Madras - Gateway Loop

Route Details

The route follows quiet country roads, but it does cross Highway 97 a few times - please use caution. The ride can be ridden in either direction, but riding counter-clockwise goes up the Gateway Grade which is a little longer. There are no services in Gateway.

## Route
* The ride starts at the city park in Madras where there is ample parking, restrooms and water. The city of 6,225 has all the services anyone would need.
* The route follows local streets and country roads while avoiding highways as much as possible. Doing this requires crossing highways 97 and 26 which do have traffic. USE CAUTION.
* A few miles out of town brings cyclists out into the vast farm fields that are irrigated by water that originates south of Bend. It is all brought this long distance thanks to the North Unit Irrigation District.
* Long wheel lines and pivot irrigation equipment keeps the fields green all through the summer months. Garlic, onions, wheat, potatoes, alfalfa, and mint are just some of the crops you will see along the route.
* At the northern end of the route, the road drops into the small community of Gateway. There are no services here, but it is a wonderful out-of-the-way place to stop.
* Leaving Gateway the road climbs back up to the top of the plateau. From here, there are tremendous views of the Cascade Volcanoes.
* The route turns south and crosses highway 26, which has more traffic than highway 97, so use caution. Traveling past more farms, again with panoramic views, the road passes the WWII era airport before descending into the city of Madras.

## Notes
There are several good restaurants in Madras, such as [Great Earth Natural Foods](http://www.greatearth.biz/) and [Rio Mexican Cuisine](http://riomadrasmexicancuisine.com/), as well as several fast food establishments.

The farms around Madras and Gateway are very picturesque, helped in this regard by the stunning Cascade Volcanoes to the west.

It is better to not let bike wheels roll onto the shoulder of the road because the area is prone to punction vine and the small goat-heads that easily cause flat tires.

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Madras - Gateway Loop

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