Retrocycler

Teanaway drive

2012-02-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was sunless and grey with off and on snow showers; not a good day for a ride. Since I was feeling a bit of cabin fever, I decided to go for a drive out the Teanaway. As I went out Airport Road I missed not having the big black dog come out to greet me as he usually does when I ride by. But, by the time I got to the curves of Red Bridge Road

and I could see the hawks soaring above me, my spirits began to lift, even though I was inside a car. I found Teanaway Road

to be fairly clear of snow and ice and the shoulders are as clear as they will be this summer. I was somewhat surprised that the Teanaway Mercantile

was closed--it's generally open on weekends for the snowmobilers (who I saw later in the trip) but, perhaps they're only open on Saturday and Sunday. The store is a bit over 14 miles from town and is a pleasant break--the restroom was always open, even if the store wasn't. There was a 'For Sale' sign on the store; I hope it remains in business. I continued out the North Fork road and began encountering areas of snow and ice across the roadway and a lot of sand in the curves and hills.

Finally, at 21 miles from town, I came to the end of the (paved) road.

It was a nice journey and this morning, when I awoke to find 3" of new snow blanketing the landscape, I was glad I made the trip.

Mohar

2012-02-11T14:29:00.000-08:00

The day dawned bright and cloudless; the rising sun gave promise of a delightfully warm day--at least I guess that's the way it began, as it was a pleasant 40° when I rolled out of bed at 9:30. After a leisurely breakfast and perusal of several on-line newspapers, I set off for a ride. My travel took me past one of the places where I'd taken a picture of the fall colors.

There's an absence of color today; however, the contrasting black and white of rocks and snow presents its own beauty.

Farther along, I encountered the turn-off for Mohar Road which starts with a fairly steep, curvy uphill.

The weather has been warm enough that I was certain I wouldn't encounter any ice on the road, so that's the direction I headed. After rounding the first curve I discovered that it wasn't ice I had to worry about. The road crews had used such a copious amount of sand to give traction for cars that there was too much to provide traction for me; halfway up, I decided I wasn't going to fight it anymore, and retreated until the sweepers get out and remove some of it. I went around to Peoh Point road and made that climb--about the same elevation but fewer curves and thus, less sand. I finished off the day's riding with a trip up swimming pool hill to Safeway. I guess 'swimming pool hill' will soon be (if it's not already) a generational name since there is no longer a swimming pool in town.

Mystery flat

2012-02-04T15:00:00.000-08:00

I went out to the garage today to get the trike out for my first February ride only to find a flat tire! I'd aired the tires prior to my last ride a few days ago, so I figured I'd picked up a nail or rock chip during that ride. I wheeled the trike to the front of the house to catch the warm rays of the sun during the repair. After removing the tube from the tire, I inflated it but wasn't able to find the leak: even after submerging it in the bath tub. After reassembly and inflation I went out Airport road, stopping periodically to check the tire--no discernible leakage. There was just enough of a headwind to make the wind chill quite uncomfortable, so I only rode out about three miles. The return portion of the ride was quite nice, as the headwind-turned-tailwind was negated by my speed and it was as though I was riding in a bubble. The tire held air throughout the trip--no idea what I'll find when I go out for my next ride.

2012-01-30T14:36:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I added to this blog. Of course, it's always hectic over the holiday season and besides not having time to ride, there's also the weather factor. I haven't been keeping track of my rides as religiously as I have in the past--I basically ride as far and as often as I'm able. This year actually started off well as I was able to ride on three of the first five days of the month; then some crappy weather hit, and I messed my back up a bit which curtailed my riding. I was able to get out for a nice ride on snowy roads last week

and today was really nice: 44° and sunny. The only problem was, the warmth turned my favorite hard-packed snowy road into slush

so I had to go a different direction. I know I've lost some of my conditioning however, as long as I can still go ten miles at a reasonable speed I'm quite satisfied.

Short rides

2011-12-07T20:41:00.000-08:00

'tis the season for short rides. The temperatures normally dip into the teens at night and, since the sun doesn't rise until 7:30 or so to begin warming things up, it's generally 11:30 or 12:00 before it gets warm enough to ride--typically 35°. Depending on my speed and wind speed, the wind chill factor can make that feel as though it's in the low 20s. So, I'm content to do a six or eight mile ride and return to hot coffee and a warm house.

Life and living

2011-11-18T10:23:00.000-08:00

Life has a nasty habit of getting in the way of living, as it goes along with no regard for the important things. Mundane tasks such as shopping for food, obtaining prescriptions, preparing for winter and attending activities for children and grandchildren take precedence and soon become all encompassing. It takes a very real effort to get back to 'living' activities that provide enjoyment and quality of life benefits. And, of course, the weather also gets in the way; five inches of snow on unplowed roads is pretty much a show-stopper. However, I'm somewhat content to shrug off these minor inconviences and look at maps and catalogs, dreaming and planning for getting back to living.

Anticipation

2011-11-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the first snow of the season harkens me back to the days of my youth;

although I don't have the same desires of snow ball fights and forts, I am anxious to see the fresh snow coating the browning vegetation. I'm riding some of the lesser traveled roads now, trying to acquaint myself with the location of potholes which will be filled with uncompacted snow. My riding has changed from going out early to avoid the heat of the day, to waiting until after lunch so I can ride during the heat of the day, which will be in the 20s and 30s for the next three or four months. That first blanket of sparkling white snow, untrammeled and clean, gives promise of a new beginning. I want to get up early enough to ride through that white world, blazing a track before it is sullied by snowplows or turned to slush by the sun;

and if, by chance, an unsuspecting target presents itself when the freshly fallen snow is of the right consistency...

Sweet sixteen

2011-11-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

No, I was never 'sweet' 16 however, I did just have a very nice sixteen mile ride. The sun was glaringly bright but the temperature was in the low 40s with a light, variable wind.

I started off going out Airport Road and then took off on the old road toward Ellensburg.

I stopped at the Teanaway River where I could see a lot of fall color laying on the banks.

To the North, Mt Stuart stood, draped in a fresh coating of snow.

Farther along, I could see the Yakima River wending its way through the fall color remnants.

I turned off on Taylor Road, a gravel road I'd never ridden before;

at the top I was able to see the ridge that is southwest of town and noticed the first dusting of snow on it (the peak in the center of the picture.)

At Lambert Road I was back on chip seal and stopped when I crossed the Teanaway River again.

From there it was a short five mile jaunt back along Airport Road to home.

Halloween decorations

2011-10-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

We've had extremely mild temperatures for the past three days; mid 50s, sunny and no wind. I've been making the best of it because I know the rain/snow and colder weather can't be too far away. After traveling up to Lake Cle Elum yesterday and a fairly decent ride the day before,I thought I would just ride around town and checkout some of the Halloween decorations. There were some fairly basic ones consisting of just a couple of pumpkins,

and some more elaborate including a headless horseman on a full-size horse.

I actually found one man who was still in the process of setting up his decorations.

One of the scariest parts of that display was the dog; when I stopped in front of the house, he turned to look at me and I wasn't certain that he wasn't going to come after me.
Some of the decorations consisted solely of a commercially obtained item plopped in the middle of the yard.

Some houses had no decorations but still conveyed the spirit of the season.

I thought the scariest decoration was this:

a decorative, inviting doorway with who knows what chained in the small shed adjacent to the steps.
The local Halloween parade will be on Monday; I may or may not decorate my trike, but I think I'll be in attendance to see the costumes.

Depleted

2011-10-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

I rode up to Lake Cle Elum today; it's completed its task for the year--providing water for irrigation, salmon and recreation.

Earlier in the year the water would have been lapping at the wheels of my trike. Now, it's prepared to begin accepting autumn rain and winter snow so it'll be ready to start the cycle again next year.

Reality

2011-10-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

I am trying to forget that a short week and a half ago, I was riding in sunny, 85° weather. I'm trying to forget because that will make reality easier to accept; and reality today is 35° and cloudy. I went for a ride on this crisp Fall day and found the colors are still present;

albeit, some of the color is now on the ground.

