Bicycling for a better life
Ride to Ellensburg in One Day - 2nd Try
Better prepared, not as hot, I finally did the entire 114 miles, from my house to Ellensburg, in one day. It was awesome yet a pain in the ass, literally. But not enough to dampen my spirits, in fact, I am hoping to do it again soon.
First the bad. Somehow I got my seat out of whack. It wasn't until halfway through that I finally got it in a decent position. The worst part about the trip is the gravel and rocks. All that bumping and jarring really plays havoc on your body, especially over 114 miles of it (or close to it, I did have about 20 miles of paved road and trail getting started). You get to the point where a paved bridge feels like heaven. I also had a thousand foot climb before I even got to the Iron Horse Trail. There was a bit of a headwind and my bike and gear was 60 lbs.
But the scenery and being out in the wild are exhilarating, a feeling that helps you overcome the pain. The best part was riding at evening and night. I was so fortunate that we are having great weather in September. There was also a near full moon which helped a lot. A sky full of stars, sunset all made it worth while.
I met up with Ron, who I met on the trail three months ago, at Rattlesnake Lake. It was strange meeting Ron, we both have the same bike, same GPS, headband, a few other things I don't quickly recall. This time I had let Ron know that I was going to try Ellensburg in a day, again. Ron happened to be continuing on his coast to coast adventure. It was good to have someone else along to help motivate, although I think I may have been holding him back a bit with my flat tires.
Flats seem to be my biggest problem this year having two on this trip - Ron supposedly has had none. I even tried the lime liners. But other than that my Safari has held up very well, in fact, that is what Ron is taking across the country. Great bike for carrying a load of gear. What was definitely needed this time besides tire repair tools, was a good light and allen wrenches for the seat adjustment. A long-sleeve shirt came in handy as a cool breeze starts to come through after sunset, which doesn't mix well with sweat.
Food was neccessary for the first half of the trip but water and other liquids were the desire the second half of the day. This time I took baked potatoes, peanuts, vanilla cookies, and a few power bars plus fruit snacks. One baked potato was enough along with the peanuts and vanilla cookies. What I was craving was something sweet. I also take a baggie of powdered Gatorade to mix with water. Popcicles at the little store in Easton were the best treat!
One problem I had this time was breathing. I don't know if it was pollen or dust from the trail. I was stuffed up with a hoarse throat for several days after. If you have allergies like me, be aware that you are out in the country and expect problems.
We made it to the end of the trail in Ellensburg. Ron headed off in one direction to meet his wife at a motel, I headed of in another to meet my wife and dog, Max, for a ride home. I wanted to stop at Dairy Queen for an ice drink but somehow rode right past it. They must have been closed and had their lights off. A Big Mac ended up my celebration meal.
I will do it again; now I need to overcome the pain. More adjustments, more body toning, maybe the more I do it. One day I will just hop on my bike and feel nothing but the breeze.
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