weird open mouth breathing thing when I hear a group of riders chattering at the top. They are kindly waiting for me to top out. My Wahoo device beeps and beeps because it doesn't register that I am in fact moving slowly and the noise itself reveals there's someone coming. I get to the top, still open mouth breathing while eating, walking my bike and I'm met with smiles and long stares. I was a little embarrassed, but said hello, thank you and shuffled my way towards the right. I hear them talking and look back as I heard one person say "that's a gravel bike!" Another woman mentioned "we're admiring your bike!" Great! I feel cool again. Right up until I tried to mount my bike it was left in a low gear making it too hard to pedal up the section and there I was back to being clumsy. If they only knew how far I had come!

More fun continues, however, I can tell I'm starting to get brain and body fatigue even though spirits are still really good. My guess is the hotter weather had its impact. I made my first mistake on a smooth looking trail rock and went down on my left knee. For a moment it really hurt and amazingly when I went to ride on it I felt fine. Soon after I take a short break to cool off and refill water. The time is 5:30pm and an hour or so later I'm cruising along Panther Creek on a lovely descent. The air is cool. The roads are smooth. I'm feeling the downhill buzz. The moon is showing itself and mile 94 is approaching which was my last noted bail out. Days prior a friend would hint at this section being hard especially after climbing Falls Creek Trail and to consider riding straight to Carson if it felt right. Well, I'll be damned if I didn't look left at NF68 and laugh. "I've been down that road and it's nasty" I say to myself. "I'll check it out another day." This was for sure a smart move. There are times when to push yourself and I knew the objective here was to get to the store in Carson before it closed and chase the sunset along the old highway. End your solstice ride on a good note! Not beaten and broken, right? That would still come later.

I arrived in the town of Carson around 8pm. There's a store that I've been to several times and know exactly where I'm headed once inside. I've been thinking about and relying on this much-needed stop. As I entered the convenience store I both looked and felt absolutely disheveled. Dazed and confused, I gratefully ordered items from the hot bar and grabbed gatorade and water. Why is choosing the color or flavor of gatorade so hard? Outside of the store I begin the glamours setup of curbside dining. Not long after I made two more trips back inside the store. Again feeling embarrassed, but also kinda don't care. I tell the cashier how I forgot caffeine and he seems very understanding. My third trip we both laughed and I told him how I was still hungry. He served me quickly and said "You can come in and out as much as you want! We're open until 10pm!" I think for a second of the impact his kindness had on me. These are some of the best moments when you're feeling desperate and so humbled that you can truly feel the depth of one simple act of kindness. Knowing that I had a long ride ahead my stay was short.

All I can think of next is making it to Cascade Locks as quickly as possible. Earlier I received word on my Garmin inReach Mini from my pals stating there was a rare east wind! I opt to stay on highway 14 until crossing over Bridge of the Gods (how daring I think). "If I can get to Crown Point before it's totally dark I'll be good!" My inner self-coaching begins. It is 9pm at Cascade Locks and I've just taken a quick break along the bike path. There are flurries of mosquitoes all about my way and I turn off my headlamp to lessen their onslaught. Must get going, I say to myself. I've traveled over 130 miles so far of mixed surface roads and who knows how many feet of climbing. This isn't my first or longest endurance ride yet I know the sensation. Get home! My next goal is Crown Point where I will take my next break. I'm not as daring as I used to be and something about the late night creates a sense of urgency.

Crown Point was bustling! Cars. Music. People. Lovers. The ending of sunset and whisperings of late night conversations. As I glance over at the various couples I begin to feel a sense of loneliness. How nice would it be to share this moment with someone? I am reminded of a quote that resonated with me years ago "Happiness is shared". After ruminating for a moment over my passion for cycling and what it was like to be in love and how there's love in camaraderie, love within the peloton, it's time to take care of the bike and myself, so I snap back into action. While getting down calories I finally add air back into both tires. Why the heck did I wait so long? I could really feel the drag while climbing past Multnomah Falls. I wonder why it can be so hard to stop sometimes. I was in the zone of getting home and all, but little stuff like this can actually help you move a bit faster!