However, the colors are not as vibrant as when the sun imparts its warmth and energy to them and the water looks colder under the leaden skies.
Shorts and sandals have given way to jeans, shoes (with socks,) gloves, jacket and a watch cap that covers my ears. Soon, snow will preclude my riding on some roads and limit me to shorter distances on various loops about town. But, I'll continue to ride throughout the winter so I'll be ready to soar on the first glorious day in Spring.

The long road home

2011-10-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

Since I chronicled our car trip to Arizona for my trike ride, it seems fitting that I tell you about our long trip home; it was very much in line with our 'Hey, that looks interesting" method of instant planning. After completing my ride, we stayed in Seligman for the night and made the trip to Kingman on Saturday. It wasn't a long day, because we got a late start and we also had to do laundry; we did a short jaunt around Kingman and saw some nice flowers,

and Barbara checked out some new shoes.

The view from our motel was quite nice.

The next morning Barbara got a chance to get up close to a locomotive

and then we were off for a small town we'd heard about: Oatman on an OLD section of Route 66. The scenery on the twisting road was great.

We saw a reminder to slow down:

and then we hit Oatman during rush hour.

Yes, they allow--even encourage, burros to roam throughout the town.

After watching the High Noon gunfight

and browsing through the shops,

we were on the road again: destination-Lake Havasu City where we found an intact London Bridge.

We then drove into Laughlin, Nevada where we spent the night and paid our final homage to the gambling deities. The next morning, Roy did a quick loop around the top floor of the parking garage

before he loaded everything and we were off to Death Valley. We got there in time to take a spin on Artists' Drive

and a quick stop at the Artist's Palette.

From there we were able to drive to Badwater before dark.

The next morning we were off again, this time to Zabriski's Point,

Twenty mule team canyon,

and Dante's View, where we could look down on Badwater and get an overview of most of the Valley.

On our way out of the Valley we stopped at Mosaic Canyon,which Roy wrote about in A walk in the sun

We drove into Bishop, California for the night and were greeted by the snowy Sierras the next morning.

Next up was a trip past June Lake and it's waterfall and colorful foliage.

We crossed the highway and entered the wonderful world of Mono Lake

with it's fantastical tufa deposits:

The next morning we entered the realm of mountains: Lassen Peak, which looks a lot like Mount St Helens,

and Mount Shasta.

After Weed, we soon entered Oregon and the desire to get home and end the trip trumped any further side trips or pictures. We had a great time and the only problem with taking trips as we do is that there can be no planning--"hey, that looks interesting!"

Color me...revisited

2011-10-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

Having just returned from a two week vacation, during which I did very little riding (other than my Route 66 ride) I thought I would revisit my Color me... journey. The colors have not really changed that much, although the trees producing them have. This was today's view versus two weeks ago.

Notice the color of the nearest trees. I took another comparison shot of the same view as before,

and then moved on.

One of the benefits of riding during the occasional showers today was being rewarded with an additional splash of color in the form of rainbows.

This horse seemed quite curious about the strange creature pointing something at her.

I continued on into South Cle Elum and thought I would get the trike into the picture.

Farther along, I turned onto the road leading to a gravel pit. During the week this road is heavily travelled by trucks; however, on the weekends it is virtually deserted.

As I neared the end of my ride and came around the final curve into town, I saw this view and could only think "Beautiful Colors."

A walk in the sun

2011-10-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

While we were in Death Valley I decided to hike through part of the Mosaic Canyon; the first half-mile is uphill through a channel eroded by water.

The hot, unwavering rays of the sun beat relentlessly on my head and shoulders but they seemed to impart an energy and feeling of strength throughout my body.

Although the shade provided in places by the canyon walls was welcome, the sun was the giver of strength.

The silence in this vast cathedral of sand, marble and rock was overwhelming. The slightest sound seemed enormously magnified because of the narrow passage and the stillness of the air;
the crunch of my sandals on the sand and my breathing were the most notable. However, when I stopped and held my breath, I'm certain I could hear my heart beating in my chest. Too soon, I reached my goal for the trip

and stopped: to consume my bottle of water--to contemplate--and to wish I could go farther. The spell was broken as other people began to invade what was my personal corner of the world. The trip back was reality as I was constantly meeting other hikers;

the moment had passed.

Sixty-six

2011-10-19T03:43:00.000-07:00

Conventional wisdom says you should 'ride your age' within a couple weeks of your birthday. Since my birthday is in November and I live in an area of snow and cold, I tend to pick a unique event to fulfill my age ride and am not concerned when I do it during the year.
I was introduced to The Mother Road in elementary school; our class 'traveled' from Chicago to Los Angeles on route 66 while the teacher provided lessons on the cities and states we passed through.

During the '60s there was a television series

which touted the adventure and excitement of Route 66. When I celebrated my 66th birthday, it was a forgone conclusion (to me) that I would ride my 66 miles on Route 66. The only question was when I would be able to do it. Weather in the spring and early summer precluded any sort of training schedule and there was a family reunion we could not miss at the end of July. After the reunion, weather again became a factor as we went from weeks of temperatures being in the low 60s to consistent 80s and 90s. Last week I mentioned to my wife that we should just do it and she agreed; so, with very little training (longest ride this year has been 35 miles) and very short notice (decided on Wednesday, left on Monday) we were off. We took a somewhat relaxing four days traveling to where I would start my endeavor: Seligman, Arizona. Although I had intended to do some riding on our journey, events seemed to conspire against me; when I started my ride on Friday it had been over a week since I'd ridden any distance.
The morning of the ride dawned bright and cool with dead calm winds. I began riding east from Seligman, as we had pre-driven the course and the prearranged pickup point at Hackberry was only 60 miles west of Seligman. After an uneventful 6 1/2 mile out-and-back, I stopped at the Li Lo Cafe for a pancake breakfast. We ate dinner twice at Li Lo's and were very satisfied. However, I wish I'd ordered something other than pancakes for breakfast; it's not that they were bad--just flavorless. After eating, I continued onward.

Several miles down the road the temperature (and I) had warmed sufficiently for me to remove my light jacket. The gentle morning sun brightened the colors of the vegetation and provided pleasant viewing.

A few words about the road here.

The surface was chip seal and, in retrospect, I should have inflated my Big Apple tires to 50 rather than 65 psi. There was usually a four to six foot shoulder and the two sections (1 to 2 miles each) where that was not the case, the road widened to 3 lanes and there was no problem riding in one of the lanes. Traffic was generally very light and infrequent and drivers were very accommodating.
I got to Grand Canyon Caverns (31miles)

about 11:30 where I'd planned to eat lunch. However, I didn't realize that the restaurant was about a mile and a half back off the main road so I just had a snack that I'd brought with me, refilled a couple of my water bottles and continued on to Peach Springs (43 miles.) The restaurant there had nowhere I could park and see my trike while I was inside, so once again, I ate some more of my snacks and set forth.
Throughout the trip there were numerous reminders of a by-gone era.

A minor disaster struck as I was going downhill into Truxton (52 miles): my speedometer quit! The cafe at Truxton was well suited for keeping an eye on my trike as I munched on real food instead of snacks; the iced tea and water were also very welcome. I called Barbara to let her know I would be a bit later than we had planned. As it turned out, she was only 10 minutes behind me so I waited for her and sucked down more water. We decided that the loss of the speedometer was a minor concern since we'd pre-driven the route and knew where the 66 mile mark was. So I left her at the cafe with a revised pick-up time and resumed my adventure. By this time, it was late afternoon and the heat was definitely having an effect on me, but I kept drinking and using my watch and the mile markers to get an idea of how fast I was going and how far I had to go. I was extremely thankful for the long stretches that were shaded by roadside cliffs.

A somewhat brisk headwind began picking at about the 62 mile mark, but at that point, nothing short of a full blown tornado could have stopped me. Finally, the end was in sight and Barbara was there with a camera to record me pulling into the lot.

I was extremely satisfied with myself for completing the ride, considering how little I had trained for it and I now have another month before I have to start figuring out what to do for sixty-seven.

Car trip

2011-10-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

This post will have absolutely nothing to do about biking, other than we are traveling so I can do a ride. Actually, I'd thought I'd be able to get a couple of short rides in after we'd stopped driving for the day but that hasn't worked out. We left Cle Elum Monday morning and the rain started; it was intermittent throughout the day but very heavy at times, especially as we were driving over the Blue Mountains in Oregon. We stayed overnight in Caldwell, Id. The next morning was overcast and we caught a few showers but then it began to clear. We took a scenic shortcut at Bliss, Idaho through a section of the Snake River Canyon that has an area called Thousand Springs.

