We finally conquered what we had been looking forward to/dreading for months leading up to the ride: Washington Pass. The whole climb was about 25 miles to an elevation of ~5,400 ft. What a beautiful area - gorgeous scenery the whole way up. Luckily we had a great tailwind to give us an extra boost, much needed for our first real test of endurance. The logging trucks and RVs also provide a nice push. It is strange how quickly I've become comfortable with huge trucks whizzing by. Most drivers are courteous and leave lots of space but there is always the occasional bicycle-hater who must speed up as they pass - or in Devin's case a few months ago slow down to tell him to "get a life, get a car!"
Coming down the pass was AWESOME and perhaps the most invigorating thing any of us have ever done. It was basically a 20 mile drop to Mazama where we stayed the night on the Methow River. It is fascinating to see the climate difference on either side of the pass - the desert-like conditions are beautiful and we finally feel like we have traveled some distance. All of us have been to gorgeous places like this but there is a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing we pedaled here.
We are currently relaxing in Winthrop, WA, a small town just east of North Cascades National Park. After yesterday our legs need a short break. Can't stop too long though, still another 4,072 miles to go! We will update again soon, maybe in Okanagan? Until then have a great weekend -
Donald
3 comments:
Hi Guys,
Nice to meet you this morning at the Mazama Store! The photos on your site and blog are great. Enjoy the rest of your trip and thanks for taking the time to raise money for MS!
Hey Don...real cool what you and the guys are doing. Need company? I would love to ride(maybe 400 miles!). The only "mountains" to cross here are the causeways over the Intercoastal. Well, be safe on the roads and stay hydrated!
Hi guys. Beautiful pictures of the magical North Cascades! Must have been a great decent to the Methow Valley as well and Winthrop is very cool. I hope you checked out the noon mock-up gunfight in town and I hope you spot a Western Meadowlark along the way out of Winthrop. Beautiful bird and song. Good job fighting the good fight for MS patients and remember this, the human spirit knows no distance. We're right there with you guys. Take care,
Phil
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