After less than an acceptable amount of sleep, due to the attack of the industrial sprinklers, we filled up on a 'Trucker's Breakfast' at the mini mart in Roosevelt, said our good byes to another biker we met who was going east and set out towards Bigs, our lunch destination, about 35 miles away. Standing in the sun around 9am, I wondered how anyone out in this sun for long periods of time is anything but dark brown. I have lathered up on sun screen each day and already my arms are noticeably browner. I am cycling in Tevas and have a distinguishable criss cross pattern on the tops of my feet. Yesterday I missed an inch of skin around the outside of my left ankle, resulting in a light burn, so I am very fashionable in socks and Tevas, through which one of my toes decided to break early on today.
There would be no mini mart for 35 miles, so we stocked up. I had 6 bottles of various liquids, vitamin water, tea, cranberry juice and OJ. Additionally, I stuffed an avocado and can of chicken in my paniers as a 'no lunch store' back up plan.
We had my longest climb (but not CR's, Sho's or Saya's) today. It was between 2.5 and 3 miles and double the grade at Monteagle. I looked down and counted to 900, one for each pedal rotation, for the last 1/4 mile. The top (see pic) resulted in a view of a Grand Canyon-style cut, a snow-capped Mt. Adam in the distance and rolling hills of wind turbines rolling around us. I asked Charlie how 'odd he thought Lewis and Clark found the wind turbines' to which he responded with a 'very funny'.
We were treated to an equally long downhill which was lovely. The bridge across the Columbia into Big is nothing more than an interstate in the sky. There was no pedestrian or bike trail and we were forced to check our back constantly to make sure an 18 wheeler wasn't coming. They were and we hugged the railing as they passed. It took about 3 minutes to get across and I thought that this would be the perfect cure for anyone suffering from low blood pressure. I had a piece of apple pie after lunch, thinking this could be my last day and if so, I will have had pie.
The last 19 miles to The Dalles Ipronounced Dals) was flat our downhill along the river. For the first time, I could smell it and looked for otter which are, supposedly, abundant. We did not see one, but were dazzled by a sea eagle who tried, unsuccessfully, to take flight with a huge salmon in his talons. At the last moment, and before we could get out our cameras, he dropped it.
With 3 miles to go, I got one and then a second flat. Damit - I forgot to make a sacrifice to the gods of the rear wheel flat - I'll do that tomorrow, sorry Charlie, one of the kids has go to go. The good news: I am very comfortable changing a rear flat; bad news: I had fewer rear wheel flats in the last year and am agitated by their prolific arrival. The Queen song 'Fat Bottom Girls' keeps coming to me, which is equally irritating. Tomorrow we head towards Vancouver/Portland.
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