Today I took the bike out to explore the lava-riddled expanse of desert near Jordan Craters. Upper and Lower Cow Lakes formed naturally as part of the same geologic activity that burbled up Jordan Craters. Muddy and bleak, these lakes don’t offer much in the way of the recreation that the BLM signs suggest. No sign of fish, though legend has it that Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife planted cutthroat trout in 1964. There is no evidence to suggest the fish did not immediately seek residence elsewhere. I picture them taking one look at their new surroundings, setting their jaws in fishy determination, and flopping onto the bank to scrabble their way to Antelope reservoir, ten miles south.

On my route, I chose the Old ION highway, including a shortcut on Oregon Avenue. Don’t let the benign motorway designations mislead you. These roads are some of the most gloriously awful in the state, including stretches impassable without 4WD, ATV, motorcycle, or horse. I pushed myself and my V-Strom to the limit on one rimrock-descending length of road that I don’t believe had seen a vehicle in years. I returned with a mangled skid plate that easily paid for itself on that 300 yards of so-called highway.