Oregon Trail Forecast Weather

Before we talk about weather, thought you might want to take a look at a video I shot with my GoPro in Dillon Montana last year. This is a bit of what it will look like on our tour. 

We are now almost exactly one month away from beginning our Oregon Trail tour. The riders are all training as much as they are able. Three of five riders are still working. The other two can ride anytime they want. Which sounds great, except for one little challenge, Houston Weather. The Heat.

As this is being written, I've ridden 6 out of 8 days putting in close to 300 miles. Each day I departed the house about 6:30am with temps in the 80's that quickly rose to the 90's. By the time I returned, heat index's were well over 100f.

We are now starting to see cramping and heat stress related issues. Sunday morning, our group began to fade quickly about mile 50 with one rider developing cramps but still making it back to the start for a total of 65 miles. Another group of riders we know, went out with 5 riders and came back with 3. One turning after about 20 miles and heading back. Another stopping with full cramps necessitating a sag to come pick him up.

Which brings me to the topic of this post. "What will it be like a month from now along our route in Oregon, Idaho and Montana?"

The following shows our forecast weather during the last week of August and first week of September.

Florence Oregon - 53f - 66f

Eugene & McKinzie Bridge Oregon - 50f - 81f

Prineville Oregon - 44f - 82f

John Day Oregon - 45f - 84f

Baker City Oregon - 40f - 78f

Riggins Idaho - 47f - 80f

Missoula Montana - 45f - 70f

Bottom line - while we will be putting in alot of miles. We will be riding in much much less stressful weather conditions.

What Knowledge We Share On Weekend Rides

During our training ride this Saturday near Huntsville we had an informal discussion about electric power generation and renewable energy resources. Don't ask me how it got started, but it was not surprising how diverse and passionate the conversation became. 

Some in our group took the stand that hydrocarbons will be prominent forever. Some said no new forms of energy will emerge. Some said just the opposite. Some stated that micro electrical generation units, "fuel cells" will emerge and even shock our current belief systems. 

I took the "E" stand. Renewable energy sources and Electric powered vehicles are moving rapidly forward and disrupting what we have all taken for granted in our life. 

I believe the day will come when the predominant source of our energy will come from the sun and subsequently the wind and waves.

People will view gasoline and diesel vehicles as "old school" relics of the past.  Not in my life, but it's gonna happen. 

As a trending example, read this recent article found on AARP's magazine: http://www.aarp.org/auto/info-2017/electric-vehicles-more-affordable-fd.html?intcmp=AE-HP-DP2

When we ride across the Oregon Trail in a few weeks, we might imagine similar discussions in the 1850's by the wagon drivers:

"Hey Jeb, you reckon we ever be able to fly like a bird?" "Hell no Jimmy, if man was meant to fly, God woulda given him wings son." Now tend to your mules boy quit that crazy dreamin."

Little did those wagon masters in 1850 know that Leonardo DaVinci had envisioned flight in the 1500's. And little could Jeb imagine that Lilienthal would fly in a glider in 1890, and that in 1903, man would take to the air in a powered aircraft. And that a little over 100 years from that wagon train's travels in time, man would set foot on the moon. Flying there in a space craft. 

Ref: https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/lilienthal-glider

Ref: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/wright.htm

The Wright Flyer built from an image in their minds.

Did I mention the E bike I saw 2 weeks ago on FM1488. The guy was peddling about a half mile ahead of me and headed my way when suddenly without peddling, he accelerated rapidly and blew by at about 25 mph or more. Big smile on his face as he showed off his new "E" bike of the future. 

The Evelo Delta E Bike - 40 Mile Range between Charges