This is Ann's turn to write the daily update. We started out just as I’d half expected – in the rain. When I woke up at 5:45 am, it was still fairly clear off to the east, and I thought we ought to get up and start riding right then. But, of course, instead of waking everyone else up, I just went back to bed. So when we actually started at a little after 9, the mist was settling into real rain.
We stood with our wheels in the Pacific Ocean, and I couldn’t help but think ahead to the next time my bike wheels would be in salt water would be a few years from now, when we finish at the Atlantic.
We really didn’t expect it to rain as steadily as it did, so none of us put on our rain jackets, and as a result, within 10 miles we were pretty well soaked. But it wasn’t cold, and we rode fairly fast (for me), so it wasn’t bad.
We paralleled the coast for the first 10 miles (to Tokeland), then turned inland along Willapa Bay to Raymond. Once we turned east, we had a bit of a tailwind – thank God for tailwinds!
By the time we reached Raymond (mile 30 in 2 hours) it was only misting, and we stopped for lunch. Have you ever used the hot air dryers in a restroom to dry your clothes? It’s a trick I learned on the CROC ride up Cabbage Hill, and it’s wonderful on a cold, rainy day. Unfortunately, the Dairy Queen where we stopped to eat didn’t have hot air dryers. But we got hot French fries to eat with the sandwiches we carried with us, and it was really a good meal, and we were relatively warm when we got on the bikes again.
From there, we left the rain behind, and rode along the winding Willapa River. Very pretty. But the further we went, the more I realized that the past 2 weeks of being so busy we didn’t get in any bike riding were going to take their toll. My legs got tired. Dave had assured me that the first day was "all flat," so it wouldn’t be a problem going 60 miles. (And, in fairness, I should have been in good enough shape that 60 miles wasn’t a big deal. But no, 40 miles wasn’t a big deal. After that, it was HARD!) And the road, though there were many generally flat stretches, did have hills. Not big hills, but to my tired legs, anything that wasn’t downhill came to feel like a hill. (Note to Cori: I forgot to pack in my bag today any of the energy foods we ordered, so I was totally without what would have been a great boost. Won’t make that mistake again!) I slogged along, going a pitifully slow pace and trying to think of everything about this section to praise God for – a bit of a tailwind, no rain, pretty views. We stopped in the little town (town? More of a couple houses and a café/store) of Lebam for a Coke; the caffeine really helps when you have only an hour or so more to ride. We asked the cashier about the town’s name, and she said it was “Mabel” spelled backward; apparently the wife of one of the early settlers was named Mabel, and he wrote it backwards to name the community. True or not, it makes a good story for tourists!
At mile 53 or so, we came to the “only real hill” on this day, and it was fairly long, though not real steep. As usual, I released the guys to ride ahead, as they ride hills much faster than I do, and I geared down and just kept pedaling. Stopped once to stretch my legs, and that really helped. Then, at the top of the hill, we started on a roughly 5 mile downhill stretch into Pe Ell, our stopping point for the day. Another thing to thank God for: downhills! We had texted Lea about an hour before, so she drove into Pe Ell a few minutes before we did. Rested a bit at a nice little park, then loaded up and drove back to the Beach House for one more night. Lea bought prawns and scallops off the dock in Westport, and we feasted tonight. Now, the sky is clearing, the evening sun is shining, and Dave and Dennis just drove up with ice cream! Life looks pretty good!
Stage 1 - An inauspicious start!
Friday, June 07, 2013
Near Westport, Washington, United States
Other Entries
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1Preface to the Ride
May 1820 days priorYakima, United Statesphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
2The Prologue
Jun 07earlier that dayNear Westport, United Statesphoto_camera3videocam 0comment 1 -
3Stage 1 - An inauspicious start!
Jun 07Near Westport, United Statesphoto_camera5videocam 0comment 0 -
4Stage 2 - A Glorious Day!
Jun 081 day laterMorton, United Statesphoto_camera7videocam 0comment 1 -
5Stage 3 - To the top of White Pass
Jun 092 days laterPackwood, United Statesphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 0 -
6Stage 4 - There's No Place Like Home!
Jun 103 days laterYakima, United Statesphoto_camera16videocam 0comment 2 -
7Stage 5 - Sleeping In The Barn
Jun 114 days laterProsser, United Statesphoto_camera13videocam 0comment 0 -
8Stage 6 - Across State Lines
Jun 125 days laterPendleton, United Statesphoto_camera50videocam 0comment 0 -
9Stage 7 - A Case of the Blues (Mountains that is!)
Jun 136 days laterBaker City, United Statesphoto_camera29videocam 0comment 0 -
10Stage 8 - 100 miles of headwinds (almost)
Jun 147 days laterOntario, United Statesphoto_camera4videocam 0comment 0 -
11Stage 9 - Take it Easy
Jun 158 days laterNampa, United Statesphoto_camera20videocam 0comment 1 -
12Stage 10 - A Thousand Miles From Nowhere
Jun 169 days laterGlenns Ferry, United Statesphoto_camera20videocam 0comment 0 -
13Stage 11 - Bicycling Bliss!
Jun 1710 days laterBuhl, United Statesphoto_camera16videocam 0comment 0 -
14Stage 12 - The End of the Beginning
Jun 1811 days laterPocatello, United Statesphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 1
2025-02-15