Traveling at Mach 0.012

Friday July 4

Start: Umatilla, OR
Destination: Biggs, OR
Day total miles: 76
Journey total miles: 3506

Towns passed through:
Umatilla, OR
North Rosevelt, WA
Maryhill State Park, WA

Oh no, back in Washington.

But the sunrise over McNary dam was pretty cool

THe warning sign just outside of Umatilla should have read “No services for 83 miles AND pretty boring road.” The ride down WA 14 started out with a few large farms. The orchards were huge. One had trees that were held up on trellises forming a tunnel between the rows. And there was a large field that had fabric covering the field. Not sure how to best describe it. The width looked to be about 500 ft and the covering ran length wise for as far as I could see. Then the fields turned brown and nothing around. Mile after mile of rolling hills. Slight winds, not as bad as yesterday.

The oasis was found in Roosevelt. A small campground featuring a restaurant and store. Needed a break. Once again, the pancake was bigger than the plate. Good food. Overheard a lesson in “may v. can” given to a young customer. Signed the book for bikers passing through and talked to a local farmer turned trucker. He had farmed 2500 acre of cherries among other things. That is a lot of cherries. We talked about harvesting – via shakers for the cherries. Also, the apples on trellises were fuji apples. Oh and the fabric covered fields were blueberries.

And I pedaled along. Did spot a good photo op:

Still pedaling. Ok. let’s talk about why there is a need for rest stops along the roads. Never really gave it too much thought until i stopped counting discarded bottles of urine along WA Rt 14. Should be named “Pee bottle highway.” In Montana, there rest stops (quite impressive ones) out in the middle of nowhere. And I guess for good reason. WA should take note. BTW I counted 387 bottles ranging from small water bottles to gallon jugs. I am speechless.

The good part of the ride was, after a big climb, a great downhill run to the finish at Maryhill State Park. Just on the other side of the river from Biggs.