Day 5: Rest Day in Milton-Freewater

September 10, 2023

Today my plan was to visit Whitman Mission National Historic Site, but I didn't have the energy to do that. It's a 24 mile round trip downhill to the mission, then uphill to return to Milton-Freewater.

Instead I will just rest at the motel and do a 5 mile exploratory loop in Milton-Freewater.

I got up at 8:30 and had breakfast at the motel. Pretty good, with boiled eggs. I took a 1.5 hour nap before going to lunch at the Chinese restaurant next door.

I took another 3 hour nap after lunch. At 5 PM I finally had the energy to go out and explore the town.

I took this picture yesterday when descending into town.

As the name suggests, Milton-Freewater is actually two towns that merged in 1950. Milton is smaller and wealthier, built at the mouth of the Walla Walla river canyon. Freewater is larger and poorer, built in the open valley. The Freewater population is mostly Latino farm workers.

Milton-Freewater was a major pea-growing region in the past. But the pea market collapsed in the 1970s and now the area hardly grows any peas. But it still grows many fruits and vegetables.

Episcopal church built in Weston in 1875, moved to Milton in 1946.

I passed by the Petites Noirs chocolate shop 3 times during my stay in Milton-Freewater, but I never found it open.

Semi-famous Petites Noirs chocolate shop.

Milton is sort of a Methodist town. It once had a Methodist college.

After exploring Milton I pedaled a mile to downtown Freewater. The city of Milton-Freewater has two Main Streets and two sets of numbered streets. With so many duplicate addresses, I am certain that the Post Office still considers them to be separate towns.

The old train station is now a senior center.

Freewater has several old packing and storage plants lined up along the railroad track. Freewater is a stereotypical farm town.

Freewater has several packing and storage plants along the railroad track.

Downtown Freewater is quieter than downtown Milton which is on busy OR 11.

Christian Church at the end of Main Street in Freewater.

The Walla Walla river is not very attractive in town.

In the evening I walked to Safeway to get a salad for dinner and to stock up on groceries. I won't pass any grocery stores or restaurants for the next two days.

Today had a high temperature of 87F but I was inside most of the day. In the evening I finally started to have more energy.

Milton-Freewater is not a tourist town at all. But I found it to be interesting because it's the most pure farm town that I visited during this tour. It adds welcome variety.

Distance: 4.6 miles
Average Speed: 7.9 mph
Ascent/Descent: +79/-79 feet

Today's ride: 5 miles (8 km)
Total: 168 miles (270 km)

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