Just below Twin Falls, Idaho we connected with hwy 93 and headed South toward Ely. Hwy 93 is not 'The loneliest road in America;' however, it does intersect with it.

Just before we got to Ely we caught a glimpse of the Ruby Mountains under their cloud (and snow) cover.

We were very disappointed when we got to Ely to find that there was no room at the inn we had stayed in before. We took a room in the local Jailhouse (Motel)

and went back to the Hotel Nevada for dinner and gambling. The next morning we began the trip and just outside of Ely, as we were rounding a curve we were confronted by Mount Wheeler, a 13,000 foot behemoth covered with snow.

We continued on,stopping in several small towns along the way. In Caliente, we found a dinosaur attacking the train station

But I jumped into the fray and halted the destruction.

By the time we got to Las Vegas it was full--or, at least, the freeways were. We continued through the city and ended up at Boulder City. We'll cross Hoover Dam tomorrow and get ready for my bike ride in Arizona.

Color me...

2011-10-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

autumn! We’ve had a few cool nights this week (no frost, yet) and it’s been just enough for some of the trees to begin changing into their colorful garb. I headed out late this morning with the temperature in the low 50s, sunshine and a stiff 10 - 15mph wind. I eased through town and as I headed toward the Yakima River I saw the first tint of what was to come.

I continued on, over the river and out Westside Road; the colors contrasted very nicely with the solidity of a rock retaining wall.

As I headed out the South Cle Elum Ridge Road, I was confronted with a myriad of colors around every curve.

The colored leaves offset the imposing mass of my wife's favorite--Mount Peoh.

There are more views down this road but they'll have to wait for another day.

The return ride put a different perspective on the scenes I photographed on the way up.

A pleasant,yet invigorating, autumn ride.

Nature's Bounty

2011-09-27T23:11:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when Mother Nature’s bounty is in full view; throughout spring and summer there is always a display in the form of berries and various vegetables however, autumn is when she goes all out in preparation for winter. All of these pictures are on a short (15 mile) bike ride. With a couple of exceptions, everything is wild and on public land. The exceptions are these two pear trees

and this plum tree.

When I asked the owner of the pear trees if I could take pictures he said “Yes, and take some pears also.” The plum tree above is in my daughter’s yard, but there are other varieties elsewhere.

Washington is known for its apples and they are quite abundant in location and variety, from large

To several varieties of edible crab apples

And decorative upon which the birds feed.

There is a large selection of berries for juice/wine production:

Chokecherries (red and black)

Oregon grape

and elderberry

There are several species of berry that are generally left for the birds:

Mountain Ash

Snowberries

and rose hips (which could also be used for tea)

This is just a great time of year to be out and about, and I'll be on the road as much as possible so I can watch the foliage turn color.

Out 'n' back

2011-09-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

After moving three tons of pellets yesterday from the yard

to the porch,

I was anticipating having some muscles ‘talking’ to me today. However, I awoke this morning feeling absolutely great and the first day of autumn rapidly developed into beautiful riding weather: temperature in the mid 70s and virtually no wind. After a leisurely breakfast and a quick perusal of the news, I headed east of town on the old road. The slight breeze was from the west and I was content to pedal along drinking in the scenery. It was so relaxing I didn’t feel like stopping; I knew I’d be coming back the same road and I’d take pictures then. After crossing the Teanaway River and ‘powering up’ a slight hill, I was paced by a couple of raptors as I ‘flew’ through the Bristol flat area. Just beyond that I did my turnaround and stopped for a drink. Looking back at the flat area I’d just traversed,

I was somewhat reminded of ‘The loneliest road in America.” However, the scenery here is much more inviting than on US 50 in Nevada. The slight breeze I welcomed as a tailwind on the way out was now freshening a bit as a headwind, but I was content to keep my heart rate in the 70-80% range regardless of what speed I maintained. At one point I noticed the new enclosure they’ve built at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (http://www.chimpsanctuarynw.org/ ).

Ironically, the view from inside the enclosure would encompass the river on the other side of the road to include groups of rafters enjoying their freedom.

Continuing on, I arrived at the Teanaway River crossing. This spot has one of my favorite views of Mt Stuart.

I deviated slightly from the route I’d taken on the way out, and returned on Airport Road; the black Lab that generally comes out to greet me was in his enclosure but he barked hello as I sped past. I returned home just as the odometer rolled to 17.0 miles and went inside for cookies and chocolate milk.

To do

2011-09-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Officially, summer ends on the 23rd of this month. Today, we’ve started the fall weather pattern; cool, breezy and overcast. I know there will be more sunshine and fair weather even into Fall; however, this harbinger signals that it’s time to focus a bit less on riding and more on the mundane—stove cleaning, stocking pellets, weatherizing…the list goes on and I’m exhausted just thinking about it. It’s also time to start thinking about putting fenders back on the trike. I’ve gotten tires that are slightly larger than stock so I’ll have more traction when I’m riding this winter. So, in addition to my list of things to do to prepare the house for cold weather, I’m also going to have to fabricate new fenders.

Leisurely ride = n - 1

2011-09-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

Today is another +90° day; I’ve lost track of how many we’ve had and the weather-guessers are calling for a couple more before we ‘cool down’ to the 80s. I realize that our hot weather stretch doesn’t compare to some others throughout the country, but it’s still hot! One of my daughters was in town visiting today and I (somewhat jokingly) asked her if she wanted to go for a bike ride. She accepted the offer so I aired up the tires on one of my old bikes, posed for an obligatory picture

and we were off.

I mentioned to my wife later that the last time I went for a ride with Jessica, I was on a 2 wheeler and she was on a trike. I chose one of the shorter, flatter routes I usually ride because, although Jessica is somewhat athletic, it’s been a while since she’s ridden a bike. During our leisurely ride we decided that she may as well take home the bike she was riding; I seldom ride it and someone stole hers a few years ago. So, my stable of bikes is down to three—an upright, a recumbent and a trike.

An idyllic ride

2011-09-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

The day dawned sunny and clear; at least I assume it did, as that’s what I woke up to at 7:30. The temperature however, was only 47°. That would be a great temperature in mid-winter, but a bit cool for a summer ride. By 10:00 it was into the mid 60s and I headed out Airport Road. There was a slight haze over the distant hills—the result of distant wildfires. It was not enough to affect my breathing, as my lungs were working as effortlessly as the rolling tires. I breezed up Airport Hill at nearly 8 mph—a far cry from my normal struggle to maintain 5 mph. Turning off Masterson onto Red Bridge Road, I rocketed through the curves and over the slight hills until I came to the Teanaway River. There, crossing the river were two deer; it was as if I was meant to get there at that particular time. By the time I got the camera out, they were across the river but still visible on the spit of gravel in the center of the picture, near some bushes.

I’ve gotten a new camera so I played with the settings a bit and came up with this shot—essentially the same, sans deer.

I continued on for another mile or so and thought this old hay barn was rather interesting.

And that pretty much concluded the first half of a somewhat idyllic ride. On the way home I concentrated on improving my conditioning with high speed sprints and high cadence spinning.

A Narrow(s) escape

2011-09-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

My wife, Barbara, and I went to Tacoma this weekend. Our trip was twofold—to visit one of our daughters (and family) and for Barbara to indoctrinate her and one of her friends in pickle making procedures. While they were involved with that, I headed out to the Scott Pierson Trail to cross the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (hence, a Narrow(s) escape.) The trail starts near 25th and Sprague however, I chose to use the Park & Ride near Cheney Stadium.

The trail is very well maintained and through judicious use of decorated walls and shrubbery, the noise level from the adjacent highway is quite muted.

There are a couple of places where signage could be better, but I was able to figure out where I had to go. The first glimpse of the bridges comes as you cross above highway 16 on a pedestrian/bike overpass.

The bridge on the right opened in 1950 and was the replacement for ‘Galloping Gertie’ which collapsed in 1940. The bridge on the left opened in 2007 and has a 10 foot wide, two-way bike/pedestrian walkway.

