1st ride of season - The Dalles, OR

So we have a wish list that we call…(drumroll)…ride list 2014! We won’t tell you what in it nor bore you with the details.  This list has everything: palouse, hills, farms, fields, orchards, industrial complexes,  sleepy towns, vibrant business districts, waterfront view, bluff view. We’ll be in eastern, western Washington, Oregon, B.C, everywhere… We start off the season at the Dalles, Oregon at a biking event called cherry of a ride, organized by and for the benefits of st. mary Catholic elementary school…on a Sunday! :)

So di and I roll in on Sunday morning from Vancouver, Wa, about 80 miles away. One thing we couldn’t agree more on this day was the weather: Terrific! 60s to start off in the morning, reaching 70s later with wind from the Columbia river gorge. Can’t be any more perfect!! Nonetheless, we applied ample sun block.

The ride:

After picking up our bibs, we started off into the gorgeous morning. There were about 140 people registered. We are among the people who traveled the furthest for the event. We met a lady from Bend later on the trip. The good thing about small group of riders is that there wouldn’t be too much bike traffic. The bad thing is you have to rely on your map (instead of following people) or you’ll get lost. And that was exactly what happened.

Instead of turning left at “Jim’s BBQ. Hamburgers made out of love,” we head straight into the steepest route in town, a highway over the mountain. Think Snoqualmie pass...Yike! Wouldn’t you say it’s the steepest, longest hill we have climbed so far, di? Anyway, proud of di to make to the top without stopping. 





Then this happened....J Well whatever di lost in breakfast, we gain in the scenery. 

This area is designated as a national scenic area.