Day Off - Day 41

A nice day off today.  Breakfast and then I cleaned my bike.  My gears are getting a little tired and so need to keep it cleaned and lubed.  After cleaning Fiona and I walked Gail to her dentist office to have her crown glued back on.  It popped off when she was flossing last nite.  It was a good thing we walked with her cuz she was walking the wrong way.  She never would have made it on time.

Fiona and I walked around the shops while waiting for Gail.  There was a great quilt and yarn shop that you could get lost in.  I kept telling myself that I didn't need to buy anything because I knew I wouldn't make it when I got home.

We met Mike, Gail was done and we walked down by the Wenatchee River for a bit and then on to lunch.  Bratwurst and pretzels were the winners again as they were yesterday.

Tonite anyone who wants to will meet at the lobby and we'll go to dinner together at one of the German restaurants.

Mike, Gail and Fiona

Gail, Mike and Me 

Wenatchee River

Pretzels with a cheese sauce

pretzels and bratwurst - so good!!

The Nutcracker for the town

Ellensburg to Leavenworth - Day 40

Mileage:  60
Total Ascent:  3679

Crazy headwinds returned today with a vengenance.  We had a climb for about 10 miles today with strong headwinds.  It made the climb so much harder.  The windmills on the hills reminded us why it was so windy.   At the top of the climb we had some great views and then there was a great downhill. Our next climb was 14 miles up but quite easy.  The downhill was a different story.  A long descent which would have been great but there was so much traffic and so many semi trucks.  The shoulders were very narrow and I thought it was a little unnerving.  Normally I'm not like that but too many trucks on narrow roads had me going very slow down the 26 mile descent.

Leavenworth's Bavarian village was created by 2 businessmen who tried to revitalize this little town when the railroad was moved to Wenatchee crippling their economy.   The two businessmen went to Solvang which is modeled after a Danish village and they decided to model Leavenworth after a Baverian village.  And this is how this little tourist town was built.   Coming in today, the town was filled with tourists from everywhere.  Leavenworth is a thriving village with lots of shops and places to eat.

Some pics from the day....

 

Top of the 2nd climb with our 26 miles descent

Gail pointing to the Blewett Pass Summit

Yakima to Ellensburg - Day 39

Mileage:  36
Total Ascent:  1316

Beautiful fun ride today riding out from Yakima and through the Yakima River Canyon.  It was a short ride but riding through the canyon and along the Yakima river was so pretty.  We stopped and took a few pictures along the way.  We also stopped at the Canyon River Ranch for coffee with some of the group.

A peek at part of the canyon

River Ranch for coffee

Mt Rainier in all its glory

Coming out of  Yakima with a couple of our cyclists riding up the hill

 There is confusion as to what mountain this is.  Mt St Helens, Mt Hood or Mt Adams.  We can't decide so take your pick

On the way out of Yakima

An Osprey nest.  The Osprey was in the nest we think maybe feeding its young

Tomorrow we are on our way to Leavensworth.  Its a german town and sounds quite cute. Then its our last day off with 5 riding days left.  Hard to believe its almost over.  

Packwood WA to Yakima - Day 38

Mileage:  74
Total Ascent:  4104

So today we all bundled up for whatever the weather might challenge us.  We were not getting caught underdressed like yesterday.  We started out from Yakima with a 12 mile climb ahead of us. Quite a few miles up there was construction on the road as the one lane was sunk and they were rebuilding it.   We had to wait around 15 minutes for our turn to go.  The flagger was a woman and in her 15 minutes with us managed to scare Sheila into riding down in the van.  Gail and I stayed on our bikes and continued on the road.  There was an avalanche that happened at least a couple of years ago but the woman made it sound like it happened yesterday.  Sheila decided at one point to get out of the van and continued on the route with Gail and I.

It was a beautiful route with the mountains, cliffs, creeks.  Coming down off the mountain we road along the Rimrock Lake and river and with a tail wind.  Then we turned onto the Old Naches Highway and it was orchards and ranches for miles.  It was a lovely day today and we didn't need our rain clothes and eventually had to shed them.

The clouds hanging over the mountains

So we didn't get to see Mt Rainier because of the clouds and heavy mist.  But we did get to climb White Pass which was our 12 mile climb.  

