Traveling at Mach 0.012

Wednesday July 2

Start: Lewiston, ID
End: Waitsburg, WA
Day total miles: 80
Journey total miles: 3345

Towns passed through:
Lewiston, ID
Clarkston, WA
Pomeroy, WA
Delaney, WA
Dayton, WA
Waitsburg, WA

It does not seem fair when the uphill is 9 miles and the down only 2. Had two long uphill climbs today and it seemed like, well ok at 7 mph it was more than an hour climbing up each. The day started early with a ride along the river in Lewiston. Tried to beat the heat that was expected to reach mid 90s. It did. Through Lewiston and then immediately into Clarkston and Washington. Only one more state to go.

After clearing Clarkston, there were road crews setting up for some kind of major project that involved a pilot vehicle and lane closures. The construction was not going when i rode through, but the shuttling of cars behind the pilot vehicle was. I kind of liked the fact that this was going on because it meant that the cars and trucks passing me were in bunches.

After about 10 miles began the first big climb of the day. Oh, and the local people we talked to all agreed that there would be quite the climb — 2000 ft in 9 miles that was a lot of turns and looking up.

After the first climb, it got hot. And frankly, not too interesting. Just lots of dry fields, some irrigation, a few cows and steers, and lots of brown. This about sums it up:

The most interesting part of the day was a convoy (breaker 1-9) of 4 trucks and associated warning vehicles transporting the blades and parts of a windmill being installed east of dayton. The blades are pretty impressive up close.

The answer to the question is heat or hills.

Glad I got out early, EK traveling the other direction got to enjoy the results of the massive construction project that was basically tar sealing the road for about 12 miles. Fresh tar and bike tires are not compatible. Glad I missed the fun.

Will leave you with one last thought. I know the angle is wrong, but who can argue with this: