The Cascades
As alluring as continued lounging was, you make very few miles of progress staying at the Rodeway Inn. It was time to go.
The day's big challenge was Loup Loup Pass - 4,020 feet tall. The first stretch of the climb was steep. We pressed slowly up a winding road and past apple orchards on either side. Workers in tractors maneuvered skillfully among the trees, towing trailers with big wooden crates to collect the fruit. It's very dry here and the trees deliver only with lots of irrigation.
We finally made the top and began descending past a charred landscape. Trees all over the mountainside were crisp and black and all of the underbrush was gone. We found a mellow mountain town called Twisp for a delicious lunch at a bakery. There were two dogs in a pickup outside that barked the entire time we were there. I'm not sure if the owner was in the bakery, but if so they were too embarassed to do anything about it.
More riding kept us on Highway 20 and we rode through a small town called Winthrop. Their main street looks like it belongs in Disneyland or a set for a Western. The wooden facades give the look of a frontier town from the 1800's. It might have been a little bit hokey, but it was fun. Now we were climbing again with a final fifteen miles or so to a forest service campground and rest for the evening. There was a notice to store your food away from bears so we hoisted our food bag up into a tree.
This morning was chilly. We could see our breath as we made breakfast and packed up our gear. Today would feature another major ascent. After a customary oatmeal breakfast we began pushing up the mountain. When it will take you 15 miles to find the top you try to find a steady gear, keep your breathing consistent, keep your legs spinning, and gradually wind your way up. Mist shifted around the adjacent peaks, some of them seven or eight thousand feet. It started to rain - shifting from barely sprinkling to regular delivery. The moisture seemed to bring out the richness of the greens in the trees. Up, further up, more climbing. We turned curves and saw slopes above us with pockets and patches of snow. I prayed that it wasn't cold enough for any snow to fall on us today. The scenery now was imposing and austere. Rock faces towered above us as we slowly inched up the mountain.
Finally we reached the peak of the day at Washington Pass, 5,477 feet. A friendly road worker took our photo at the summit. Rach saw a thermometer attached to the sign. It was 46 degrees. We took a brief break but a light rain discouraged us from staying too long. Rach and I both suited up with our rain jackets and rain pants. We said to each other "It's time to go." I was especially hoping for warmer temperatures once we got off the mountain. With the first stretch of the descent it was frigid. The wind roared past us as we picked up speed on a steep downhill. Our hands were freezing. We'd never needed full finger gloves on this trip, and now we certainly did. We were both cold.
Eventually we descended out of the rain and took a break at a trailhead where we sat on a big log and I made tea to warm us up. I also did jumping jacks to keep the blood moving. The mountain was not eager to let us claim our victory easily. Instead of a consistent descent the road kicked again three major times. Downhill, then a short climb. Miles more downhill, but then another short climb. We're in the Cascades now and the terrain is incredible. There are more waterfalls than you can count and we passed a series of dams as we eventually made it to a campground just outside a small town called Newhalem. More rain is predicted the next few days.
The day's big challenge was Loup Loup Pass - 4,020 feet tall. The first stretch of the climb was steep. We pressed slowly up a winding road and past apple orchards on either side. Workers in tractors maneuvered skillfully among the trees, towing trailers with big wooden crates to collect the fruit. It's very dry here and the trees deliver only with lots of irrigation.
We finally made the top and began descending past a charred landscape. Trees all over the mountainside were crisp and black and all of the underbrush was gone. We found a mellow mountain town called Twisp for a delicious lunch at a bakery. There were two dogs in a pickup outside that barked the entire time we were there. I'm not sure if the owner was in the bakery, but if so they were too embarassed to do anything about it.
More riding kept us on Highway 20 and we rode through a small town called Winthrop. Their main street looks like it belongs in Disneyland or a set for a Western. The wooden facades give the look of a frontier town from the 1800's. It might have been a little bit hokey, but it was fun. Now we were climbing again with a final fifteen miles or so to a forest service campground and rest for the evening. There was a notice to store your food away from bears so we hoisted our food bag up into a tree.
This morning was chilly. We could see our breath as we made breakfast and packed up our gear. Today would feature another major ascent. After a customary oatmeal breakfast we began pushing up the mountain. When it will take you 15 miles to find the top you try to find a steady gear, keep your breathing consistent, keep your legs spinning, and gradually wind your way up. Mist shifted around the adjacent peaks, some of them seven or eight thousand feet. It started to rain - shifting from barely sprinkling to regular delivery. The moisture seemed to bring out the richness of the greens in the trees. Up, further up, more climbing. We turned curves and saw slopes above us with pockets and patches of snow. I prayed that it wasn't cold enough for any snow to fall on us today. The scenery now was imposing and austere. Rock faces towered above us as we slowly inched up the mountain.
Finally we reached the peak of the day at Washington Pass, 5,477 feet. A friendly road worker took our photo at the summit. Rach saw a thermometer attached to the sign. It was 46 degrees. We took a brief break but a light rain discouraged us from staying too long. Rach and I both suited up with our rain jackets and rain pants. We said to each other "It's time to go." I was especially hoping for warmer temperatures once we got off the mountain. With the first stretch of the descent it was frigid. The wind roared past us as we picked up speed on a steep downhill. Our hands were freezing. We'd never needed full finger gloves on this trip, and now we certainly did. We were both cold.
Eventually we descended out of the rain and took a break at a trailhead where we sat on a big log and I made tea to warm us up. I also did jumping jacks to keep the blood moving. The mountain was not eager to let us claim our victory easily. Instead of a consistent descent the road kicked again three major times. Downhill, then a short climb. Miles more downhill, but then another short climb. We're in the Cascades now and the terrain is incredible. There are more waterfalls than you can count and we passed a series of dams as we eventually made it to a campground just outside a small town called Newhalem. More rain is predicted the next few days.
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| The dry times |
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| It's fun to take a break |
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| This one wasn't too bad |
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| Just outside Winthrop |
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| It is about to rain on us |
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| Getting high |
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| Taking it in |
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| Near the top |
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| Cold! |
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| Ross Lake, I think |
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| Nearing the end of the day |
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| 2 tunnels on this stretch, the next was pitch black - fun! |
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| Walking over a grate bridge, a gorge below us |
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| Power works |
That was some of the most spectacular scenery yet! It sound like some darn cold riding. I hate it when your hands freeze up. It hurts and they don't grab the brakes properly. Can you stop by a thrift store (charity shop) and buy some warmer things for cheap and then donate them to the next shop further down the road if it warms up? It's amazing that you went through all those climate zones in one day on a bike.
ReplyDeleteHot as usual here. 91 F. Supposed to stay warm for the next several days and then a "big cool down", maybe only 80 F by next Tuesday. Getting real tired of this unrelenting sweltering heat.
You are certainly seeing beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteBefore Mike, Sr. joins you he went up to Anaheim with me to empty the Yorkshire garage rafters. While you two were cold, your Dad was feeling the heat as he brought down boxes and barrels. We needed to split the temperature difference at our two locales.
Thank you for the pictures and tales. Ride safely.
Cheri
Cold and wet not a great combination. If you take up knitting after this adventure as the Old Guy suggested, you could make full finger gloves!!😀 keep pedalling. Xxxx
ReplyDelete