Day 5, Friday, July 4.
Mazama, WA to Omak, WA
Daily Mileage: 62.27 miles
Total Mileage: 364.6 miles
Daily Time on Bike: 4:53 hours
Average Speed: 12.7 mph
Maximum Speed: 38.8 mph
We stopped for breakfast in Mazama, WA at a little country store & café by the side of the road. David and I both ate a pound of Grapenuts (which actually takes a while to do), a quart of milk, and half gallon of orange juice. From there we biked to Winthrop, a place made up to resemble a little frontier town, but really just a tourist trap selling the general wares ones sees at any place like it—taffy, fake rubber snakes, and replicas of the Declaration of Independence that smell like vinegar. In the spirit of July 4th, we purchased two small American flags to hang off of the back of our packs. (Postscript: David made it clear across the country with his, while mine disappeared somewhere in the middle of Montana).
From there it was on to Louploup Pass (4,080 ft). The climb was steeper than Washington Pass, but not nearly as long. Our descent down the backside of the mountain was more exciting than the day before and had a number of curves. It lasted over seven miles, and we held it at around 37 mph the entire way down. When our bikes finally started to slow down we found ourselves flying into the little town of Okanogan. We stopped at a little fruit stand to have some cold cherry cider and met three guys biking to Canada—one of a handful of run-ins out West with people biking somewhere. By the time we reached North Dakota though, where there are a few more roads to choose from, we stopped meeting people biking any great distance.
Our campground, or parking lot with some grass, was located right next to the Omak Stampede, “Home of the World Famous Suicide Race”—always the second weekend in August. We pitched our little tent on a small plot between two huge RVs, and at the recommendation of our neighbor, road off to have dinner at The Breadline (voted one of the best restaurants in the Northwest). When we arrived back “home,” we climbed in the tent and than lay awake as some kids nearby set off fireworks for most of the night.
(Photo: Miles of exciting coasting through the Cascades.)
Daily Mileage: 62.27 miles
Total Mileage: 364.6 miles
Daily Time on Bike: 4:53 hours
Average Speed: 12.7 mph
Maximum Speed: 38.8 mph
We stopped for breakfast in Mazama, WA at a little country store & café by the side of the road. David and I both ate a pound of Grapenuts (which actually takes a while to do), a quart of milk, and half gallon of orange juice. From there we biked to Winthrop, a place made up to resemble a little frontier town, but really just a tourist trap selling the general wares ones sees at any place like it—taffy, fake rubber snakes, and replicas of the Declaration of Independence that smell like vinegar. In the spirit of July 4th, we purchased two small American flags to hang off of the back of our packs. (Postscript: David made it clear across the country with his, while mine disappeared somewhere in the middle of Montana).
From there it was on to Louploup Pass (4,080 ft). The climb was steeper than Washington Pass, but not nearly as long. Our descent down the backside of the mountain was more exciting than the day before and had a number of curves. It lasted over seven miles, and we held it at around 37 mph the entire way down. When our bikes finally started to slow down we found ourselves flying into the little town of Okanogan. We stopped at a little fruit stand to have some cold cherry cider and met three guys biking to Canada—one of a handful of run-ins out West with people biking somewhere. By the time we reached North Dakota though, where there are a few more roads to choose from, we stopped meeting people biking any great distance.
Our campground, or parking lot with some grass, was located right next to the Omak Stampede, “Home of the World Famous Suicide Race”—always the second weekend in August. We pitched our little tent on a small plot between two huge RVs, and at the recommendation of our neighbor, road off to have dinner at The Breadline (voted one of the best restaurants in the Northwest). When we arrived back “home,” we climbed in the tent and than lay awake as some kids nearby set off fireworks for most of the night.
(Photo: Miles of exciting coasting through the Cascades.)
