The Oregon BDR Experience
Episode 7: ORBDR Hart Mountain Section 1 to Home

In this episode, we ride a portion of Section 1 of the ORBDR up to Hart Mountain and the Antelope Refuge. We were running out of time and the numerous riders we met coming from the south stated that if they could do it over again, they’d skip section 1 as it was all desert rock and sand with no real interesting features. Given how arduous the previous days in the desert were, it was an easy call for us. Instead, we departed the ORBDR up on the Hart Mountain plateau and headed for Frenchglen on the Westside of Steens mountain. We had a long way to go as we had to traverse the entire state of Oregon from South to North in one day. It was a relaxing ride through the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge up through John Day and the fossil beds monument. In the late evening, we cross the prairies, passing huge wind power generator farms in the late evening sun. We arrive at the Columbia River and spend the night along the Columbia River at Maryhill State Park. The next morning, we visit the Stonehenge replica at Goldendale and then head home, riding a small section of the WA BDR over to Ellensburg. It was a fantastic adventure that I personally will never forget.

OBDR Route Description
The Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route (ORBDR) is a 750-mile, multi-day off-pavement ride designed for adventure and dual-sport motorcycles. The route traverses a vast climate area. The ORBDR is probably the most diverse BDR route to date in this regard. The RideBDR website suggests that folks start in the southern desert near the Nevada/Oregon border and traverse north with gradual ingress towards pine mountain forests. We did the opposite, as we started our trip north of Seattle on adventure motorcycles and explored ancient pine forests of Washington State and enjoying some of the southern portions of the WABDR. We officially started the ORBDR at Hood River and worked our way through the northern Oregon cascade mountains witnessing all the major volcanos of the state, after which, we found ourselves in the remote high deserts of the southeastern portion of Oregon. Lava rock, “moondust”, sand and mountain rock were forces to be reckoned when riding a motorcycle through here. The sagebrush, lava tubes and glaciated volcanoes are sights to behold and experience along the way. These natural wonders provide a prime rugged outdoor adventure experience. Be prepared, however, as the Oregon BDR is not to be taken lightly. It is one of the hardest routes they have mapped out to date. Beginners are urged to cut their teeth elsewhere. Explorers should be prepared to be self-sufficient, camp, prepare for rain, extreme desert heat along with the many physical challenges provided by the terrain all without the comfort of cell phone service or motels. Distances along the route are measured by hours to travel rather than miles. We did not move fast. Instead, we took a cautious and methodical approach, touching on all the highlights of the wilderness and skipping a few of the more technical challenges to maximize our Experience. To avoid the extreme heat, we planned out trip in September to avoid the summer crowds and summer heat. We were fortunate as the highest temperatures experienced were no more than the low 80’s (deg Fahrenheit)

I hope you thoroughly enjoy this episode of our travels. It is presented to show the joys, wonders and hardship of this route from a non-sponsored, not-for-profit perspective.

Please “LIKE”, “SUBSCRIBE” and comment if you enjoyed this. It will encourage me to do more of these types of productions in the future.

As always, Thanks for Riding with me, ~GrizzLee

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