Day 3: On to Odessa!

83.18 mi max 31.5 7:00.40 avg. 11.8


Another long, hot day. I lost a glove at the campground and so I rode with one glove on and one glove off. I'm not convinced that the gloves made a huge difference. Had I not gone back to look for the stupid glove, I'd have left earlier. Oh well, if I decide not to replace the gloves, I'll have an interesting tan line on one hand.

As a result of my decision to go back, I was the last to leave. That was really tough, because the only people I saw all day, except for the staff at the rest stops, were Dennis & Debbie...and she sagged - decided to take a ride in the van - not long after I saw her.

The scariest part of the day was right at the beginning, on the Columbia Bridge. We had to cross on I-90 (you can see the picture of the 18-wheeler in my rearview mirror). It put me in mind of my Bourne Bridge experience, but not nearly as terrifying. At least the lanes are much wider on the Columbia, and it wasn't as high above the water, and it didn't have the same grade...and the wind wasn't blowing as hard. And the sun was shining. OK, so it was easy compared to the Bourne.

The scablands of central Washington were formed when an ice dam broke, releasing a torrent of water that wiped the land clean of fertile soil. It is barren. Little grows except for small, scrubby sagebrush. And it is hot. The sun scorches the land and everything on it...including my shoulders and back. I'm looking forward to Friday when I can be out of the sun. This afternoon, I developed a case of prickly heat, something I've not had since I was ten.

I've learned something about being out West, in the dry heat. Here, when I step into the shade, there's an obvious, almost immediate temperature difference. At home, shade makes no difference. Combined with the humidity, shade can still be hot.

Another series of differences I've noticed, between kayaking and biking. In kayaking, we point positive..."Go this way." In biking though, we point negative..."Don't go over the broken glass." A tap on the head/helmet in kayaking asks, "Are you OK?" and a response tap means, "Yes." In this group, a tap on the helmet means, "I need help." If I'm kayaking, it's better to start off a little on the warm side (especially in the spring when the water will be...cool). It's better to start biking a little cool, because you will probably warm up. I miss my boat! I'm definitely looking forward to the 4th of July & Missoula!