Another day, another pass

June 8, 2021

The morning was chilly when we woke up at 6 am. When we have big riding days we like to get up early. We broke camp pretty quickly and we were ready to ride by 7:45. However, we needed to get some breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches from the grocery store that did not open until 8 am. After shopping and taking care of some bathroom duties, we were ready to ride by 8:45. The weather was partly cloudy with a temp at a chilly mid to lower 40’s.

Today’s ride was a 24 mile ride up to Wauconda pass and then a 17 mile downhill to the town of Republic. The climb up was long (like all the pass climbs) but was not too bad. There were sections that were steep, but other sections that were not very steep. However, the road went up the entire 24 miles. Each mountain pass has had different characteristics. Rainey/Washington passes were mountain peaks and Loup Loup was forests. Wauconda pass was more open range, with ranches and homesteads.

At the top of Wauconda pass we met Woody. Woody is riding from Sedro-Wooly to Sandpoint. He is traveling very lightly, staying in hotels every night and eating in restaurants. Woody is staying in Republic and we had dinner with him.

The ride up went pretty good except for the logging trucks. We really do not like logging trucks. They drive fast, are huge and seem not to give us much room. Today, Janet and I were in a steep section that had several S curves and no shoulder. Of course a logging truck comes up to us from behind. You can hear them coming from about 1/4 mile away. Janet stopped riding and hugged the guard rail. I was a little ahead and I was at a place that had about 2 feet of should for 6 feet. I stopped pedaling and the truck passed me at the end of the 6 feet. Pretty scary.

The downhilll was very nice with barely any uphill. In no time we were in Republic and are staying in a cheap motel tonight.

Tomorrow is the final pass in Washington, Sherman pass.