I proceed well past Crown Point ignoring off route beeps from Wahoo Elemnt. Sure I should turn there, it's better. My one track mind didn't want me to wander into the unknown and so I stayed along the familiar old highway. Eventually I would reconnect to the route making my way from Troutdale to Gresham. There was a sense of calmness and familiarity. I wasn't far from my childhood home! How cool was that. A wave of nostalgia kicked in and the mind wandered and wandered. In between those waves of memories I would worry about the quickest way to get home. Surely the route creator had me going the most efficient and safest way, right? Twists and turns I'm weaving through neighborhoods after midnight. I feel the urge to shout that I'm not an intruder! Just passing through! Sorry if my lighting blares through your bedroom window. The night is still and quiet only the musings of my own mind rumble about like a circus performer balancing her unicycle.

Two years ago was when I purchased my first gravel bike (as they're called these days). Prior to that I was a dedicated bike commuter with a passion for more. It wasn't until I was six months pregnant that I would become a new car owner again! The car was nice, yes, but it all felt weird and wrong. Back to adventure rides, my local bike shop told me about a group called Our Mother The Mountain. Here I could meet others and learn of curated routes in places I'd seen only in pictures and knew I had to experience for myself in person. I was intimidated, but the fire in me was driven to explore by bike.

My very first adventure ride called Eagle Caves had me climbing 2,000 feet in the first ten miles. Welcome to OMTM! This route's mixed surface begins in Mosier, OR and loops back from The Dalles. The day was hot somewhere in the 80's. Not knowing any better I tried to bring a puffy jacket for a forty mile ride and asked my ride companion if I would need to bring a U-Lock. He very politely gave me a gentle look and said "nah". This would initiate my journey of trials and errors and epic experience. Many mistakes along the way, some could have been avoided, sometimes I just didn't know better, and others you're simply plagued with bad luck. I would learn the rhythm of cycling. Each ride was a unique experience and it's a lot about the mind and where it can go.

The time was around 1am when I wondered if I would make it home. The last 17 miles seemed about when the heat of the day and the day's effort itself would catch up to my stomach. At this point my body began to deceive me. Food? No thanks. Water? Don't think so. I remember seeing a sign for Park Drive off Roberts Avenue. My next turn into what looked like an off road bit and I thought "Oh no! I just need smooth and easy pavement." After cursing the route master, Ryan, the next moment like a drop of fairydust I was suddenly connected to the Springwater Corridor one easy half block later. Ryan was cool again and I was a drama queen. All I needed to do was make it home from Gresham to Milwaukie on solid flats. I've got this! Around the same time is when the bonking vibes really kicked it. Do I stop and take care of myself? There's an army of cottontail rabbits jumping right out of the bush in front of me and it's kinda freaking me out. There are too many campsites along this stretch; it might not be safe? Take a sip of water and you'll feel better. Stomach begins to flip. I need a nap. I might puke. My mouth is parched. Okay, just focus on getting home, it's not far away. The light of the moon will foster your energy... the stars and stuff... believe in yourself. Your body is more capable than you realize. The deeper I go, the longer the ride, the more intense my surroundings become. Mother nature is divine and I feel as close to her as ever.

Eventually I would make it home just after 2am leaving that last hour as the grand finale. After arriving, about all I could handle was a bowl of bone broth to at least help my brain snap back. As I sat down feeling relieved and accomplished the next moment I would doze off and end up spilling all the broth over myself.

And the ride…by the numbers:
181.39 miles
12,249 feet of elevation
17h26m rolling time
21h15m total elapsed time

The Gear:

Salsa Journeyman

650b x 47c Teravail Cannonball

Wahoo Elmnt Bolt

Garmin InReach Mini

Rapha Bar Bag

Snack Pouch

Ruth Works Ultralight Wedge Saddle Bag

OrNot Hip Pack

Repair Kit + Multitool + 1 tube

2 Battery Charge Sticks

3 Water Bottles

3 Lighting Options

Small cloth

Rapha Shakedry Jacket

Rapha Thermal Arm sleeves

Rapha Insulated Jacket