Biggs Junction, OR to Umatilla, OR

Miles: 93.0
Total miles: 222.3
Climbing: 2974’
Average Speed: 16.7 (wow!...a personal best for THAT distance!)

The day started very, very early! Everyone knew it was going to be really hot and that we had 90 miles to ride. We also had the bridge from Oregon to Washington to cross first thing in the morning. All of us left together with the SAG car flashing its lights behind us.

Gathering for the trip across the bridge

After crossing the bridge we had a 2.5 miles long hill which was 5-7% grades. It would not have been bad except that it was the first thing we did today…no warm ups! Within three miles was an optional stop at Stonehenge War Memorial.

Stonehenge War Memorial

It was a monument dedicated to the 13 men from Klickitat County, Washington who died in World War I and it was the first war memorial in the country. It was dedicated on May 30, 1929. Only three of us ventured down the one mile detour to see it since the day was to be so long. I arrived with Mary B. and Barb K soon rolled in. She and I were well known for our off route adventures during the Southern Tier and she said “I knew you would be here, and I said, “I knew you would be here!” We did not linger for long as we knew the day ahead. There was a great view of the bridge we crossed and the tiny town we stayed in last night.

View of the bridge we crossed and Biggs Junction on the far side of the river, taken from Stonehenge Memorial

The rest of the trip was hot but with a wonderful 10 mph tail wind which helped in my great speed today. Our ONLY possible stop was at M&T’s Bar and Grill about 35 miles from Biggs Junction but it was too early in the morning for it to be open. I was really looking forward to a fried egg sandwich, too! There were no other services on the entire route. We were totally reliant on the SAG, efficiently done by Karen today. She had water and snacks so frequently. We also had the van on the road today as we were very spread out on the route, with people arriving at Umatilla from noon to 5 PM. Several people had heat exhaustion and had to SAG in to the motel.

The wind towers were a dominant part of the views today, high above the river on the north side. We wondered why with the wind we had yesterday evening that some of the towers were not turning. The question was answered today as we rode by them. They were under construction and not operational yet! It was amazing to see the towers from the ground after seeing them from the air last week when I flew down the gorge on my way to Portland. We stopped to see several of the rigs transporting the parts of the towers as they were parked by the side of the road. They were positively humongous, in three parts on three huge trucks, not including the top and the arms of the windmill.

1/3 of the bottom of a windtower!

Wind Farms

Very hazy picture of Mt. Hood, just above the post in the picture

Rattlesnake Roadkill

We passed the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge which was a 23,500 acre refuge established in 1969. This was land set aside to offset the environmental and habitat damage done to the area after the construction of the John Day Dam. The area has many different types of habitats, including marsh, open water, ponds, seasonal wetlands, and shrubs, all ideal for waterfowl, bald eagles (a few saw eagles early in the day), and nesting birds.

Umatilla Wildlife Refuge

Later, we passed through Patterson, WA where the Patterson Onion Co. was located and the whole town smelled of onions! Actually, for several days, we have seen the progression of leavings on the road of onion sets, white onions, and red onions, as well as corn and beans! We have also seen a huge truck loaded with onions going to market or processing! (I assume) Judy had a derailleur problem which no one was able to fix and was so disappointed to have to SAG in but she was a great help to the van driver at the multiple stops. Her bike was fixed by Denise, our guide and mechanic!

Judy topping the hill

I met several westbound cyclists today. One was traveling against the wind (oh, we had another great tailwind today!) pulling a BOB trailer. He looked HOT (but so were we) Then I talked to three cyclists who left Yorktown, VA (didn’t get the date) and were headed west on the Adventure Cycling Association’s Transamerica route, to end in Astoria, OR in a few more days. They were asking the perennial question asked on the Appalachian Trail… ”where is the next water source?” Since I knew precisely where it was, I told them.

At the McNary Dam and locks, we passed under a tunnel, up a ramp and onto the bridge crossing back into Oregon, all on a bike trail. I passed two cyclists, fully loaded, but they were on the bridge and not on the bike path so I could not talk to them. Several of our riders said that they were headed west, one to Portland, and one to San Francisco!

McNary Dam and Locks

The very hot ride was wind assisted and everyone was glad to arrive at the motel. Since we were in two states today, we had our margaritas to celebrate the new state, a WomanTours tradition. We will be in Washington for several days starting tomorrow, so will have them again tomorrow! Dinner was wonderful, but served with lightening and rain threatening. We were finally driven inside after the rain started falling and we had our map meeting in the hallway. After the storm passed, we ventured up to the park to see a magnificent sunset, with smoke and smoky air dominating. The land strike that we witnessed must have started a fire and the smoke filled the sky and the air tonight.

Sunset with a smoky sky after a lightening strike

Off to bed…we ride to Walla Walla tomorrow and our first rest day follows. We are all ready for that day!