A day of beauty on the Historic Columbia River Highway Trail

July 3, 2023

To Ainsworth State Park

After yesterday's long journey to Hood River we are both happy to have a shorter ride today. There's time for a soak in the big bathtub of our room at the Columbia Gorge Hotel, breakfast in the dining room and a walk in the garden.

This really is a lovely hotel. I'm not leaving a minute before checkout time.

Across the river in Underwood Washington the Tunnel Five Fire continues to burn

I haven't studied today's route too closely. The RidewithGPS cue sheet says we need to turn west on Highway 30. It doesn't say that Highway 30 is the same as I-84 here. We don't see any other roads going west so apparently this is the way. It's busy and loud but the shoulder is wide - plenty of space. The road is mostly downhill or flat for the part we have to ride and there are nice views of the river.

Six miles later we escape to a new segment of the Historic Columbia River State Trail in Viento State Park. The addition is part of a larger project that will eventually extend the trail east to Hood River. That will complete an amazing bike route from The Dalles to Troutdale.

The trail continues through Starvation Creek State Park. It's Monday of the holiday weekend and young families are out in force on the trail, riding through the thick fir forest past cool waterfalls.

Beautiful stonework on the historic highway trail

Looking back from ten miles downriver, we can see the smoke plumes rising from the Tunnel Fire

The trail ends back on Historic Highway 30 where our hill of the day starts. It's a good one, gaining 500 feet over a mile and a half, then we give it all back going down the other side. Thankfully it's the only big climb on today's ride.

Lots of room on the shady historic highway 30

We're seeing a lot of this today. Possibly Pink Oleander?

In Cascade Locks, the hydrangeas remind me of Cape Cod

At the Columbia Market in Cascade Locks we pick up some good sandwiches for lunch. I'm surprised they don't have any local cherries in the store. Then a little ways up the street just before the Bridge of the Gods we find a small fruit stand where a woman is selling cherries grown on her family's farm in Dufur, Oregon, 20 miles south of The Dalles.

Nice spot by the river for a picnic behind the Best Western

After lunch we have just ten miles to go, starting on another fun section of the Historic Columbia River State Trail. This part winds through the forest and crosses under or over the interstate highway five times.

Pine needles carpet this part of the trail

Oceanspray flowers cascade down from the trees.

Approaching Eagle Creek my Wahoo gps device beeps again, letting us know that there's another little hill coming up. The trail leads us right to a three-story concrete stairway. We look around to see if we missed a turn. Nope. Before we start portaging the bikes I walk up the stairs to see where they go and find the trail continues on from there.

The bikes are too heavy to carry loaded so the panniers come off for the first trip up the stairs. Then we see there are grooves on the sides where we can roll the bikes up. Those are a big help.

The stairway takes us up to another lookout over the Gorge

Finally the trail leads us back to Historic Highway 30 and Ainsworth State Park, our destination for tonight. All the regular campsites are full but there is plenty of space in the Hiker-Biker area, a deal at $7 per person.

The group Hiker-Biker area in Ainsworth has bench seats around the fire ring, a picnic table and half a dozen level tent spaces. The shower house is nearby. There are three other tents set up but we don't see anyone else here until morning, a puzzler.

We split our last dehydrated meal, Three-Bean Chili, which is just ok but a filling start. Dinner is substantially improved by an extended dessert course of apples, mangos, sweet local cherries, chocolate and wine.

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Today's ride: 30 miles (48 km)
Total: 1,254 miles (2,018 km)

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