Ellensburg-Naches, WA: Riding along the Yakima River

June 18, 2015

Naches Hotel $80/$86 w/tax. one bed. We were upgraded to the southwesetern suite as Kathy's husband didn't know what he was doing. I'm not sure what's with that, but it certainly worked for us. We have a huge, ground floor room. Really, an apartment. Fantastic water pressure. Kitchen. No wifi. I have to go sit in front of the bakery to get wifi. It doesn't seem to be a priority for Kathy, she doesn't use it. Oren has a huge room also. Really nice. Beds are a little tired

Oren wasn't very interested in stopping, but I told him it was for Carol. That he was willing to do.

We hadn't gone five miles along the Yakima River before the photo taking commenced.

I'm outside of the bakery using their wifi, which is still dismal.

Today was an easy day with 44 miles and less than 2,000 feet of climbing. Oren and I agreed to leave late. Meaning 8 AM. Jacinto has been having lots of itching going on. He has some prescription cream at home. At home, ahem. He called the doctor there, who called the pharmacy here and he did end up with a new tube of cream. But it all took until 10 AM, he left late as usual. This time he just had a reason for leaving late.

Oren and I were riding together, I believe because he knew I was worried about navigation through Selma. It was a very nice run down the Yakima River - 24 miles of almost all downhill. There were a couple of ups just so our legs didn't get lazy. By the river was nice and green, looking up and around. It was barren land for miles and miles. Very unique landscape. We weren't in a particular hurry with the short day.

Oren got ahead of me when I took some photos, but sure enough, there he was at the turn for Harrison Road. He was talking to a cyclist who was assuring Oren that the ACA route of S. Wena had lots of climbing. Now Oren himself had mapped out three possible ways to get to Naches from Selma. The ACA route was only 200 more feet of climbing. But the local guy said it was a terrible climb and he'd only done it to test himself and it was horrible and . . . . that was that. Oren was on the Old Naches Highway.

In the meanwhile, I followed the ACA route. I had to look at my phone a few times to confirm where I was, always doubting myself. But I did fine. My route covered more orchard land. What wasn't irrigated was very, very barren. Amazing the difference.

Jacinto called. He was in Selma and lost. I gave him what I thought were good directions and thought he was following me, about three miles behind. Interesting I left two hours before him and here he was already. Story of my life.

Jacinto asked for directions and they sent him the same way Oren went. It turned out they had a beautiful bike path the last 10 miles to town. Brand new with smooth, black pavement. Dead flat, from what Jacinto says. I was still looking for him, I had a couple of hills and one long, gentle climb to the top of the overlook for town. I can see if you were coming from Nachez, that would indeed be a honking climb. But I got to go down! Yippee! This is the life.

Jacinto and I pulled up in front of the hotel at the same time, from different directions. Kathy runs the show, and boy was she running. At the moment she was cleaning out under the stairwell so Oren would have a place for his bike as his room is on the second floor. She finally whirlwinded her way to us. Explained about her husband being in charge. Last night we had to shimmy around our bicycles to use the bathroom. Today we could do a polka in the center of the room. Very nice!

Jacinto was happy with himself for buying five pounds of cherries from a little boy for $10.00. Now we are expected to eat them all by tomorrow. We will all have the runs! Plus, and this is a big plus, he is carrying two breakfast sandwiches and my leftover Chinese from last night. He didn't want to go for lunch. Or rather, he wanted to take his leftovers. But that's not polite. So he ended up saying he'd only go to lunch if I would share mine. Obviously, I'm hungry. I don't want to share. I look at the menu. Breakfast is served all day. If I order two eggs with hash browns it's only $5.00. Would it be okay if I got that on my own? Only if I shared. Heck. The price of enjoying his company for lunch is having to share. Irony is I ordered a reuben sandwich (bread!) for $14. - it would have been cheaper to order the eggs. But, it made him happy to eat half my food. So, there we go. It was a good Reuben though. I like a good Reuben and they are hard to find.

Right now the guys are doing laundry across the street. wifi at the hotel totally sucks. First Kathy told me to go on the roof, it wasn't good there. Then she said to come down by the restaurant which she also owns. Now I'm sitting outside doing this. It is working but I don't think photos will load. Can we say S L O W ? Even here.

We had a nice easy run today. Tomorrow is White Pass and 60some miles. The next few days will be tougher. Tomorrow is Packwood, then we head south through the forest. Most definitely no wifi there as we will be in a cabin in the woods. I'm expecting beautiful country. Today we had a couple of glimpses of Mt. Rainier.

This has been a wonderful tour so far - scenery and weather are perfect. Wind has been polite. I hope I'm not jinxing us. I'm glad I was so scared of Rainy/Washington Passes - it made me train really hard and all of the climbing has been totally doable. Yay for training! And for losing 60 pounds. That helped. I've been carrying a 13" Mac Air computer - that is totally worth the weight also.

Today I broke down and emailed Randy at Spiz and had him send me a canister to Hood River. I am very accustomed to sipping a bottle of Spiz during the day. Chocolate milk isn't readily available and isn't really my thing. I figure I can balance the weight penalty of the Spiz with not carrying bananas and my share of that five pounds of cherries!

There are potties all over in Washington, in the darnedest places. I think someone's nephew owns the potty company. I'm not complaining, you understand.

These looked like apple trees to me. But the most pruned and trimmed apple trees I have ever seen. Each tree has two main branches. Lots of fruit. Obviously lots of thought and care taken into the production.

The local cyclist who hadn't done the S. Wenas Road because it was too hard. He thought. It was actually a gentle climb from Selah.

Cherry trees with lots of cherries. Yum, yum. I might not like cherries again for a long time, since we have so many to eat.

The view of Naches from the top of the honking hill. Lucky me, I did the gentle side.

Short day! We are in town in time for lunch. Also with enough energy to ham it up a little.

Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 408 miles (657 km)

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