Day 78: Cycling to the Smith Rock, canyon like. Cycling across America - TransAmerica Bicycle Trail

Today is another detour to another park: the Smith Rock State Park.
This free of charge beauty is located in Terrebonne, not too far from Redmond, which is 35 km from my starting point, Prineville, .
I didn’t know about this place until seeing it on a touristic brochure.
Smith Rock is only popular with locals when it comes to trekking, but is known internationally for climbing. It is a mini Zion Park but that's just an approximate impression: the canyon isn't deep and the rock is actually of volcanic origin. I was planning to stay here an hour or two, but it required more time. Geologically speaking the United States are a fantastic history book, enjoyable also by the non-experts.
My trip is almost over. I am not ahead on schedules, but not late at all. I'll have enough time for visiting the coastline and the city of Portland, where I'll need to take the flight on Aug 15th. The days without telephone signal and made by small, distant villages, are now a memory I guess. I have entered an area packed by towns which are not far from each other. Despite being geographically central on an Oregon map, I do feel like I have made it to the west coast urban area already. Redmond is the first significant city since Missoula in Montana and its highway remembers me that.

[@Hollywoodbadger]

That landscape was amazing! And looked so empty - were there many people? We’re the roads empty?

[@vladywashere]

Generally speaking I wait for the car to pass me and then I film, but the traffic is low in the west, all my videos can testify that.