Day 6 – Lake Easton to Ellensburg

56 miles (90 km) – Total so far: 416 miles (669 km)

Time riding 4 hours 7 mins Max speed 36.4 mph Average speed 14.1 mph Altitude 428 meters asl Left at 10:00 am (breakfast at 10:10 am) Arrived 3:02 pm

The Turtle Saloon was a decent end to a log day. Mariners baseball and a decent pale ale. Conversation at the bar was more limited . The guy next to me telling me about the weather I have had so far. It is sometimes interesting to hear about the areas rainfall for a minute or two.

Rain greeted the new morning, and delayed my start. I have been out of the tent by 6, but this morning that was a couple of hours later, just as it was subsiding.

The ups and downs of cycle touring. Looking back at yesterday, with more than 9 hours in the saddle, it was one of the toughest of my biking days. For example, harder than the Trail Ridge pass. The Iron Horse Trail has its appeals, and the 18 mile uphill was to be expected. It’s different to many hills riders will climb though; it is only 4%, but with the gravel rideable for me at 8-9 mph. It is relentless though, it may lower to 3% in a couple of places, but it is pretty consistent. Then after the tunnel the riding is more energy sapping. The newly laid deep gravel makes for even harder going even though the trail is now flat.

There was an option after the tunnel to take I-90. Not pleasant, but a winner compared to the deep gravel. The Trails and Rails website could have contained this information but doesn’t. There are few on the CGOAB site who have blogged about it, and it seems like then west of Ellensburg at least, the trail was in better condition. Those reading this with future plans, beware. Of course the trail means you need to clean your bike thoroughly. I had a slow in the back also, but probably from the time on the I-90 shoulder.

Certainly from Easton I would advise the I-90 for 10 miles to Cle Elum. It is pretty much all downhill also. From Cle Elum I advise take the Yakima Valley road that becomes 97. It’s about 25 miles. The scenery is pretty good, and mostly downhill. Between Easton and Ellensburg there is a loss of height of about 250 metres.

Conditions conspired against me yesterday, but not today. A decent westerly was also behind me.

Yakima RV Park is far better than it sounds. Don’t go for the KOA which boasts as its pull in line that it is just off junction 106 of I-90. Can you imagine anything worse? Also it would cost a solitary camper on bike more than $30. It does of course have campground wifi, that works very slowly every now and again.

I received a personal welcome from soon to be 70 Darlene who owns the site. Telling me for the first 15 minutes about her forthcoming trip to Europe. There is no shower, but no water restriction here as its next to the river, so a hose for your own shower and bike wash, grass camping (a real luxury over here) and no mosquitos. It is 3.5 miles out of town down next to the river, but quiet and the best site I’ve stayed in so far. It’s Jazz on the River this afternoon in historic downtown, so I will ride back up the gentle hill and into the wind to see what it’s all about.

Tips for Bike Tourists on Towels: Simply ‘borrow’ a small one from your first night’s stay, which is usually a hotel after the flight. That saves weight on checked baggage. Then every few days change it over, either when you are at another hotel or from a washing line. Riders are often at a hotel on their last night also, so leave it there for ‘recycling’.

Cle Elum town – not much to stop for here

This train struggled passed me. They don’t go fast. It was about half a mile long.

It’s a pity there is so few passenger trains in the U.S. There would be some spectacular journeys.

The Yakima Valley – I will be following for a while.

You can just see a guy walking along the train track. Strange. After a while I realised he was just off through the bush to do some sneaky fly- fishing.