Climbing out of Harrison.
The entrance to bicycle heaven.
Starting on Saturday.
At least I'm dry.
Debi & Tom Baffney on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
This last Saturday and Sunday I participated in the second annual TOWHICH. The two days could not have been more different. The people (twelve in all, 5 from WW) couldn't have been better.
Day One projected forecast: 62 degrees and scattered showers. Day One reality: 40 degrees, increasing rain all day long. We left from the Gould's 7 acre "ranchette" south of Spokane, with just a sprinkle as we climbed the hill on Thorpe Road. Nothing like a good hill to get you warmed up!
Then it began to rain harder. And harder. Someone said "at least it's a dry rain." But it felt wetter and wetter. By the time we got to Spangle, it was pouring buckets, 40 degrees, and there was a nice brisk wind to increase the chill factor. Tom said that he was getting into the van - was I done? Was I! Those last 20 miles could be done in warmth. We cranked the thermostat on the van up to 90 degrees and dried out. As my bag was buried at the bottom, I couldn't get to my clothes, so I wore Kirk's sweatpants. I just about swam in them, but they were dry.
Day two was heaven on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes (mostly). The weather was cool but not wet. When we got to Harrison, our sag driver, the infamous Buzzy, told us that the trail had been washed out 5 miles further on, but the good news was that there was an alternate route, about 12 extra miles. However, the first two miles of that were up a 13% grade out of Harrison. You just had to drop it into your lowest gear and spin. I love to climb, but I can't climb as fast as a lot of people I ride with. From there Route 3 kind of rolled up and down until we got to the next trailhead.
At the end it was onion rings at the tavern, then driving to the Goulds for barbecued salmon and steak. A great time was had by all.
1 comment:
Who is Cheryl and why are you part of her harem? This is a side of you I'd never seen, mother!
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