July 22, 2020
Day 5: Lone Fir Campground to Alta Lake SP
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Today was going to be sweet, smooth sailing, after yesterday's grind over two mountain passes. We practically coasted to Mazama. From there, we almost had to earn our miles to Winthrop, but we still arrived shortly after 9:00am with plenty of gas in the tank.
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We ordered an actual, for real, espresso drink, and lazily enjoyed it in a little courtyard we had to ourselves. A bucolic scene unfolded. A swallowtail butterfly collected nectar from the nearby hanging flowers. A fountain gurgled pleasantly. Our phones chirped with two days of unread emails and texts. All with rumbling Highway 20 just footsteps away.
We stocked up with two days' provisions at the Thriftway, as there's precious little in the way of groceries on our route between Twisp and Wenatchee. This took a while, and before we knew it, the sun was out again in full force, and it was almost lunch time.
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It wasn't just the heat we had to contend with. A steady headwind had developed, with strong gusts that left us muttering curses under our breath. Also, water was nowhere to be found. We figured we'd get by with what we had, but it hindsight, it really wasn't enough. Knowing that the situation wouldn't improve any time today, we took a full hour for lunch in Twisp. After that, most breaks would be in the sweltering sun. On top of everything else, shade was in short supply.
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We pushed ourselves pretty hard to make progress. It was not a fun day. The scenery was pretty enough, but we sure missed having pine trees cast shade on the road. Traffic was mostly courteous, but it picked up in the afternoon, making the ride a little less pleasant than it already was. We grabbed a cold drink at a hot dog stand in Carlton. It appeared to be the only open business between Twisp and our evening's destination. We also stopped in the tiny town of Methow, on a tiny patch of grass with a picnic table that was literally on its last legs. Someone was watering the grass with an old leaky hose. We took advantage of those leaks, wetting our faces and bandannas with the misty water that sprung from them.
Being mentally prepared for the final climb up to Alta Lake was not sufficient for the challenge that lay ahead. Already drained from a long day in the saddle, we struggled up the grade, stopping frequently for fear of overheating. When we reached the state park, we were thrilled to find many sites available. We were less pleased with being charged the full price of $27. With sites so far ranging from $0 to $12, the sticker shock was enough to make me argue with the park attendant, but not enough to start citing chapter and verse of the state's no-turnaway policy (they’re supposed to give us the hiker-biker rate in their emergency area if we demand it). I was tired, and on top of that, people are focused right now on the immediate public health threat, and therefore less receptive to some stranger's green tourism advocacy spiel.
We cooled off in the lake, ate a well-deserved curry dinner, and slept well until midnight, when some teenagers from the other side of camp apparently decided to have a "who has the loudest voice" contest. Knowing that this rude behavior is grudgingly tolerated by everyone else, I put in my earbuds and listened to the Bach cello suites until the end of their social hour, and was none the worse for wear.
Today's ride: 68 miles (109 km)
Total: 263 miles (423 km)
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