Day 2: Ainsworth State Park to Columbia Hills State Park

May 9, 2015

It didn't take very long to fail in my goal of adding journal a journal entry every day while the thoughts are fresh. I am writing this on the third night of our tour. Yesterday was quite exhausting, although not really in a bad way. Lack of time and energy took its toll.

We said goodbye to our freshly-mowed campsite at about 8:30, which I would later find out would be a habit for this little group of ours. The couple sharing the hiker/biker site were either still fast asleep, or as we often do, enjoying doing nothing as long as they could.

The Gorge route was hillier than I recalled it. After a visit to the Bonneville sturgeon pond -- those creatures are truly awesome -- we immersed ourselves in the trail proper. It really is a study in contrasts: dedicated bike paths, scenic country roads, noisy and hazardous-to-tires Interstate highways, and bustling towns.

Yes, I got a flat tire on the Interstate. Not a fun place to change a tube, but not the end of the world either.

When it came time to decide whether to take the big hill or the freeway into Wyeth, we opted for the hill. Not sure if we made the best decision. I think it sapped a good deal of our strength. We did manage to get a table at Full Sail's brewpub in Hood River, which helped us recharge our batteries a little.

So the subsequent climbs, while each nothing to write home about, combined to turn us into a plodding, churlish threesome. A stop to stock up on groceries and have a snack didn't really seem to help much. Those last few miles were challenging for all of us. But finally we made it to a beautiful campsite, where we dined on delicious rice, curry, and fresh vegetables and slept fairly well despite the predictable thundering and whistling of the nearby trains. It wouldn't be a true Columbia experience without them.

Waking up to oatmeal and a nice cup of instant coffee.

Finished breaking camp at Ainsworth and preparing for our next day's adventures. There are so many things to take care of.

A reminder of where we camped the first night.

Visiting the trout and sturgeon ponds at Bonneville Dam.

Let's enjoy riding among the fir trees while we can!

Beautiful photo that Sunyoung took. She has a real eye for landscapes.

These long straightaways always look dramatic on film, and I think capture the feeling of freedom we experience while touring.

Enjoying a refreshing beverage at the end of a long day on the bikes.

Today's ride: 66 miles (106 km)
Total: 108 miles (174 km)

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