AJ and I rode up the Clackamas river for a quick overnighter at Alder Flat. I hadn’t been here in some time. Although it was cold and wet, we were able to get a decent fire going to help dry us out and stay warm for a few hours before going to bed.
**Day 1: Climbing** Starting at dawn, the air chilled as ice. I packed up and kissed my sweetie goodbye. I knew I had hours of climbing ahead of me but I had not anticipated it taking so long. Shortly after starting and only a few miles into the route I realized that I may be …