Saturday, October 24, 2015

John Wayne Trail 10/19/2015 - Day Two

Megan made us Blueberry muffins and bacon for breakfast on day two. What more do you need! Thanks again for letting us turn your house into a drying rack.

The day greeted us to fog but blue sky's prevailed! We loaded up the bikes and Chris took us back to the CleElum depot. Today's travels would take us to the town of Beverly, just on the other side of the Columbia river. Highlights would be traveling through the upper Yakima River Canyon and thru the Yakima Firing range and crossing the Columbia river to Beverly. 

I am sure glad we did not ride through this canyon the night before in the dark. The fall colors though this canyon and throughout the entire trip just about trumped New England's show.  I will go back there just for a day trip to see it again. Hwy 10 boarders the canyon so we could see our GA (guardian angle Chris. No, Shawn? Nope, Chris) keeping an eye on us. He had help from a BA (Bad Ass) droan mounted with a hi-def video camera. We tried not to stop every second to take pictures because we had some mileage to make up from our short first day. Forgot to mention, I was lifting my bike into the truck that morning when my back told me to drop to your knees. Man, the trip is over I thought. I was able to stand, walked around, whimpered and then tried riding. Oh me feels better while riding. Took me some ibuprofen and it continued to get better. I know mom. I love you. 

If you want to work on your pedaling cadence, ride this trail. Should have put my bike computer on to count my pedal stokes.

Going though the town (?) of Thorp we stopped for our first gas station warming oven snack. Both of us had hot dogs but chicken tenders won in the end.

We hit our first detour in downtown Ellensburg. Neat to imagine that this town and many used to be small enough for the tracks to go straight through. Quick spin through Central WA University and we where back on the JWT. Our next detour was to go around a damaged trestle that takes you over I-90. We had beta that you could scurry down, under, up and around this one but we stuck to the suggested route to avoid being arrested. Chris was waiting for us there taking some footage. Soon after we approached the Yakima firing range. This is a large chunk of land the military uses to blow things up. It's "practice". This is another place I plan to ride again. Pretty cool place...even if you do feel like they are watching you. Chris met us at the end and shuttled us around to Beverly. There is an old bridge that took the train across the Columbia river. It is still standing but the west end was burnt in a fire and it is closed. Shawn and I debated about how to ride across the I-90 bridge even thunk about rafting across. Didn't really know if it is legal to ride on I-90 or we were not to sure if we'd want cars going 70+ mph inches from us. Remember...we're winging it. It was an easy decision really. Chris brought us burgers and beer. So off we went to Beverly
Mr and Mrs Bigfoot live just down the road from you Steve and Megan, silly

Wanted too!



Got Hammock?




As Eddie Murphy once sang. Party all the time Party all the time...Party all...the time

Closing in on Thorp 


First Red Barn, maybe

Closed bridge across I-90. Shows the down, under up and around route as well



First hill we come over after entering the Firing Range

Glad my bike had camouflage 


Perfect surface for our semi fat tires

Boylston Tunnel. Headlights needed and helmets


The military might be hiding something in this tunnel?








There are a few bridges that used to look like this but a recent fire took them out and the military fixed them by creating a land bridge in its place


Hi Everyone

Columbia River


Wanapum Pum Dam

Beverly Bridge in the distance

Beverly Bridge

Shawn (left) Chris (right)

Enough said

East end of Beverly Bridge

Home Sweet Home. Pretty windy night. Have bruises from my tent slapping me in the face

1 comment:

  1. Great photo journalism Randy, looks like an adventure! Always wonder what is beyond and over the hill when driving through that country, fun to see a glimpse. Those PHAT tire bikes look perfect for it.

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