Part of our route

Rimrock Lake

Cascade Locks to Packwood, WA - Day 37

Mileage:  42
Total Ascent:  3200

I wasnt able to blog yesterday so will try to fill you in on what happened.  We left Cascade Locks at 5:30 am as we had 104 miles to go with over 8,000 ft of climbing.  We all were looking forward to the challenge.  We crossed the "Bridge of the Gods" that took us into Washington state.  Its a steel grated bridge so you can see below to the water.  I kept telling myself not to look down but to look straight ahead - I have a problem with heights but I made it across.

We were told by the many weather apps everyone has on their iphones that we might have a shower or two but that it would be a nice day so we all dressed accordingly.  Luckily at the last minute I changed my windbreaker for a rain jacket.  About 10 miles out of town we started with the mist, then a heavier mist and then of course, the rain.  It would then stop and the sun would peep out so we thought it was clearing up and then it started again.  The temperature dropped to the low 40's and with the rain it was very cold.

The route itself was very pretty with a climb that kept us warm and then we hit the summit - we had to descend.  Wet, cold and descending on a wet road only made us colder.  We almost missed our turn but thank goodness we caught it in time and it was another downhill.  We are now getting colder than ever.   Then we turned onto FR 90 which was the road of the jungle.   It so reminded us of a jungle, wild trees growing, huge ferns everywhere - it was awesome - but we were way to cold to stop and take a picture.  I'm so bummed that I didn't but I was so cold I was shivering.

And this is where it all changed.  We arrived at the van/trailer and Mike came up to me and asked me
if I wanted her to take my bike.  I said why and she said the road was closed due to snow on the pass
and that this was the end of the ride for all the cyclists.  Everyone that came in was so cold - they had the heater on in the van and Emily was making hot chocolate and grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone.  We had to go around the mountain to get to Packwood.  3 hours away.  and that's what we did.  We all got in the van with the bikes on top and spent the next 3 hours on the road to Packwood.  At times the rain came down so hard you could hardly see the roads.  I was so glad I was in the van.   Crazy way to end a day.

Day Off - Day 36

So today is our day off in Cascade Locks,  A small little town which is the gateway to the Gorge and the "Bridge to the Gods" that we will ride over tomorrow to cycle into Washington, our last state.

This bridge is a steel bridge and you can see through to the water below.  We walked over to the bridge to see if I even wanted to ride on it as I dont like heights.  I think it will be ok as long as I don't look down.

We were walking down Main Street and this is what we found.  A solid bike station that is bolted down.  There is a place to steady your bike, a pump, tools that a person would need to fix pretty much anything on the bike, and a bike stand.  Its pretty cool.

We took a peek into this open door and there were 2 women sculptors.  One making an eagle and the other creating big foot.  They are being commissioned to make them and will tour the country.  She will make 9 others of the eagle for sale.

Bike Station

Gail, Fiona and Mike checking out the bike station,  

Gail pulling on one of the tools if she needed to use it.

The Eagle

Big Foot

Now its off for a hot dog for lunch and putting my feet up for our long day to Packwood, Washington tomorrow.  104 miles with around 8,000 feet of climbing.  Now this will be the cream of the crop of climbing  if I can make the entire ride on this very challenging day. 

Goverment Camp to Cascade Locks - Day 35

Mileage:  57
Total Ascent:  3661

Quite a bit of wind today.  In fact, they asked us not to ride on the interstate along the Hood River as the headwinds and sidewind gusts were really strong.  So instead of 68 miles we rode 57.  The first portion of our ride was climbing and then we had about 30 miles of descents.  That was so fun!  Love the downhills!

Gail, Judy, Sheila and I left earlier than the rest of the riders as we wanted to get a headstart on the climbs. It worked -  Gail and I are usually butt last but not today.

So after being driven the I84 route, we had 7 miles to go.  7 miles is nothing unless you ride these miles.  We were told rolling hills and yet our Garmins registered 14-16% grades and with the winds it was hard. Yikes!!

We are in Casade Locks for tonite and a layover day.  Our motel window looks out on the river so its a nice view.  Friday we ride over the bridge and land in Washington State for the remainder of our trip. Its coming up to the end with only 9 riding days left.

Mt Hood in all its glory

Mt Hood

Beautiful area