From the center of the bridge there is a sweeping panorama of the south sound and adjacent communities.

Also, while on the bridge you can capture Mount Rainier through the bridge suspension;

after crossing, you can see the mountain and both bridges.

On the way back to my car I stopped at the War Memorial—a tranquil respite on a very warm day.

Upon arriving home I found the pickling process nearly complete—a good day for everyone.

Pass X 2

2011-08-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

I got bored with doing all my local rides and wanted to do something different. However, I haven’t really been training for any long rides so I was in somewhat of a quandary as to what to do. Finally, inspiration struck; I would ride over both Blewett Passes.

“When the highway was built across the mountains from Ellensburg to Wenatchee, it was given the name of Blewett Pass Highway, in recognition of the narrow dip in the hills that allowed the road to make its way through the rugged wall of mountains. The highway was narrow, with steep, sharp switchbacks, and driving was hazardous. Forty years ago, Highway 97 was rerouted from Blewett Pass to Swauk Pass. The new road was wider, straighter, and totally free of the pesky switchbacks that plagued the old road. Despite the Swauk Pass sign at the summit, people continued to refer to the road and the pass it crossed as Blewett. Finally, in the late 1990s, the highway department gave in to years of tradition and changed the name of Swauk Pass to Blewett Pass.” (Trails.com) The original Pass is now commonly referred to as ‘Old Blewett’ and the new simply as ‘Blewett.’

Tuesday morning I set out on my trek. I would be crossing Old Blewett first and returning over Blewett. Twelve miles from Cle Elum I stopped at the Liberty Café;

this place has the best pies in the area (except for those made by my wife) however, it was too early in the day and the trip to reward myself so I settled for a cup of home-made soup. I’ve ridden this section of road quite often and the scenery is usually very nice;

this year, for some reason there are a lot of fir trees dying. I found this throughout my trip and consequently, took very few pictures—it was too disheartening to see so many brown trees. A bright spot was the creek running alongside the highway

which I could also hear because there was very little traffic. Finally, about 8 miles from the Liberty Café, I came to the turn-off for the old highway;

Google Earth shows an elevation of 3044’ at this point. The road is not maintained and there were numerous rocks, potholes and hairpin curves throughout its length to the Pass. However, given my slow speed and the absence of traffic (one car) coping with these hazards was no problem. Four and a half miles later I crested the summit

(4069’.) That’s an average grade of 4.3 % although there were some sections of 2 – 3 % and a couple of stretches that were close to 10%. The five mile downhill run to the campground found the roadway fraught with the same hazards as on the way up;

however, the faster speed I was able to achieve made it slightly more challenging to avoid them.

Arriving at my campsite, the first order of business was brewing a cup of tea.

This is a no-fee camping area and after setting up my tent,

I explored the creek that babbled twenty yards away.

This is an area of gold mining and there were numerous signs denoting a claim had been filed; consequently, I was a bit wary when I washed my cooking utensils lest someone would think I was jumping their claim.

The next morning I was thankful that I’d packed a flannel shirt—it was uncomfortably cool! However, after making breakfast, striking camp and pedaling a mile out of the canyon to Highway 97, the shirt was quickly relegated to a pannier. The elevation where I joined the highway is listed as 3126’; eight miles later I hit the pass.

Although that works out to an overall 2.3% grade, there were lengthy sections that were only 1 – 2% which resulted in about a 5 – 6% grade for the last 2 miles before the summit. The road is very well maintained with a 5 or 6 foot shoulder almost the entire way; there were a few short sections where that narrowed to 2 or 3 feet.

From the top, it’s all downhill for about 13 miles to the Liberty Café where pie would be an appropriate reward. The remaining 12 miles back to Cle Elum would have been anti-climactic were it not for two factors: heat and a headwind. However, I persevered and arrived home totally spent and totally satisfied that I had conquered both Blewetts!

Snow report

2011-08-08T13:21:00.001-07:00

There is still a fair amount of snow on Mt Stuart as well as the rest of the Stuart range. It’s not really surprising, given the amount of snow we received last winter and the mild summer we’ve been having. I think our temperature has only gotten into the 80s a couple of days this year and the weather-guessers are saying we may not get a 90° day the entire summer. The reason I’m writing about Mt Stuart is that today was the first time in quite a while that I’ve ridden to the East of town; I generally tend to start my ride into the wind so I have a tail wind on the return trip. This year the prevailing wind has been from the West at 10-12 mph—a bit stronger than usual. Today it dropped to 7-8, so I headed East with the slight tailwind to start. I went out past the Teanaway River (where I have a view of Mt Stuart) and up the first hill on the old road. Knowing I’d have a headwind on the return, I didn’t want to venture too far; I’ve not been riding enough this year to be in very good shape. On the way back I ventured onto Lambert Road however, it’s just recently been chip-sealed and hasn’t had a chance to get packed down yet. So, I ended up with a very nice fifteen mile jaunt but no pictures.

Go!

2011-07-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

I was dropped off at the Rattlesnake Lake Trail Head for the John Wayne Trail at 11:30 on Wednesday.

Shortly after taking off I saw this sign: Snoqualmie Tunnel is my destination. The John Wayne Trail is a multi-use path (biking, hiking, equestrian) which follows the route of the now defunct Milwaukee Railroad.

Grades are generally slight, no more than 4 or 5%; however, it is a constant uphill climb for the 18 miles as you go from 1000 ft at Rattlesnake Lake to 2550 at the entrance to the tunnel.

The road surface is very coarse gravel (several inches deep in places) with fist-sized rocks occurring quite frequently.

The larger trestles have been retained with appropriate safety fencing added.

There is a plethora of flora along the way however, I saw very few animals--my wheezing and gasping for breath undoubtedly warned them of my approach. There are also numerous waterfalls, visible and unseen but heard.

I finally arrived at the west portal about 5:30 and after taking an obligatory picture, began setting up my camp for the night and preparing a most welcome dinner.

The next morning (today) I entered the dark hole that is the west portal. Almost immediately, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel--2.2 miles away! The east portal is the white spot in the lower center of the picture--the white spots on the left and right are reflectors along the sides of the tunnel.

After a relatively short 20 minute ride, during which I was 'rained' on by water seeping through the hundreds of feet of earth above me, I arrived at the east portal.

The remainder of the trip was mostly a downgrade however, since there is less traffic on the eastern approach to the tunnel the areas of deep gravel and fist-sized rocks became more numerous. I got some good scenery views from the 'other side' of Lake Keechelus.

After being battered by the increasing number of rocks for 20 miles, I decided to call a halt when I reached Easton. I was going to ride the remaining 12 miles to Cle Elum on the freeway, but as luck would have it, Frances was only five minutes behind me on her way home from Tacoma. Thus ended my jaunt through the tunnel; it was a good experience but not one that I would want to do again--I'll stick to paved roads from now on!

Ready...Set...

2011-07-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

I’ve been on the move during the last week, although most of the time was spent driving the car. We left for Ocean Shores last Wednesday for Barbara’s family reunion and discovered our cabin did not have internet access, so I wasn’t able to update my blog. There were around 100 people in attendance but I had the only trike. The weather was beautiful and I was able to ride 70+ miles over the course of the reunion. One of the really great things about the area was that there were no hills; yes, 70 miles of flat riding! The bad part about the weather was that it was beautiful—no wind driven waves crashing over the jetty, and I didn’t see any real good photo ops.

However, I have a mini-trip scheduled for tomorrow: they recently opened the Snoqualmie Tunnel on the John Wayne Trail and I’m going to ride through it. I have the trike loaded and will be dropped off at Rattlesnake Lake; I’ll camp somewhere along the trail and will complete the ride back to Cle Elum on Thursday. It’s only about 50 miles but it’s all gravel so I’ll be a bit slower than usual.

