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Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend June 9, 2006 Highway 140 to Lake Creek offers smooth bike route By BOB KORFHAGE for the Mail Tribune Now that temperatures are warmer and I have shed my layers of winter riding apparel, I like to select cycling routes without frequent stops, turns or distractions, allowing me to work into a nice pedaling cadence with a relaxed mental state. I can feel the road, let my mind drift a little and become one with my bike. The ideal route for this kind of ride has few stoplights or stop signs, wide shoulders where one is safer from motorized traffic, smooth pavement and long straight stretches. My ideal ride is enhanced by a few long rolling hills that work the big leg muscles on the uphill pull and allow me to feel the wind in my face when descending the long downhill runs. Bicycling along Highway 140 to Lake Creek meets all my criteria. From the Medford area, there are several ways to get to Highway 140. Two possible routes from the Medford area include starting on Foothill Road lots of traffic with minimal to no shoulders and following it to Corey Road and then Kershaw Road and Highway 140 or starting on Crater Lake Avenue, which parallels Crater Lake Highway less traffic, but noisy, and following it to Vilas Road, then McLoughlin Drive, Corey, Kershaw and 140. From at the junction of Highway 62 and 140 in White City, this route will take you on a 14-mile, one-way, flat to gradual uphill ride to Lake Creek. Once you're on Highway 140, head east. The pavement is smooth and the shoulders are wide. Traffic is normally light but moving at highway speeds. At mile 2 you pass the Kershaw Road junction and can see parts of the Jackson County Sportsman Park on your right. Advertisement Continue past the drag strip in the distance on your right and the state weigh station, crossing Dry Creek and a portion of Stone Ridge Golf Course on your right at mile 3.5. After 4.4 miles of straight road, you'll encounter a slight left bend and then another 2.5 miles of straight road. At mile 6.7 you have climbed about 1,100 feet of elevation and will immediately lose the elevation gain by descending past the Brownsboro Road junction at mile 8.5. Here you will start a gradual climb from 1,400 feet to 1,600 feet to mile 12.6, where you will see the sign for a right turn to Lake Creek. Proceed on Lake Creek Loop for approximately one mile, where the road forks. Take the right hand fork for one-tenth of a mile to Lake Creek. A store and a restaurant the restaurant is temporarily closed are on your right. Your return trip is mostly downhill, except for a gradual climb starting near the Brownsboro Road junction heading up to the plateau and the long straight stretches encountered as you began your ride. Although Highway 140 has wide shoulders, one still needs to pay attention and keep out of the path of traffic coming from the rear. Motorized vehicles regularly exceed speeds of 60 mph on this road. If you have other cyclists accompanying you, ride single file and stay out of the traffic lane. Keep alert for roadside debris along the shoulder. Enjoy the ride. Bicycling enthusiast Bob Korfhage of Phoenix is a former president of Siskiyou Velo bicycle club. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems California Casinos Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Advertisement s Advertisement