Well, we hated to leave Walla Walla so soon, but off we went after posting some blogs. It was a bit late when we left, and we had planned a long day. It gets pretty darn hot in this part of Washington! About 90 during the days already--and LOTS of sunshine. Sun may be the unexpected enemy--we're already trying to avoid it as much as possible, but in this gorgeous farmland country, there are very few trees.
Today, we had lots of ups and downs--literally! We had several long, gradual uphill climbs. The good news was that each of those was followed by a LONG, wonderful downhill! And since there was little wind, it was bicycle riding at it's best.
The green horizons were awe-inspiring. All the different crops and colors of green mixed together like a wheat/pea/onion quilt. So gorgeous and so different than our usual mountain beauty! But it's HOT! I guess that's why all those crops grow well here. The terrain is moving from beautiful farmland to more desert-like and brown. But all is gorgeous!
We rode for about 55 miles before we were supposed to hit the REAL hills. We had looked at a map and decided to refill our water bottles and maybe buy a snack in a little town on the map called Dodge. But when we got there with empty water bottles, there was NOTHING there! There was a composting toilet for travelers (yay!) but no water to be seen.
We spied a farmhouse across the road and decided to knock on the door and ask for water because we had at least 12 more hard miles to go. A very nice woman came to the door and offered to let us fill our bottles. When I told her about our original plan to re-fuel in Dodge, she said "Well, that's what you're doing! This is Dodge: Population 2. My husband and I just moved here." That may have been the nicest town ever! Great service and nice people! So off we went up the big hill with nice cold water and a warm feeling in our hearts to accompany the ever-present warm feeling in our rears!
Actually, hamburger butt did not really occur on this, our longest day of riding so far. Maybe it is due to those awesome downhills! Or could it be that we're getting used to this????
Central Ferry is a very remote park on the Snake River. We were the only tent campers there, and had a really lovely evening. I can't wait to post the pictures of the full moon rising over the Snake River (hopefully when we reach Spokane). It was truly a wonderful sight and a pretty remarkable spot.
We were talking about how much Tom would have loved being on this ride. Although he would have been much more prepared and would have laughed at our butt burn (and never admitted if he had it too). And we're thrilled to have received the news and a picture of our niece Erin's new baby--Tomas! It's fun to stay connected even though we sometimes feel we're in the middle of nowhere...
Next stop, Colfax, WA!
1 comment:
Hi Traci & David,
Super photos and narratives! We miss you here in Winter Park! Graduation ceremony was really nice on Sat. Erik's speech went really well. Missed you at the big party on Sunday.
Continue to have a safe, enjoyable ride. You guys are awesome!
Post a Comment