I woke up expecting rain after the diligent setup of last night, but it was actually pretty nice and sunny! It was off and on sprinkles though so I cooked from within the tent. Since yesterday had been trying I decided to enjoy breakfast and try my hand at another pancake. This time it was delicious! I added dried cranberries to the mix and topped it with some almond butter and creamed honey that when warmed, became nice and syrupy. I slowly packed up and let things dry out in the sun, and to my relief my shoes were mostly dry after using the Frank trick and stuffing them with newspaper to absorb the moisture. I didn't leave camp until 11:30 but starting out feeling full on good food and dry is worth the delay.
Riding through the Cascades was beautiful, and with all the snow melt the entire range was gushing water like the climax of a Sham-Wow infomercial. The climb to Stevens Pass wasn't as bad as it could have been, the slope was pretty gradual and consistent. Also, thankfully there were almost no downhills before the summit. Very little is more frustrating than gaining elevation with a summit in the distance, only to lose it again. Once I reached the top it was pretty damn cold, with fresh snow from last night still clinging to the tree tops near me. I took a couple pictures but much like the cold summit of Shasta, once you're up there you don't really feel like hanging around. Not a minute into the descent I heard a couple tink tinks of hail hit my sunglasses and helmet, which gave me a little motivation to get out of there. It was so cold with the wind of speeding downhill I eventually had to stop and put on gloves. But the downhill was exhilarating and constant, dropping me nearly 1400 feet in perhaps 15 minutes. I also hit a trip record of 43.3 mph which is a thrill on a bike.
Pretty soon I was sick of the cold and constant debris lookout that's required when going fast, and I was getting hungry. I noticed a Rest Stop sign that said Free Coffee on it and had to check it out. Sure enough they had free coffee and even cookies! I donated an appropriate amount which goes to their Eagle Scout group and enjoyed the treats with my own snacks. About this time I also entered lower elevations where the sun was not just warm but the earth itself radiated a comforting heat. I cruised down Hwy 2 along the Wenatchee River and couldn't believe how beautiful that valley is. The picturesque river cuts through steep, rocky and forested mountains, alternating between rapids and calm pools. I saw some river kayakers and followed them for a bit until running into Todd and Kathy parked on the side of the road. They made for great conversation and are avid tourers themselves, even if they are self-prescribed geezers! They recommended the Mexican food in Leavenworth, so I figured it would be a good place to charge the phone and have a beer.
Leavenworth is a fascinating little town, completely Bavarian themed. Even national chains like Wells Fargo and Safeway have altered their logos here to make them fit in with the town. It was fun to see and I regret not having enough stomach space for a Bavarian pretzel and a Liter, so I'll visit again sometime with those tasty items in mind. I had 20 or so miles left to Wenatchee so I hit the road after an IPA and chiliquiles at South. Just outside of town I heard a pop and pulled over to get the nail out of my tire and change the tube. I continued on with greasy hands, figuring I could clean them at camp. I was glad I didn't bother washing them since I got another flat, this time an industrial staple, less than two miles from camp!! I got pretty frustrated and just threw a patch on this one, hoping it would stay intact for the last stretch. I rolled up to the kiosk at Lincoln Rock State Park to find out it was full, but the attendant saw my forlorn state and gave me a spot on the lawn. After some discussion with the hosts Don and Sherri, Don gave me a beer which made my day. I also picked up tokens for a shower and discovered the timer was broken to my advantage. After four days of not cleaning I literally soaked in the hot water until it ran out. I have six days to travel 350 miles to Missoula, shouldn't be a problem if my tires cooperate!
No comments:
Post a Comment