It's all about Spokane

[pdedse]

Friday Aug. 22

Got up by 4:30am to get packed and be on the road by 6 as I wanted ride and have lunch with a friend from Pendleton.  


Even though the forecast called for temps near 100, the morning air was deliciously chilly. 


The Snake River on hiway 127 a few miles before Dodge, WA


Gotta love the morning light


Quite a few of these guys


Got to Pendleton around 10 and after visiting, checking a few things on the bike, "psmcd" and I took off towards Heppner on hiway 74.  We switched our very different bikes and he got to enjoy (?) the refined nature of the CB1100, and I got to feel what a real after-market seat feels like for the DR650.  


I could be persuaded to give up my bleacher-pads that I use on my DR.

After a fine lunch in Heppner, psmcd and I parted ways.  I was gettin' a little tired and the temps were doing as forecast.  I-84 is never a first choice for me, but phone said it was 1.5 - 2 hours closer compared to some indirect roads to get to Madras and then back to Gresham.  The idea of being next to the Columbia River with the 100 degrees felt like a wiser choice for today.  

These fans are totally worthless in the high heat...they don't even have them turned on


I stopped at Arlington along I-84...it was hot.  Stopped for water mainly...and I realized I had my hammock with me.  Hmmm...what's the hurry to get home in the hottest part of the day?  There wasn't any.  Set up the Bear Butt hammock at a park and fell asleep for about 45 minutes.  

Even time for some ice cream after the nap

Bought a gallon of water and drank 1/3 of it, and poured the rest of it inside my helmet, soaked my shirt, shorts and socks...and around 6pm, it was a little cooler.  Felt rejuvenated, and hopped on the entry ramp to I-84, and....was heading the wrong way.  : (

Once you're on the hiway, there's no turn-arounds, so I had to travel 10 miles east back to the nearest exit and then finally started on my way home again.  The setting sun was in my eyes, but it beautifully lit up the Columbia Gorge.  

Seemed right to end the trip riding along this magnificent river on a warm summer's eve.

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Reminds me more of Kansas than Washington. Great ride and thanks for the pictures. Please keep them coming! David

Riding through all that wheat made me curious...does Kansas produce more than Washington?  

YES, it does!

But we're not first...who knew North Dakota was king of wheat in the USA!