Today I went really fast.
Happy Memorial Day!
We woke up on the shores of the Yakima river. Today was going to be our first probably HOT day. I don't deal overly well with riding in heat so I knew today would require some adjusting to they way that I ride.
We continued on the Palouse to Cascades trail down to the town of Ellensburg. Ellensburg is the home of Central Washington University, and we figured then it would be a good place to get a real breakfast/lunch before heading out into the more rural parts of central Washington.
The climate continued shifting. We emerged from rocky mountains onto more arid plains. It changed so quickly. Was it just yesterday I was in a forest? Large swaths of sedge and grassland greated us. The main crop of the area seems to be hay. Much of the farmland is also irrigated.
My favorite part of the ride was the last 10 miles or so down into Vantage. 10 miles of uninterrupted 5% downhill. Recently repaved, low low traffic, heavy pack, and fast bike. This means i didn't have to pedal for almost 30 minutes. I was flying! At one point I hit a new speed record for myself at 46.5 mph. At that speed you are focussing on staying relaxed and steady. Any sudden moves and you are in trouble. It felt amazing. We grabbed supper once again at the local gas station. Cup-O-Noodles for the WIN. I noticed I had created a rather large salt sweat ring on the front of my jersey. Glamourous for sure.
Our stopping point for the night was Wanapum State Park right on the banks of the great Columbia River. The wind was kind of nuts. 25mph sustained with gusts 35+ probably. It was quite an adventure getting all our tents set up in a way that wouldn't have us blowing into the river below.
'till next time
-Matt
Miles ridden today: 53.95
Total Miles Ridden: 346.08
Feet Climbed Today: 1,414
Total Feet Climbed: 17,577
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