Stage 5 - Sleeping In The Barn

Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Prosser, Washington, United States
Today was another easy day, by bike riding standards. We weren't in any hurry this morning, and Lea fixed waffles with fresh strawberries for breakfast. Dennis had decided not to ride today, as his son Adam was graduating from high school in Wenatchee in the evening, and he and Lea planned to head home by mid-morning. So we re-packed everything, putting into the bike bag and a small backpack what Dave and I would need for a night on our own. Lea drove us to Dave’s office, where we checked out my bike and adjusted the new seat and toe clips. Then we waved good-bye to our faithful support and struck out on our own.

But it didn’t really feel like we were going off on a big trip alone, because today’s ride covered our regular training ground. We followed the Greenway trail along the Naches River to where it flowed into the Yakima River, then turned south along the Yakima. It was a beautiful morning, and we reminded ourselves to stop and take pictures, something we knew we might forget, since we’re so familiar with the scenery.   We cruised along with a nice tailwind as far as the Arboretum, then followed Highway 24 east for a short distance before turning south again along the river. Near Union Gap, we stopped to take a picture and heard some bird cries overhead. Looking up, we saw a big bird – an osprey? – with a small fish in its talons. But it was just circling around, crying, not taking its food anywhere. Then a bald eagle rose from a tree across the river and flew toward the osprey with the obvious intention of stealing the fish. The two flew around each other, diving and evading, making noises all the while. It was something to watch! Then another osprey flew at the eagle and managed to chase it away, after which the bird with the fish flew on across the river. We guessed that it had a nest somewhere over there. What a thing to have been able to watch! In a car, we would never have even noticed.

Through the gap, we got onto the Yakima Valley Highway. It’s an easy route, with few hills and only some gentle ups and down. The tailwind did its part, and the ride was pretty easy. North of Zillah, we saw the blackened hillsides where a brush fire had done its damage the week before. We made it to Granger (30 miles) for lunch, and decided to try a new taco stand. Unfortunately, despite the "Now Open" banner, no one was there and it was definitely closed. So we visited the mini-mart next door, also a new stop for us, and one we probably won’t repeat. Dave got sweet-n-sour chicken and fried rice, and I got a teriyaki chicken skewer and a few jo-jos. (Yes, I keep up the family tradition of noting what we eat on trips!) As “Crocodile Dundee” famously said, “You can live on it, but it tastes like…”  Actually, it wasn’t quite that bad, but it was nothing to write home about. (So why am I writing it here?!)

We rode on south to Sunnyside, still pushed along by a nice breeze, but I was starting to get tired. It wasn’t so much sore legs any more, but just plain tired. In Sunnyside, we picked up the bike trail and rode on to Grandview, and then to Prosser. Four miles out, Dave got a flat tire from the nemesis of eastern Washington bike riders – a goat head thorn. I was kind of glad to be off the bike for a few minutes; my new seat was taking a little bit of getting used to! We’d called ahead to The Barn Motel, and arrived there about 4:00. So, in case you thought we really were sleeping in a barn tonight, there’s your answer. It had been purchased by new owners in January, and they’re renovating rooms as fast as they can. They were very nice, and there was a restaurant on the premises, so we shared a rib steak dinner. Much better than our lunch! I was so tired, I couldn’t even stay awake to watch who was voted off “The Voice.”  Dave looked it up on his phone and told me. I was really hoping that a good sleep after an easy ride would help me to recover, because we had our first long day ahead tomorrow: 86 miles to Pendleton, OR.


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