August 6, 2019
MOSES LAKE, WASHINGTON: The Coulees Are Cool
I had a feeling that today's scenery would be just as excellent as yesterday's. I just knew the industrious Martians would never limit their landscaping project to only the length of a day's bike ride. I was right, of course, but I didn't expect there to be another very abrupt change in the appearance of the land about half way into today's ride. I'll get to that shortly, but first I've got something else to discuss.
One bit of information I picked up yesterday is that professional geologists (including the esteemed Mr. Bretz) call this eroded part of Washington "scablands." Scablands? I don't like it. I don't like it all. A scab is kind of an ugly, negative thing. I'm going to give it a new name, a name that invokes pleasing and positive thoughts. "SMILE-LANDS!" Yeah, that's it, Smile-lands.
The first part of today's ride--from Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park to the town of Soap Lake was characterized by more of the same eroded cliffs, desert lakes, sagebrush, and twisty roads as yesterday. After Soap Lake, however, things were much different. The land was flat and I could see brown grass all the way to the horizon. Mixed in with the brown grass were were millions of large rocks. Some of the rocks could be considered boulders. It was quite unusual. Some folks might have called it boring, but not me. I have learned to find the good in ALL landscapes.
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It was during that stretch of brown grass and boulders, mixed with occasional stands of heavy sagebrush, that the heat really started cranking up. It was 99-degrees when I entered the city limits of Moses Lake. The afternoon high would be an additional 5-degrees hotter. I knew with absolute certainty that a motel was in my future this evening, and I was not going to take any chances on a little motel that might have an inadequate air-conditioner--like the one across from the Grand Coulee Dam I stayed in two days ago. I went straight to one of the mid-luxury chain motels out by Interstate 90. (Holiday Inn) It was way too expensive, but I didn't care.
Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 378 miles (608 km)
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As I age I find that air conditioning is becoming more and more a part of my life. In my youth, I camped in the deserts of Wyoming with no qualms, but now? Well, I’ll blame climate change. It couldn’t be me, no sir. And besides, I’ve earned it, right? You too.
Cheers,
Keith
5 years ago
5 years ago