The road less traveled

2011-07-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

I took a different road today; actually, not totally different, just a different direction. I normally ride up to Upper Peoh Point Road and follow it to Watson’s Cutoff. I can then go flying downhill for about a mile and a half, reaching speeds of up to 30 mph until I connect with Lower Peoh Point Road. I reversed direction today, riding out Lower Peoh Point Road and up Watson’s Cutoff instead of down; I sometimes reached a blazing speed of 8 mph but, generally, I plodded uphill at 3 to 4 mph. The sights are much better at the slower speeds as you are able to look around and enjoy the view instead of concentrating on staying on the road and being vigilant for squirrels that may try to cross in front of you. I guess the saying of ‘take time to smell the roses’ would translate to biking as ‘slow down and enjoy the view.’

2011-07-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

The past few days have not been good for riding; actually, the days were fine, with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. However, I had some chores to do which kept me off the road with my trike and on the road with a truck. One of my daughters is moving to Scotland and had some items to move to different locations to be sold. After a couple of ‘great weather’ days, imagine my surprise when I woke up to 50° this morning! It got into the mid 50s about noon and I went out to run a few errands—wearing sweatpants. Finally, about 2:30 it got into the low 60s and I went out for a bit longer ride. Although I didn’t go far I was reminded of the beauty of the surrounding area and how lucky I am to be able to get out and enjoy it.

The Ice Man

2011-07-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today was the hottest day of the year—85°. I rode my trike in the parade and, although many people didn’t know what Team Buggie was, I did hear “We love you Daddy” and a couple cries of “Grandpa.” The heat brought to mind another story from my childhood.

The Ice Man

The Sheyenne River angles in towards Lisbon from the Northwest and forms the Northern edge of the city until it makes a sharp right turn and cuts through the middle of town, about a block East of Main Street. There is a dam just about where the river makes its turn and consequently, the river along the northern edge is quite deep (15-25 feet) and relatively wide (50-100 yards). The slow moving water behind the dam would freeze to a thickness of 1 ½ to 2 feet every year which made for a great ice skating rink, but more important for this story, it was harvested.

In the early ‘50s there was an icehouse just above the dam. Each winter, ice would be cut from the river in huge blocks (2’ X 8’ or so) and stored in the icehouse, packed in sawdust. The reason for the ice harvest was that refrigerators were expensive and not common items in many households—we had an icebox until I was 11 or 12. An icebox looked like a refrigerator, but where the freezer is today is where you would store ice, which would then cool off the lower portion to store perishables.

During the late fall when it started to get cold and throughout the winter and early spring, you could just set out a pan of water and make your own ice for the icebox. Starting in the spring though, when the ice was gone from the river, the company that had harvested the ice during the winter began sending its trucks out and about town, selling ice. There was a set schedule—every 2 or 3 days or so; each house that needed ice was given a red sign. The sign was about a foot or so square and in each corner was a number—as I recall, 5, 10, 15 and 20.

On delivery days, you would put the sign in a window that could be seen from the street with the number of pounds of ice you wanted in the uppermost corner. That way, the driver could stop, see how much ice you needed without going to the door to ask, and just cut off the right amount from one of the blocks in the truck. He would then take the ice into the house, collect his money and be off to the next house.

While my brother and I may not have known the delivery schedule, we knew that when the sign went up in the window, the Ice Man was coming! On particularly hot summer days we would lay in wait for him, hiding alongside the road. With eager anticipation, we would watch him come to a stop and dismount from his truck; invariably, he would leave the back doors of the panel truck open as he carried the ice to the house with his large ice tongs. And we would strike!

We would leap from our hiding place and quickly run to the back of the truck. Grabbing one or two small pieces of ice each, we would then dash back to our hiding place; we knew if he came out of the house and saw us, he would tell mom and we would need ice to soothe our burning butts! Once he had driven off, we were safe to come out of our hiding place and walk around with our small treasure, slaking our thirst with its marvelous coolness.

Sadly, the old icehouse burned down. I’m not sure whether it burned before or after we had gotten one of the new-fangled refrigerators; either event sounded the death knell of the industry and the Ice Man came no more.

More Flags

2011-07-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Today was beautiful: 75° and a very slight breeze. It was a day for getting a few things done around the house and doing a few errands on the trike. Weekends are not a good time for long rides in this area. There are so many visitors and quite a few of them are pulling trailers of some type; since they’re not accustomed to pulling them they sometimes tend to forget they’re there. That can lead to some very dangerous situations. So, I just stayed on local streets and still rolled up nearly ten miles.

One of the projects I was working on was attaching a couple of flags—a USA and a USMC. I may try to infiltrate the parade route tomorrow.

Memories

2011-06-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

My sister is on her way home; her visit stirred memories of my youth, so I thought I’d share a few of them. Some of these I wrote several years ago and sent to a few of my daughters. However, they may not have saved them and, as I recall, not all of them had computers at the time.

The earliest memory that I have is when I got my arm caught in a washing machine wringer. I don’t know how old I was and I’ve never really talked to anyone about it, since there’s no one around anymore to discuss it with. I know I wasn’t in school yet, as we were still living in the upstairs of Hager’s Garage—we had moved to our basement house by the time I started school, so I would guess I was 4 or 5. The washing machine was downstairs, in the back room of the garage, which opened into the alley; it was driven by a gasoline motor, so mom would set it in the doorway to the alley to allow the fumes to escape. I don’t remember whether the wringer ran all the time or if mom just forgot to turn it off. At any rate, I was fascinated by those two rollers and was ‘teasing’ it by putting my fingers on the bottom roller and seeing how close I could get to where they came together. The machine finally ‘won’ and began drawing my hand and arm in. Mom came running in response to my screams and smacked the machine with her hand—I can still see those wringer rollers flying through the air. She picked me up and ran with me in her arms to Dr. Bakke’s office, which was only a block or so away. There are really only three things I remember about the rest of the incident. The first is the huge x-ray machine coming down from the ceiling to take a picture of my arm to find out if it was broken; it wasn’t. Secondly, I vaguely remember being roused in the middle of the night once, and taken to the doctor’s office. What I don’t remember, but what mom told me later, was that one night, a week or so after the accident, she checked me before she went to bed and found blood all over the bed. She took me to the doctor right away; she said the doctor told her that I was developing gangrene and that if she’d waited until morning I would probably have lost my arm. The doctor had to excise all the gangrenous flesh and skin which then led to the third memory—a skin graft. Dad and I went to the doctor’s office one evening and the doctor proceeded to take about a dozen small plugs of skin from the area of dad’s shoulder blade. He had a small instrument that removed a plug about ¼ “ in diameter, which he then laid onto my elbow. I could see some of those circles on my arm until I was in my early 20s. Although I don’t remember it, mom told me that I had to carry a bucket of sand for a couple of months so the muscles in my arm wouldn’t atrophy. To this day, I don’t know whether being forced to carry that bucket and use my left arm is what makes me use my left hand for some things or if, not being able to use my left arm, I used my right hand for things for which I would normally have used my left. At any rate, I remain somewhat ambidextrous today.

Great ride

2011-06-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

My sister and her husband decided to go to Yakima today to visit some of his relatives. That meant I was able to go for a ride and, once again, I did two. The first was a relatively short six mile run in between doing a couple loads of laundry and it was ok. The second however, was great! I started by going out Airport Road; the temperature was in the low 70s and just a hint of a breeze. I followed Airport Road to its end and started down the old road to Ellensburg. The sky was a beautiful blue with just a few fluffy clouds; as I crossed the Teanaway River I glanced over my shoulder to see Mt Stuart in all its splendor. I’ve taken many shots of the mountain before and didn’t feel like stopping. I continued on, up the hill; however, I didn’t want to over extend myself so I turned around and started back. Once I got back to the main road and knew I had only four miles to go, I began picking up the pace; I wasn’t overheated and there was a slight tailwind. There is no way to fully describe the feeling of knowing that you are truly exerting yourself; but, there’s no pain. When I finished and was relaxing with my chocolate milk and cookies I was overwhelmed with a feeling of satisfaction and well-being. Bless those endorphins!

Family visit

2011-06-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

I've been doing very little riding the last couple of days and probably won't be riding for the next couple either. My baby sister who I haven't seen for a couple of years has come out from South Dakota for a visit. Our family has been widely separated for ages; my sister has been in South Dakota for the last 35 years or so, I've been in Washington for 28 years and my brother had lived in California for 35 years before he died 10 years ago. We try to see each other when we can but long distances and life keep interfering. We've been playing 'do you remember...' and I think I'm ahead but only because I'm older and have more memories.

