Day 74 - July 16 - Pomeroy , WA to Walla Walla, WA - Two Old Guys Take On A Continent

July 16, 2023

Day 74 - July 16 - Pomeroy , WA to Walla Walla, WA

Giant Ticklebellies

John’s Story

I guess that subtitle may require some explanation if you don’t know what a ticklebelly is. When we were kids, if my dad was driving fast enough on a rollercoaster kind of road with lots of quick ups and downs, we would call the feeling we got in our stomachs going over the top of a hill a ticklebelly. I looked it up in the Urban Dictionary, and it defines a ticklebelly as a different way to say you have “butterflies” in your stomach. Anyway, that’s what I was reminded of looking at the profile of our ride the last two days with the big ups and downs.

Mega ticklebelly potential, possibly at supersonic speeds.

We hit the road at 5:15 this morning, our earliest start yet, to get a jump on the heat. It worked, as I was quite chilly for the first hour or so. It felt like it was 55-60 degrees when we started. It did not take long to warm up, as soon as the sun came completely up over the rim of the world.

The metropolis of Delaney, Washington. It’s on the map, but this is all there is.

We had a climb of over 1,000’ starting about 25 miles into our day (ticklebelly number 2 on the profile). It was supposed to be spread out over 12 miles, but most of the climbing was concentrated over a much shorter distance. Because of our early start we managed to make it to the top of the first climb by 8:00 AM.

Looking back the way we came partway up the first climb.

Ahead of us at the top of the first climb.

We encountered another cycle tourist today, the first one in a while. Mick has been on the road on his bike for 28 out of the last 35 months (he took a winter off to stay with friends). He came back to the US in 2020 after spending most of the past 33 years as a freelance journalist in Southeast Asia, based in Bangkok, with only short visits back to the States during that time. He needed to reconnect with America, so he hit the road on his bike.

Mick is a real road warrior on his bike.

There are few trees here anywhere near the road to provide shade. I took advantage of the shadow of this grain elevator to get out of the sun. I looked up to see the sun peeking over the top trying to get me back in its grip.

Once we passed Dayton, about halfway into our day, the wind kicked up. On the one hand it cooled us off a bit at first, but on the other, it turned into a bit of a blast furnace later in the morning. Our second big climb of the day (ticklebelly number 3 on the profile) was not as steep or as long as the first big climb, but it had the added allure of a toaster oven headwind. We got over the top and had a relatively easy ride the rest of the way to the east side of Walla Walla.

The important thing about the east side of Walla Walla is that it has two breweries in a small industrial park. The better of the two breweries (in my opinion) opens at 2:00 PM on Sunday. The good, but not better, brewery opens at noon. We arrived a few minutes after noon, with the temperature at 93 degrees, so the good brewery became the best brewery.

After a beer we left and rode the final 7 miles through the blast furnace to a supermarket near our WarmShowers host’s apartment, then knocked on his door. We are now showered and laundered and comfortable. We invited him to go out for another beer later, but he wants to stay in out of the heat. He pointed out his beer stash in the fridge. It seems to be IPAs, my favorite beer food group. Ed doesn’t drink IPAs. I guess I’ve been living right.

Personal Note: I have a personal connection to Walla Walla. My wife’s parents married here in September, 1944, just before my future father-in-law shipped out to Europe as navigator on a B-24 bomber crew. He had planned to travel home to St. Louis to get married, but at the last minute they wouldn’t give him leave, so the entire bridal party travelled to Walla Walla. If they hadn’t married, or he hadn’t survived the war as one of the Greatest Generation, I would not be married to Carol or have the children and grand children I have. I’m so very thankful things turned out the way they did.!

Ed’s Story

Not sure I have a lot to say today. We were up early with breakfast eaten and were on the road by 5:15 AM. We wanted to beat the heat.

The first 25 miles were uneventful and mostly downhill. By the time we got to the 1150 ft hill climb, we had an average of over 16 mph.

Again, I pedaled at my own pace, and made it to the top. By then the average speed was down to almost 11 mph. Overall grades on the hill range between 4 1/2 and 7%. Luckily, we got there early and were not climbing in the heat. We were done with the climb shortly after 8:00 in the morning.

From the top, we had a downhill to Dayton, WA. Dayton used to can asparagus for Green Giant foods. The Giant was "seeded in" in the mid-1970s; he would appear in the Spring and disappear in the drier months. It is possibly the largest piece of folk art in the US: a giant sized Jolly Green Giant made of plants and patio blocks.

After this, we continued riding to our next climb: 650 ft over 7 miles. It had a grade of around 2% until the last mile when it got up to 5 to 6%.

From there it was off to the brewery, Safeway for groceries, and to our WarmShowers host. Shower and clothes washing were done which will soon be followed by dinner and bed.

Tomorrow it is on to Umatilla for care package pickup sent by our brother David, then on to another WarmShower host in Hermiston. Another brewery beckons there.

The weather promises to be cooler tomorrow than yesterday and today. Additionally there is less climbing. The challenge we have tomorrow will be the winds coming up the Columbia River valley.

Right now the Weather Channel shows winds at 17 mph (which means over 20) from the southwest….we are headed west followed by southwest.

Until then, happy biking!

Today's ride: 70 miles (113 km)
Total: 602 miles (969 km)

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