Sorry I didn’t blog yesterday, but we had another 94 mile ride and, 74 miles into it, I got a flat. It ruined the tire along with the tube, so I couldn’t just fix it with the spare tube I carry. The tour company came and fixed it and then I completed the ride, but I was quite late with no time to charge my phone and blog.
Anyway, here are the highlights from yesterday and today. Yesterday, we rode from Spokane, WA to Kellogg, ID. Here I am with one of the other riders crossing into Idaho.
For a good part of the ride, we were on a rails-to-trails conversion, so it was mercifully flat! It ran along the shore of Lake Coeur d’alene for many miles and it was gorgeous! Here is a view of the lake through the foxgloves as we were just arriving.
Farther down the ride along Coeur d’ alene Lake, we saw a moose. I don’t know how to edit photos on my phone, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that a moose is somewhere in this next photo.
Today, we rode 69 miles from Kellogg to Thompson Falls, Montana. As we came into town, we saw the Clark Fork of the Gallatin River, a beautiful, world- reknowned trout fishing stream. Here’s how it looked. . . Shoot, I can’t figure out how to change the photo’s orientation. When I try to insert it, it looks like the Gallatin is standing on end! So, for now, I’ll leave it out.
By the way, I am really enjoying everyone’s comments. Thanks to my niece, Ashley, for her wonderful words of encouragement and to the Sabins too for theirs. ( Amelia, in response to the question about the Kindle, I never did figure out how to make the screen light up so I could read in my tent, but have no time for reading anyway right now!)
That’s all for now. Tomorrow is a 102-mile ride to Missoula.
Today, we rode 94 miles from Electric City to Spokane. Tomorrow is another 94 mile day to Kellogg, Idaho. The ride director says 50 miles of it is along a wilderness trail where we might see moose. I’ll try to get a shot of one if we do. So be sure to check back about the photos and to see if I survive another 94 mile ride!
Not much time for photos today, but here is one of the amusement park on the Spokane River waterfront.
Rode 102+ miles today. We are in Electric City tonight. Here’s a photo of Grand Coulee Dam at the end of the day as I rode into town.
Everyone clapped for me when I got here because it was
such a hard ride but I kept on going. I guess its the bicycle version of a marathon. There was one 5.5 mile section that was uphill without relief with up to 12% grade. Here I am at the top of that climb.
Tomorrow, it’s on to Spokane!
The end of the day today was beautifully sunny with the ride passing through lots of orchards.
But the beginning was 15 miles of straight uphill in the rain. Here I am at Stevens Pass at the end of that climb.
Total miles today=74.8. We ended the day in Wenatchee. There, I hung on the side of my tent a small solar panel that I brought with me and recharged my smart phone. With camping out, electricity is at a premium. See you tomorrow!
I made it! The Skykomish River was running so high that it made drifts of mist as it tumbled over the rocks. It was spectacular! Unfortunately, I did not feel safe stopping in traffic to snap a photo. So here’s a shot of everyone at the lunch stop.
We got rained on almost the whole day, but the rain was fairly light. Tonight, we spend the night in Skykomish.
Tomorrow, the ride will be harder. Check in afterward to see how it goes.
1st night in the gym. I can kiss privacy goodbye.
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