Walla Walla, WA Rest Day

Miles: 8.5
Total miles: 288.8
Climbing: 396’

Today started early with Karen leaving for the airport and I was awake anyway so got up and did a few chores, like repack and organize my luggage. I thought I would find my helmet mirror but I did not so was fine with having bought the second one several days ago at a bike shop. After breakfast, I helped Kathy, who had planned to have a bike shop clean her bike, to do it herself! Her husband always did it at home (ahem, Ben!) and so she decided she would learn! We had very dirty bikes after the dust, wind, and heat of the past week. It was lucky for her, too as she found a broken link on her chain which needed immediate attention at the local bike shop…and a new chain. How she got through yesterday is amazing. My tires have definitely taken a beating the past few days and I filled several little holes with super glue and booted two other bad spots. I think I will need some new long distance tires after this trip.

Kathy headed for the bike shop and I for the quilt shop! My project was to get them to sew the bottom of my WomanTours jersey back after I got the elastic out. The jersey’s are always tight around my, uh, back side so I generally take out the stitching and sew the hem up on my machine at home. But I had a better idea. I took the elastic out and then went to the Walla Walla Sew ‘N Vac Quilt Shop and told Terry my story. She immediately got permission from the owner to do the job but would not let me do it. Terry and the wonderful Pfaff machine got the hem in with a stretchy stitch in about 5 minutes. Then I bought a piece of fabric to recover a neck cooler that I gave Judy a few days ago. This is like a neckerchief which some crystal substance inside that absorbs water. It is absolutely wonderful on hot days as it cools your neck all day long and when you turn it, it is still cool. I brought one from the gifts that Ben got from the nurses when he retired. It was a necessity on the long hot days we have had since leaving Portland. I gave my extra one to Judy and she cooled it in the refrigerator overnight after hydrating it but it froze and when she tried to put it on, it broke and the fabric around it tore. She was going to throw it away but I knew that I could rescue it. Quilt shop!! I bought a nice red fabric to go with her bike and helmet (gotta make a fashion statement here, right?), and Terri cut it just the right width and I turned it into a cover for the torn neck cooler..after I sewed shut the hole. I will give it to her in the morning before we ride!

After those jobs were done, I headed for sightseeing. The town is the home of Whitman College and the campus was alive with music. I even saw a group singing outside a building! Lots of people were carrying musical instruments so I am guessing that they were having a summer session or a music seminar of some sort. It was on to the Fort Walla Walla Museum and park.

Where is my dirt bike when I need it?

The exhibits were just wonderful, with several huge buildings housing old farming equipment specific to the harvesting of grain. Very early farm machinery, thrashers, water wagons, box wagons for transport and hand tools were are shown. There was even an exhibit hall with a 33 mule team and Harris combine! Quite impressive. In another area, there was a typical town set up, with harness shops, jail, blockhouse, carriage barn, blacksmith shop, etc.

From there, I rode a bike path back to town through some residential areas and then returned to the room to finish some chores. Karen, my roommate returned and said that her tire had a slow leak and although I could not find a leak in the tube, even with the under water trick, we changed it, again using my tire lever trick and she immediately decided to go to the bike shop to get one. I wish I was getting a commission for all these sales!

A group will be going out for dinner later, as we are on our own for meals on the rest days. Breakfast was in the Best Western here and was very substantial. With only 28 miles tomorrow, we will not be in any hurry to leave Walla Walla! We could be there by 9 AM!!

Sorry, its a rest day so no more pictures! Thanks for tuning in and reading!