Day 12: Rest day in Mitchell, OR

We had only planned to stay one night at the Spoke’n Hostel, but it was so peaceful that we stayed an extra day, which gave us some time to relax and think. It wasn't an easy choice, but we decided that this will be the end of our cycling adventure. When we set out, we envisioned a challenging summer where we were able to relax and see new places together. After nearly two weeks on the road, we realized that cycling the TransAm is not the adventure we were hoping it would be. For Chelsea, the steep climbs and descents looming each day make the ride quite nerve racking and difficult to enjoy (and we haven't even gotten into the really high peaks along the route). On the other hand, Chad did not enjoy riding alone for most of the day along highways. While we have loved all the places we’ve been and the people we’ve met, neither of us are really enjoying the cycling part nor are we able to explore the areas we stay in.

Pat, the hostel owner, offered to drive us to Powell Butte tomorrow so that we can make our way to Bend, rent a car, and continue on our journey east. We're happy that we were able to work this out while in Mitchell, because had we continued we would have headed further into the mountains where towns are few and far between and cell service is extremely limited.

We are glad that we attempted the TransAm and in doing so got to see about 400 miles of Oregon by bike and meet a lot of great people. We spent the rest of the day relaxing at the hostel, talking with the owners and other guests and exploring Mitchell. Tomorrow, we look forward to starting a new adventure!