2011-06-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

I’ve ‘needed’ a means of transporting my trike since I got it last year. It will actually fit inside my vehicle however, that doesn’t leave much room for other things such as suitcases. Since we want to make a couple of trips this year and I want to be able to take my trike, I had to take the plunge and order a carrier for the rear of our vehicle. It arrived inside a box (imagine that).

After unpacking, I was faced with this: (sidewalk art courtesy of one of my granddaughters).

It included assembly instructions which I used to ignore but as I’ve grown older (and wiser?) I’ve found that it doesn’t hurt to at least glance at them. In a relatively short period of time the parts had magically transformed into something useable.

It seems to be fairly stable and now we’ll have to go on a trip somewhere just to make sure it works.

As a reward for my efforts I indulged in some pie ala mode.

Road Hazards

2011-06-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day for a ride, so I took two. The temperature was 60° by 10 AM but the maximum it got was about 67° by 3 PM; now that the temperature is going up I’ll have to start hoping for the wind to go down!
The first ride was rather mundane—took a long-cut to Safeway to pick up some groceries; total of 6 ½ miles. On the second trip I thought I’d take some pictures of potential hazards I see every day. Most could be hazardous regardless of the vehicle you’re driving; however, some are definitely more perilous if you’re on a cycle.
The first is large trucks; whether they’re coming from the front

or rear,

they are intimidating. I am passed by numerous rigs like this on nearly every ride and I must say that the drivers are very courteous and have never given me a fright.
One of the roads on which I ride has a thick rope laid across it as a speed bump. Although the speed limit is 20 mph, I ease across this barrier as it can be quite jarring.

Of course the granddaddy of hazards must be a pothole;

there’s nothing quite like a pothole to test your reactions and swerving abilities, especially when they are camouflaged by shadows on the road!

Railroad tracks seem insignificant in an automobile; however, if they are slightly wet or cross the road at an angle, they can be extremely dangerous.

Oftentimes, you will see a cyclist riding to the right of the white line on the side of the road. I will ride there when it’s been cleaned but with the financial difficulties of many road departments today, quite often the shoulder of the road looks like this:

not good for riding!
And finally, there is organic material; wet leaves or grass on the roadway is a definite hazard. A more pungent problem appears on rural roads and multi-use paths such as the coal Miners’ Trail.

'They call the wind Mariah'

2011-06-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

This year seems to be particularly bad for wind; it's consistently 10 - 12 mph with higher gusts and changing directions. Since I've changed to a trike, the side winds which threaten to blow me into the ditch (or into traffic) aren't as bothersome. As for the headwinds, I just gear down and grind away. I always try to start out riding into the wind on my daily jaunts so I have the wind at my back on the way home. Since my normal speed on flat ground is about 10 - 12 mph, I end up in a sort of 'bubble' of quiet on my return ride; no wind noise. That usually works well. However, last year I rode to Salmon la Sac into the wind and had lunch before starting back. During my break the wind shifted and I ended up with a headwind both directions. Yes, the wind definitely had a name that day, and it wasn't Mariah!

Runner's High

2011-06-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

A friend from my Marine Corps days, who ran marathons, said the most difficult thing about training was getting dressed; once the shoes were laced on, the run was just a step away. Strenuous exercise can become addictive. There are some days I don't feel like going for a ride, but generally, I can hardly wait for the right conditions to come about. The route I take isn't that important, only the exertion. At some point, usually about half an hour after starting, the 'runner's high' starts kicking in; scientists have studied and debated what causes the euphoric feeling but I don't care. Suddenly, the sky seems bluer, the clouds more cotton candy like. Every green thing seems greener, the road has become freshly paved and I just want to keep pedaling; however, too soon, I have to return home where I relax with a glass of chocolate milk and a few Fig Newtons, daydreaming of an endless tour.

A dearth of Flags

2011-06-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

It was a comfortable day for riding; temperatures in the high 50s and a brisk 10 to 12 mph wind. I had no particular destination in mind when I left and my only intentions were to try to shake off my lethargy and to clear my lungs by making them work. However, as I progressed westward on 2nd Street, I began to notice that there were no American flags fluttering in the breeze. The only flag flying was at the fire station; none were in evidence at any residences.

Today is Flag Day--the day in 1777 that the Continental Congress adopted the design of our flag. Although it's not a Federal or State Holiday I would think some folks would have a bit of pride and remember the day. I guess if a special day is not important enough to become an annual three day weekend, there's no reason to observe it or stop to think about why it should be important.

2011-06-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

After nearly a year long hiatus I have decided to start contributing to this blog again. I started it initially to chronicle my preparation for, and accomplishment of, a Bike Around The State ride which I did not complete. I'm not certain if I will attempt that again or chalk it up to experience and move on. I did discover that I was prepared for the daily physical aspects of such a journey, but I did not adequately prepare for the vagaries of weather: lesson learned.

I don't have a month long epic planned for this year. With graduations, visits from relatives, family reunions and the need to paint our living room, I will be lucky to be able to get a one week trip done this year. I have several thoughts about what I'd like to do but it's a bit premature to decide which one (or two) I will attempt. However, I do intend to ride as much as I can--preferably every day. As my planning begins to firm up I will post details; in the meantime, I'll be rambling about various topics.

2010-06-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

After riding 500 miles in 10 days, much soul searching and weather forecast checking, I’ve made the agonizing decision to cancel my trip. I was prepared for the grueling physical activity and was willing to accept the fact that I wouldn’t be able to ride up some of the hills however, one of the reasons for selecting this time of year was that the weather is generally nice; this year is proving to be the exception. Wednesday and Thursday the high was 55 degrees and showery—the forecast for the next leg of my trip shows 2 partly cloudy days with temperatures in the low 70s and anywhere from 30 to 40% chance of rain and/or thunderstorms for the remaining days with temps in the mid-60s. I neither packed nor planned for this type of weather. I have long been a proponent of the adage ‘you don’t have to practice being miserable’; I’m doing this ride for my enjoyment and it’s miserable riding for 8 hours in cold/cool rain showers. In retrospect, perhaps I was too aggressive in planning such a long trip for my first attempt at touring and I will be looking at what I want to do next.

2010-06-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

The Snake River Canyon grade kicked my butt! I had to ride 8 miles upriver (up-slope) before I got to the real upgrade. I was alternating between walking and riding, depending on the steepness of the slope for about 6 miles when, during one of my rest breaks, a guy driving down stopped, backed up and asked if I was OK. I replied that I was and asked him how far to the top--he said about a mile which coincided with what I had already figured from a conversation I'd had the night before with someone familiar with the area. So, at the end of a mile I saw the 'Pavement Ends' sign I had been expecting; however, when I turned left as directed I found another mile and a half upgrade! I finally made it to Pullman at 3 PM and, although I had intended on going all the way to Garfield, discretion and my legs dictated otherwise. I ended up leaving my bike at one of Frances's co-workers in Pullman and rode home with Frances. I'll go into work with Frances in the morning and finish the ride to Garfield (25 miles) at a leisurely pace.

Snake River Canyon campsite

2010-06-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

I made it about 18 miles up the canyon--bucking a headwind all the way. I'm not sure camping is allowed here, so I'll have to sweet talk the Ranger if one shows up.

No Ranger showed, but I didn't have service so I'll just add that I made it out of the canyon and am sitting in Pullman.

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Progress

2010-06-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

I made it to the summit in fine shape; the grades weren't as steep as I was expecting. It took me about 2 hours to grind up the first 10 miles and half an hour to cover the next 10 going downhill into Clarkston. I'm now getting ready to enter the Snake River Canyon; I don't know what kind of reception I'll have, so you may not hear from me until I climb out tomorrow afternoon.

Sent from my U.S. Cellular® Windows® phone.

