In the morning everything is frozen. My water bottles are ice blocks. Based on my feeling I had colder nights before. I think it's just the fact the nights are so much longer now. Hence, more time to properly freeze my water bottles.

Otherwise rather uneventful day. Back on pavement by noon. It's hard to admit but I almost feel no need for gravel riding here. The paved roads are just as lonely and blend in with the scenery. They are in incredibly good condition, too. I enjoy two amazing switchback downhills down to Antelope and then again down to Clarno, where I pitch my tent after convincing two angry watch dogs to let me pass.

Dogs don't like bike riders [at least no love at first sights]. That's a fact. Since my start I had to deal with so many dogs that sprint towards me barking [on the backroads people don't seem to see the need to properly fence their homes] that by now I am even able to pet them after a few minutes. I never had a dog and even have been quite scared of them as a child. Certainly, learned a lot the last couple of months just by following my intuition.