Fantastic ride today.
We started in the pine forest in Easton, then fifteen miles later we were in Cle Elum and in the high desert. The desert from Cle Elum to Ellensburg, about a 28 mile ride, is heavily irrigated. Lots of hay and winter wheat. After Ellensburg, irrigation stopped, and there was open range with sage brush and cattle. We finished the day in Vantage in the Columbia River gorge.
The challenge for today's ride began at mile 46 just after lunch in Ellensburg. To quote our cue sheet, "Mile 46.0 Follow Vantage Hwy out of town up long climb...Mile 61.2 Reach top of long climb..." This is the longest climb either of us has ever done, but we paced ourselves well, and had no problems. The best part about the climb was that it was followed by a 10 mile descent. They really do things big out here.
Tomorrow we climb out of the Columbia gorge and ride across more high desert to Odessa, WA.
3 comments:
That's a long climb!! Glad you are seeing the world from such a unique view!
I am so impressed (and jealous)! I can't believe you are doing this and making it look almost easy. Thanks for keeping us updated.
Love you guys!
Oh, I could have actually done ten miles of your trip today... the descent ten miles!! Wow, I really can't even imagine that on a bike. It seems really far to "ride the brakes" in a car, but to maneuver it on a bike sounds surreal!
I hope you both are having an absolute blast. :)
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