June 7, 2021
Day 7: Winthrop to Omak
What a difference a pass makes
“I need a great-great granny gear” Rachel says trying to get over Loup Loup pass. “You’d fall over,” says Patrick. We keep plodding along.
We took David’s advice on how to leave town, go back to 20 East, instead of taking the bridge over the Methow river, go straight on Eastside Road. The snow line is at 4100 feet and the summit of Loup Loup pass is 4036 feet and the sky looks ominous, we choose not to stop at the Smoke Jumper’s training camp. The back road takes us around Twisp, so we ride back to town to have a second breakfast at the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery and shop for lunch supplies.
A storm is chasing us, and we hear thunder at one point, and we can see a storm in front of us. There is road construction, which is to our advantage in the climbing because traffic comes in groups, with periods of silence. It’s another slog for Rachel, after this pass, only two more.
We finally reach the summit of Loup Loup Pass, and as we are taking pictures and layering with more clothes for the downhill, another cyclist rides up. Woody is from Sandpoint ID and on a short tour with minimal gear. We head down, knowing at some point the “joy ride will turn to nightmare” for a hill with another 260 feet elevation gain awaits us in the middle of the downhill. We drop down to what is now high desert.
In Okanagon as we pass the American Legion Park, we see a cyclist setting up his tent and we pull in, we are ready for a food break before the final push to Omak. Robert Ferrari is from Virginia and blogging “Northern Tier with a Purpose” by SteadyCadence.”(posted on that other cycle journal site) He gives us his card, Team zero.org End Prostate Cancer and says he is a survivor and doing this ride asking for donations.
We arrive at Lynette and Larry WS about 5pm. Lynette is an artist working in cut glass making scenes in old window frames. Larry has retired from teaching, after a long career and now drives the school bus. They have a beautiful big garden including lots of fruit trees. We enjoy a great evening dinner and conversation, they are fascinating people. Larry walks us over to the Omak Hill where the Omak Stampede Suicide Race occurs. Their daughter nicknamed “Gus” joins us; she has lived in NZ for a year, and is a specialist in garlic. Also her dog, Tundra, a gentle white great pyrenees that makes the rounds to be petted. Another great evening.
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It Wednesday June 9th and We are taking a rest day in Republic. If you catch up to us let us know
Terry
3 years ago
3 years ago
Today's ride: 49 miles (79 km)
Total: 268 miles (431 km)
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3 years ago