July 16, 2005
North Roosevelt, WA - The Dalles, OR: On the road at sunrise.
I was up in the pitch black, hoping to get down the road a significant distance before the wind came up. I stopped at the closed store to leave a paperback book on the doorstep. That was my donation to the paperback library.
Today was all highway riding. First on Hwy 14, then crossing over into Oregon and riding on the Interstate.
The terrain was increasingly uphill rollers. Or perhaps they would be called climbs. There were plenty of ups and downs.
The view continued to be high desert with sagebrush and occasional clumps of dry grass. The river was wider and prettier than in day's past.
Today was a bad wind day. I didn't note at what point the wind picked up, but my daily average was only 7.80 mph. One of the lowest averages of the trip. The temps were also very high. I was working on draining my 100 oz. Camelbak.
I have to admit, today I enjoyed riding on the interstate with the trucks. They created a wind tunnel, helping pull me along. I had to keep a firm hand on the bars to avoid being buffeted too much as they passed.
Close to town Carlton caught up with me. We stopped to chat for a moment and Ryan came up behind us. Ryan was nursing along a leaky tire. He stopped to top it off. We all rode along together for a piece. Ryan stopped several times more and finally decided to change the tube. I offered to stop with him, but he assured me he would catch up. I didn't doubt that. : )
I have seldom been so happy to get to town. Carlton, Ryan, Recumbent John, and I all pulled in together. Ryan had let us know that this RV Park didn't have a tenting area, but we could stay in a mowed field across the street. We had camped in a variety of places over the three weeks we had been on the road. I wasn't too alarmed at the idea of a mowed field. But then I saw it. It was a block from the showers/restrooms, that in itself very uninviting. The 'field' was dry yellow stubble. There were no picnic tables or water. Two trees cast very little shade. This was not my idea of where I wanted to spend the night after such a tough day. Guess what was across the street? A Red Roof Inn. Hmmm. I hadn't slept in a bed since the hostel in Great Falls. I lobbied hard for the motel. Ryan and I checked rates. The clerk did give us a good deal on three rooms. But Ryan didn't want to make the decision to spend that much of the group's money without consulting everyone. Recumbent John expressed his desire to camp. Ryan said to wait and see what everyone else wanted to do. I wanted a shower NOW. I decided to get a room on my own. It was the best $85. I had spent in a long, long time.
Imagine yourself one of those cartoon characters crawling across the desert toward the classic palm tree oasis. That is how I felt upon entering my hotel room. I cannot adequately express my feelings of decadence at this room. It had carpet! I took off my shoes and walked barefoot (!) across the floor. Running water! Right here, I could pour some water into a cup with ice (!) while I stood barefoot. The bathroom! All of my own. With full size towels (plural)! They were white, not grungy gray. I took a shower. Then I took a bath. Consecutively, without even getting out of the tub. I used both towels, just because I could. Oh, I forgot to mention the air conditioning. It was too cold. I turned it down, down, and then off. But I did like that ice in my water. I filled the cup back up and picked up my PB and J. I walked stark naked across the room and sat on the love seat(spreading my towel out first in the interest of hygenie). I leaned back with my water in one hand, the sandwich in the other and felt spoiled beyond belief. NOTHING good be better than sitting on this cushioned (!) love seat with ice water to drink. I ate my sandwich and read my book. This was good for about a half hour. Then I got lonely and wondered what the crew was doing without me. I debated with myself about going out in the hot sun to chat. Finally I gave up and went outside. Everyone was in but Bob and Robert. Peggy and Jerry had also gotten a motel room. Smoker John had taken his tent to the edge of the motel property and set up behind a strategically placed bush. He was hoping they wouldn't make him move to 'the field'. While we were talking Peggy and Jerry rode up. I happened to look down at Jerry's tire. It was blanketed with at least ten goatheads. Peggy's tire had several. Recumbent John checked his tire and found some. I was extra happy I had gotten the hotel room and missed riding into 'the field'.
I found out we were going out to dinner to a neighboring restaurant. I walked over to the convenience store and bought a newspaper, a muffin, and a quart of milk. I went back and enjoyed my room.
I had meatloaf for dinner. It was not yummy. It was very fat soaked. Tuna surprise would have been better.
I got lunch and breakfast fixings from Peggy and Jerry's room. I would have hot oatmeal in my microwave in the morning. I planned to get an early start again. I debated mightily about checking out of my fancy motel room so early in the morning - but the strength of the day's wind was still in my mind.
Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 947 miles (1,524 km)
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