June 20, 2023
Day 4: Discombobulation
Navigation Issues and a “Trail” Angel
Today’s Highlights
Yesterday was a long thirty-five miles; Google said it would take 3:34 by bike, and we usually add on at least an hour with gear; however, it sadly took us seven hours! Yes, seven; why? We had Garmin issues, and then we tried using Google’s Siri so we could get audible directions, but we could not hear her very well on route, which was on a bike trail most of the way paralleling Interstate 90, was super loud with automobile and truck noise. Like the grating kind of noise that gets irritating and makes it even difficult for Mike and me to communicate very well.
Communication: we did realize that we needed to have better communication yesterday in the form of personal communication but mostly in the form of our technology. We are realizing that we do not have a great setup. The Garmin is old and it is not liking that our routes are by 300 mile segments, and then it gets upset when the directions are complicated. So, we tried using Siri, but my phone was in my pocket or in a handle bar bag, and it was difficult to hear her; plus Google Maps was having trouble with the route as well. It was a little complicated. We tried to follow the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail, but I was reminded that the word “trail” doesn’t always mean bike path. Some of it was bike path in the beginning but then hopped on to surface streets to connect sections, and then parts of the actual path had detours for sewer construction, and that added to the complication. The rain did not help either; that just adds another sense of doom which seems to effect one’s common sense, like missing a turn on the bike path…blah, blah, blah. Do you really want to hear all that? No!
You want to hear about the parts of the trail that were picturesque and of the fellow cross county tourist and local Washingtonian who went out of his way to help us. It astonishes me, time and time again, how generous people can be. We met Matthew on the sidewalk near a shopping center; he must have seen that we were in distress or was just curious about our journey, as he had had some experience in the past cycling (very quickly - twenty-two days) from Washington to Pennsylvania. He immediately offered his house, which was literally right on our route, to refresh our bottles and ourselves. He even offered a place to stay. He gave us some directions and his number, then left to do his shopping. There was kind of a tentative plan that we might see him on the trail around his house and possible ride with him for a bit, but as we all know, bike touring and its routes are fluid.
Well, it was fluid because we did miss the trail turn that would have brought us passed his house, but ironically he texted at the moment we were trying to figure things out. We went back and forth via text to figure out if we should reroute or turn around, and that is when Matthew offered to guide us through the complicated sections of our route by first riding to our destination and then leading us to Snoqualmie Falls (as seen on Twin Peaks).
So, the day ended on a high note. The trail turned into a dirt path with lush scenery, and we chatted with Matthew for a while about his life living in the area and home schooling his daughter. It sounds like the type of education all kids should get: life skills, independence, and a chance to be creative; to me, creativity is the pathway to innovation, and traditional educational settings do not allow for many opportunities for this to happen. It makes me feel good to hear that kids such a Matthew’s daughter and other children in their social network are getting this opportunity. Enough of today’s soapbox.
Lastly, we did not make our goal of Alice Creek, a primitive campground off the Palouse to Cascade Trail. We got to North Bend at 5:00 pm and decided during dinner that we would not get to set up camp until 8:00 pm or so in the rain. It could have been longer because of the wet dirt trail, having to carry water and bike issues that might have occurred. Therefore, we opted for a hotel, and here we are getting ready to set out for today’s ride with its highlight of a two mile long tunnel under Snoqualmie Pass.
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Adventures are definitely awaiting!
Team Bean
Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 127 miles (204 km)
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