Back on the road

2010-06-14T20:57:00.001-07:00

I left Walla Walla about 9 this morning, having had a piece of warm apple pie for breakfast, compliments of Lucia, Mike's across-the-street neighbor. My initial day's goal was Dodge, about 55 miles on Hwy 12. I arrived there about 4 and, as I expected, there were no camping facilities. It seemed a bit early to end the day so I pushed on to Pomeroy for a distance of 66 miles. They have free camping in their City Park. I had just picked out a site and was starting to unload when a helpful local told me about the automatic sprinklers and where they didn't hit--so I moved my site. The Hwy has been pretty good: generally wide shoulders and clean although there were a few places with narrow shoulders. There will be a little bit of a challenge tomorrow--the Alpowa Summit is 2785'. I'll be starting at 1800' and the majority of the climbing is done in 3 miles. So, I'm going to try to get as much rest as possible tonight.

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Disaster narrowly averted

2010-06-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

After our ride this morning I cleaned and oiled the chain on the bike, took a shower and started my last load of laundry. After brewing a cup of tea I sat down to begin recording the day's events in my journal. That's when I realized I hadn't removed it from my shorts before putting them in the washer! I quickly retrieved the now sodden book; luckily, I had opted to use moleskin and a pencil for the journal. I had anticipated encountering some perspiration and humidity moisture, but nothing like this. I was able to gently separate and dry the pages that had my entries and the pencil markings were still legible. I had brought another book and now have to buy another for backup--I think I'll look for moleskin.

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Ride Michael, ride

2010-06-13T17:08:00.000-07:00

Michael was going so fast I nearly missed him as he came around the block...the first time; he's wearing what's known as 'recumbent smile'--a common occurrence with first time riders.

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Sunday morning ride

2010-06-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Mike, his friends Denton & Keena and I went for a leisurely 15 mile ride around Walla Walla. After the ride we (except Mike) stopped in the local bakery for some sweet pills and caffeine.

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Stop and smell the flowers

2010-06-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Today will be spent shopping and doing routine maintenance on the bike while Mike is at work. It's nice to just laze around having a second cup of tea intead of packing and getting ready to ride. Maybe I can even find a good cup of coffee.

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Housekeeping

2010-06-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

Made it into Walla Walla just fine; Mike's working so he gave me the key to his house so I could unpack and clean up. He told me there was a hammock in the back yard, but I don't think he knew how I was going to use it.

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Tradition?

2010-06-11T16:13:00.001-07:00

Yesterday when I was walking across the Umatilla bridge, I noticed 9 quarters on the shoulder. That may not sound like a lot but the shoulder is only a foot and a half wide, so it would seem 9 would represent only an infitessimal percentage of the coins that actally made it into the river. What's up with that?

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Wai-I-Lat-Pu

2010-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

History lesson for the day; I'm not going down to the site--I'll save that for when Barbara is with me.

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Brunch in Touchet

2010-06-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, it may not be health food but it tastes good! Got a late start and just taking my time into Walla Walla.

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Wow!

2010-06-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

What a day! I started off in Roosevelt with my goal of making Umatilla and finding a campground. I got spit on by a few rain clouds, but nothing major. I had a 10 - 12 mph tailwind, and as long as I was moving everything was peaceful and quiet; however, when I'd stop for a break, I was assaulted by the wind. There were no towns, rest areas or trees for windbreaks. I made it to the bridge at Umatilla, and just as the bridge started, the shoulder went from 4 feet to about a foot and a half! With a 12 mph crosswind, there was no way I was riding that, so I ended up walking over--still scary as hell! Since it was only 1:30, I thought I'd ride a bit farther for the day. At about 60 miles there was a State Park (with no camping) right next to a Good Sam campground where I planned to stay. However, I got tqalking with the Ranger and he said there was a free campground about 5 miles ahead, mostly downhill. Since free sounded good, I took off. In this case free was not better--all the camp sites were gravel! Remember that tailwind? If I turned around, I'd be bucking a headwind, mostly uphill. Figuring there would be something else up the road, I continued on. The picture with this entry is of Lake Wallula, about 15 miles upriver from McNary Dam. I was heading right into those storm clouds. I hit Hwy 12 at about mile 80 and still no place to stay. Finally, at 85 miles I saw a sign for an RV park. It was down a very steep, gravel road that I'm going to have to walk up tomorrow, but I got my tent set up before the rain hit. Pierce's Green Valley--$10 for tents with a power outlet. The 85 miles is a personal best for me--by 13 miles! Luckily, I only have 24 miles to Walla Walla tomorrow and then I'll take a one (maybe two) day break.
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The gorge is gone...

2010-06-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

At least the awesome rock walls; they've been replaced with rolling hills and a mundane ride with no trees or rest areas.

To all of you who have left comments on my previous posts: I read and appreciate your comments and support. I just haven't figured out how to reply to a comment. Thank you all.

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Room mates

2010-06-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

Two of these (swallows?) are sharing the gazebo with me.

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'Home'

2010-06-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is my accomodation for the evening; the host at Roosevelt City Park said that since there was no one else tenting for the night I could just set up right in the gazebo. That means I won't have to struggle with the tent in a fairly brisk breeze. It's a nice park--lots of grass for tents, free showers and no fees. They maintain a biker's log for everyone coming through; the host said I might catch up to the 3 who came through yesterday but I told him I was too slow to catch anyone. It was a nice ride today, although boring--too much majesty detracts from the awe of the actual river and gorge.

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John Day Dam

2010-06-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

I don't think I'll go down there, but it does look nice.

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Stonehenge

2010-06-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

Doesn't it seem appropriate to visit Stonehenge in the rain?

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The edge

2010-06-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

Finally, after 3+ days, I've arrived at the edge of the State.

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Scenic view

2010-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Or what I could have seen if there were no clouds.

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The hills are alive...

2010-06-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

With windmills just outside of Goodendale.

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Addition

2010-06-09T09:06:00.001-07:00

I accidently hit 'send' -- the entry should have continued that after looking at the weather situation, I went the additional 10 miles into Goldendale and stayed at a motel. Good choice 'cause it started raining half an hour after I checked in.
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First Pass!

2010-06-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

Satus Pass was the first named pass that I've been over; although it's 'only' 3107
Feet, it kicked my butt. The grade wasn't overly steep as I approached and I was cruising along at 5 or 6 mph but, about 3 miles from the summit, reality set in--this was going to be hard and I really had to push to maintain 3mph! As long as there was a 3 or 4 foot wide shoulder I could weave back and forth to maintain steerage however, there were some sections that the shoulder was only a foot right next to the guardrail. I didn't feel like arguing my right of way with an 18 wheeler, so I walked those sections. After cresting the summit it was a breeze getting to the campground
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Mt Adams

2010-06-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

Another good day; however, today I'm starting it with pancakes, sausage, eggs and coffee to get ready for Satus Pass. I saw Mt Adams in the distance and was going to send this post this morning. Due to my inexperience with this magic box, compounded by 18 wheelers whizzing by, I decided to wait.

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Day 2

2010-06-07T18:56:00.001-07:00

I got my 9AM start today, although I'd wanted to get off a bit earlier so I could make up some of the miles I didn't ride yesterday. The canyon was, well, the canyon; it was fairly green from all the rain, but the only animals I saw were a nesting bald eagle with two fledglings. The hills were quite challenging as the only other time I've ridden them was on an unloaded bike. However, there were no feal photo ops and once I hit the Yakima area I wasn't looking at too much besides traffic. It wasn't as bad as I expected but nothing that warranted a picture. I was going to stop in Wapato for the evening but there was no campground or motel; so, I had to ride another 10 miles into Toppenish--which is where I had planned on spending tonight before I had the rain delay.

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Campsite

2010-06-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

I made it past Ellensburg (total of 30 miles) and will spend the night in a campground instead of pitching the tent somewhere in the boondocks. I've ridden the canyon road numerous times but always see something interesting. Today there was a deer grazing right on the side of the road. It didn't notice me until I said "Hi, deer"...figured I'd better warn it so it didn't jump in front of me.

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On the road!

2010-06-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

The weather finally cleared enough for me to start, albeit somewhat late--11:30. So, I'm heading down the canyon road to Ellensburg; don't know how far I'll get today, but at least I've started.
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Anticipation

2010-06-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

The sun is shining, it's a nice, comfortable temperature and just a slight breeze...a perfect day for riding. However, I'm putting the finishing touches on my packing and going over the bike to prepare for the trip. I'm leaving tomorrow when the forecast is for cooler and 40% chance of rain; unless it's an absolute downpour I intend to start. Although I don't have a schedule to keep, I'd just as soon get on the road...even if I don't get as far as I'd like, I'll actually be traveling rather than planning.

