Day 12: To Dayton

August 12, 2013

Up at 7, on the road at 8:30. The morning was already warm. Getting out of Walla Walla was easy. Then the ACA route follows Middle Waitsburg road for 17 low-traffic miles before it connects with US 12 once again.

I only saw corn near Walla Walla in areas that had irrigation.

I've never seen hay stacked like this before.

I detoured two blocks off US 12 to have a look at downtown Waitsburg. The downtown area is well-kept despite several empty storefronts. The downtown buildings remind me of my home of Oakland, Oregon.

I was ready for lunch but I couldn't find a restaurant in Waitsburg. So I must continue to the larger town of Dayton for lunch.

Touchet river is a minor tributary of the Columbia river.

After another 10 gently upstream miles I arrived in Dayton at 1:30. My first stop was lunch at a restaurant. In town I had a short conversation with a touring cyclist who is pedaling from Bend to Coeur d'Alene. First cyclist I've seen in a while.

Since leaving the depressing town of Hermiston, all the subsequent towns have been very charming and relatively prosperous. Dayton has a population of only 2655 but it's the county seat.

I never felt strong today. I only pedaled 31 easy miles, but I don't want to go another 37 hillier miles to the next motel. So I got a $57 room at Blue Mountain Motel in Dayton. I checked in at 2:30 and took a 2 hour nap. Dinner was a microwave meal. My top priority is to rest as much as possible.

Today I had a gentle tailwind and the terrain was mostly gentle upstream. Clouds built up in the afternoon, so the high temperature was only 93F. It looked like it might rain but it never did.

Distance: 31.6 miles (50.6 km)
Climbing: 1624 feet (494 m)
Average Speed: 8.9 mph (14 km/h)

Today's ride: 32 miles (51 km)
Total: 616 miles (991 km)

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