| Local Rider's Journal | 6-18-98 |
| 6-18-98 | |||||||||
I'm sitting here in my motel room at the very beautiful Cavanaugh Hotel In Kennewick, WA at 8 PM, coming to the end of our first day off during the ride.
I'm very sorry I haven't been able to send mail and pix every day. I Started off carrying my PowerBook, solar panels, cell phone, digital camera, GPS receiver and four 12 volt adapters in my saddlebags - which weighed in at 35 lbs with all this stuff - but at the top of Snoqualmie pass, in the pouring freezing rain and sleet, I realized that Day 1 would be my first and only day carrying this stuff. Next day - tube patch kit and water. Do you hear this Tom Long (my friend and cycling mentor - who said I would eventually carry only a water bottle and repair kit)?
I had a flat at the top of Snoqualmie Pass in this gruesome weather and it turned out that all five of my spare tubes had been mislabeled at the factory and were the wrong size. So I ended up getting a ride down the hill to camp. It turned out just as well - nearly half of the riders were "SAG"'d in that day due to the freezing rain and 38 degree temp. Very few people would ride in this kind of weather on purpose.
I simply don't have time to view all of the 600 or so pictures I've taken so far in order to send you a few composites at this time - but the attached file gte6-18.jpg is a rough assemblage of shots of Snoqualmie Falls - a panorama of the view. I promise more pix as time permits.
Day 2 was MUCH more enjoyable except for four flats which caused five Hours delay due to waiting for the (wonderful!!) bike tech people to get tubes for my unusual tires. The weather was flawless as we left the east side of the Cascade range and headed along the Yakima River into central Washington.
Day 3 was a gorgeous 83 mile ride into Kennewick, WA for a day off. Camp is right on the banks of the Columbia River and is very beautiful.
Not sure of the route tomorrow - I've lost all sense of time. I don't even have a route map for tomorrow. Every single turn of each day's ride is marked with special Big Ride arrows - so all the rider has to do is pedal pedal pedal and look at the scenery. Awesome.
Must go to bed to make 4 am hotel shuttle and breakfast at camp at 5 am.
love to you all,
Bob
(Updated 07/07/98)
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