Eight

2010-05-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

This has been a rough couple of weeks. In addition to the gusting winds and seemingly continuous rain showers, Barbara developed an infection and was hospitalized for a short time. I've been unable to maintain any sort of riding/training schedule. However, now that Barbara is on the mend I'll once again try to focus a bit more on my journey. I've replaced the rear tire which was slightly worn and have checked over most everything else on the bike. I'm not too concerned about not being in the absolute peak of conditioning--I can just take it easy for the first few days and build myself back up. That's a good thing about not being on a strict time schedule: you can't fall behind. Eight days to D (Departure) Day.

Lake Cle Elum

2010-05-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

The lake is quite low and there's not much snow left in the hills. Looks as though it's going to be a dry year for the irrigators.
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New phone

2010-05-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a new phone that I'll be using to update this blog during my journey. I think the first postings are going to be rather short until I become a bit more proficient at using my thumbs. I guess the old phrase about someone being 'all thumbs' is actually high praise for a texter. :-)
I'm posting this picture just for practice; it's taken from the road to the gravel pit--one of my more frequent rides.

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REGISTER

2010-05-20T23:52:00.001-07:00

Making the grade

2010-05-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

To prepare for my ride I've been going online to figure out the steepness of the hills on my route. The longest and steepest grades that I've been able to find are the ones coming out of Snake River Canyon and going up to Sherman Pass. The main climb for each is between five to seven miles at generally a 5% grade with some sections going up to 6 or 7 % grade. I'm sure I'll come upon some grades that are over 7% however, they won't be overly long. I've loaded my panniers with canned food (about 25 pounds) and have been doing my rides to include some hills around this area. Just to give everyone an idea of what type grades there are around here, I went out today and took some measurements. To give some perspective for my local readers, I started with Lower Peoh Point Road:

It starts out at a 7% grade but kicks up to 8% for the final grind; luckily, it's not too long but it definitely gets the heart muscles working.
The longest that I've come up with is Thorp Prarie Road; I haven't ridden it yet this year but it's one you don't forget.

It starts off at a modest 5% grade which continues for over a mile. Then, just as you start going around a curve, you notice the grade is increasing; because you're going around a curve you can't see the end of the climb or how much the grade is increasing. Finally, you see the top of what has become a nearly 9% grade but as you reach what you thought was the crest of the hill you see that it's merely a decrease to a 6% grade which lasts for another quarter mile. The feeling of accomplishment you have upon completion of a grueling climb is indescribable; plus, you get to relax and enjoy the scenery on the way down.

2010-05-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

I'm still experimenting on the best way to load my bike. Today I adapted a rear rack from one of my old bikes to fit on the front; I plan to use it to carry my sleeping bag. On the short test ride I took it seemed to work OK, although the steering definitely felt different. I guess I'll keep it on for a while so I can get used to it. I'm also going to start riding with some heavy items in the panniers I'll be carrying on the rear rack. I thought I'd have plenty of room, but as I keep adding little things here and there I'm finding out they're not as big as I thought! The weather seems to be moderating a bit and I'm able to ride a bit more; however, I find that I really have to psych myself up--it's just a ride and I want to get started on BATS.

2010-05-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Today was laundry day but I spent the waiting time between loads doing something practical to get ready for my journey. I gathered together most of the items I'll be taking with me and did some packing.
Not shown in the picture are the extra tubes and tools I always carry and food which I'll be buying pretty much every day.
Here are a couple of views of the loaded bike--

it still handles pretty well although I didn't try going up any hills. I know I'll be a bit slower but I'm not looking to break any speed records. In the next week or so I'll load everything up again and go for an overnight trip just to make sure I have everything I need before I take off on the real thing.

2010-05-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

I've set the starting date for my journey for 6 June; there's no particular significance for me, although it does happen to be the 66th anniversary of D-Day--the Normandy landings in WWII. Just as Eisenhower agonized over the weather for the day of the landing, I'm keeping an eye on the seemingly unpredictable weather which is occurring this year. Snow closed the North Cascades Highway (part of my route) yesterday and it's been unseasonably cool and windy for the past week. I've become somewhat accustomed to slightly warmer temperatures so it's kind of a bummer to have to start bundling up to go for a ride. Of course, the wind is always a headwind and I can deal with that--the side gusts really increase the pucker factor though. It's been said that the worst day on a dream adventure is better than the best day of a mundane life dreaming of the adventure; I can't wait for the adventure to begin!

2010-05-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Electronic assist for my journey. No, I'm not referring to electric assist which is a small electric motor that can be attached to a bicycle and is useful for going uphills (I don't have one of those). Electronic assist is probably a misnomer as the gadgets I'm talking about really provide no assistance--just information and safety. First among the latter items is a couple of rear blinky lights; they're useful in alerting drivers approaching from the rear that there is something in front of them. Coupled with a reflective slow-moving vehicle triangle, only the most inattentive, cell phone talker/texter driver will fail to see me.
To alert oncoming drivers that there is something in front of them and they shouldn't turn left across it's path, I have a five-LED blinking headlight; it also doubles as a constant light if I don't make it to a campground before dark. Powering those devices are AA and AAA batteries which could cause a major drain (groan) on my budget if I didn't use rechargeables (which I do). However, that just adds one more electronic device to my load--a battery charger. Under the information category is a speedometer; although there are super multi-function models that are tied to GPS and provide all kinds of data, I have a pretty basic model which gives speed and distance. A benefit to its simplicity is that the battery lasts over a year. Also for information I have a heart rate monitor--to alert me that I may be pushing too hard (or not hard enough) or that I may be getting dehydrated.
To record images of the trip I'll be toting a camera (four AA batteries) however, I need a computer to download the pictures. Since I have to draw a line somewhere, I've opted not to carry my Netbook and the picures I take with the camera will not be available until the end of the trip. However, I will be taking a cell phone (of some type) and I'll attempt to update this site with a few pictures during my journey.

For all of the gadgets I'll be carrying, I don't think my enjoyment level will be much greater than what I experienced as a 12 year old on a 15 mile ride with no electronic assist.

2010-05-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

The first order of business has been to determine my route. After careful consideration of time/logistics I determined that I wouldn't visit the absolute extreme corners of the state but, rather, a general rounding of the corners. I'll start off by heading over Satus pass on Hwy 97 to the Columbia River Gorge where I'll turn left onto Hwy 14 until I cross over to Umatilla, Oregon on Hwy 395. Oregon highways will be used for about 20 miles before I cross back into Washington
and pick up Hwy 12 near Wallula. I'll stay on Hwy 12 into Clarkston and go up the Snake River Canyon into Pullman where I'll get on Hwy 27 and follow it toward Spokane. Backroads will be the order of the day between the Spokane area and Newport as Hwy 2 is a bit too heavily traveled for my taste. At Newport I'll jump on Hwy 20 and follow it across the Northern tier of the state to Keystone on Whidbey Island where I'll take a ferry to Port Townsend and continue on Hwy 20 to Hwy 101. I'll generally follow Hwy 101 around the West side of the Olympic Peninsula although I may pop over to Hwys 109/105 when 101 gets too far from the coast. Either way, I'll end up on Hwy 4 on the north side of the Columbia for the leg into Longview. Longview to Vancouver (Washington) will also be on backroads until I connect with Hwy 14 and follow it through the gorge to Hwy 97 and back home. That's about 1500 miles and I'm estimating four to five weeks to complete the trip. So, the route is now set in pavement; however, it is subject to change while I'm on the road.

2010-05-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

I achieved my goal of cycling 3000 miles last year and instead of just establishing a new, higher-mileage goal for this year, I began contemplating what other feat I could accomplish. The first thought of cycling across the country was summarily dismissed; not because I didn't think I could do it however, at the end I'd be sitting on the east coast with a daunting 3000 mile return trip before the snow started falling. A six thousand mile jaunt seemed a bit much--this year. While mulling over several options, I happened to see an Evening Magazine series where they visited the four corners of Washington State. That was the genesis for my goal to Bike Around The State: yes, I'm going BATS.