Day 83; Skykomish, WA to Snohomish, WA - Seeking a Bicycle Warrior's Death, Part I: The Northern Tier - CycleBlaze

July 27, 2021

Day 83; Skykomish, WA to Snohomish, WA

It Ain't Over Till The Fat Lady Sings; She Sang For Steve!

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Climbing Today; 1,602 ft                                 Climbing to Date; 134,950 ft

Today was not expected to be difficult, so I slept until 04:00 and didn't get rolling until a bit after 05:00.  I have been informed that my early hours will NOT be tolerated when I return home, even after accounting for the 2-hour difference in time zones, so I need to start staying up later I guess.   I did a U-turn to backtrack on the shoulder of Highway 2 to retrieve this penny, and I found another atop a picnic table later, so the found money fund stands at $3.20 at this moment.

A Penny Here, A Penny There
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Although I had a mostly flat ride today as I followed the Skykomish River downstream, I was still in the mountains and they are awe-inspiring at times.

Snow In The Mountains And Wow What A Waterfall!
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Early Morning Moon Over The Mountain
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Snow-Fed Waterfall
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The ride along the Skykomish River was peaceful in the early morning, but a bit less so as the world woke up and the traffic increased.

The Skykomish River
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I did a U-turn and backtracked to photograph a very unusual mailbox.   I don't really know what to say about it, so there you go.

Wins The Prize For The Most Unique Mailbox Of The Journey
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I had only eaten a croissant this morning before leaving, and I had no snack food with me (I'm trying to use up everything in the last few days), so I was feeling pretty empty when I reached Monroe after more than 30 miles.  There were dining options in Monroe, but I had received a journal comment suggesting that I should take Highway 522 to Maltby and eat at the Maltby Cafe.  Although this was going to add 10 miles to my day, I had time and so I headed off to Maltby.  Highway 522 is NOT a good road for cycling; it's like an interstate highway with high speed traffic, but it does have a good shoulder.  Google maps bicycle routing wanted to take me a different way that would have added even more miles, so I tolerated the traffic noise and rode the shoulder.  Eventually the road narrowed from 4 lanes to 2, but it was still fast and noisy traffic.   I was happy to finally exit off this road.

Uh, Good To Know I Guess, Since That's What I Have Been Doing
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I reached the Maltby Cafe after cycling for 44 miles on a loaded bike, and I was famished.  What I had envisioned was a small town old-fashioned diner that served up amazing food.  When I reached the Maltby Cafe, I was surprised to find that it was in the midst of a small shopping area that was overloaded with tourists. I'm not sure what the attraction is, but it's a very popular spot.  I was starving, so I went inside only to be confronted by a large crowd and long line of folks waiting for a table.  It took several minutes for me to even sign in, and I was told it would be at least 20 minutes before they had a spot for me.  I really needed to eat.  Using Google maps I saw that there was a convenience store about 1/2 mile away on the other side of the highway, so that's where I headed.  My breakfast consisted of eggrolls and a greasy slice of pepperoni pizza and coffee, eaten outside on a picnic table in the shade.  I was so freaking hungry that I enjoyed that strange breakfast.   Wikipedia notes that the Maltby Cafe is known for their cinnamon rolls, and I'm sure it's probably a decent place for breakfast.  But I wouldn't recommend the experience for touring cyclists unless you enjoy being in the midst of an overflow crowd of tourists. 

I took the Google-recommended bike route from Maltby to Snohomish and found myself on pleasant shaded roads most of the time.  Mt. Ranier and other mountains were visible in the distance as I approached Snohomish.

Mt. Rainier In The Distance
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I cycled through the downtown district in route to my hotel.  It looks like a very pleasant place to visit.

Street Art in Snohomish
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The fat lady hasn't sang for me yet, but she did sing for Steve yesterday as he finished his coast-to-coast ride. Steve, biking and following the Northern Tier route from his home state of Maine, was supported by Allane driving their pickup.  They were initially behind me & Doc and used this journal to glean insight on road conditions, lodging, etc.  They caught up to us in Libby, MT and met us in a cafe there, and we have kept in touch ever since.  Steve moved on ahead of me when I took a rest day in Newport, WA, and since then he has been the one giving me information about the road ahead.  

Steve (center with bike), Allane (far right), and Family
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The Finish Was Chosen To Be At A Site That Has Family-Name Significance For Allane
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The rigors of a long cycle tour are significant, and an instant bond is formed between cycle tourists who meet on the road.  I very much enjoyed my brief association with Allane and Steve, and I wish them the best now that the bicycling portion of their tour is over.  It's a long way from Washington to Maine, so their adventure is far from over yet.

Well, I've done it again; I'm running out of time and need to wrap up today's entry.  Tomorrow, if all goes well, I will make my way back onto the ACA maps!  But first I have to ride the bike a bit to get there, so I need some rest.  Good night all...

Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 4,186 miles (6,737 km)

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Michell IrvingBud, I am so sorry your experience with the Malby Cafe was so dismal, they do have really good food, at least they did pre-Covid. Congratulations on finishing! Love riding on the Centennial trail.
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2 years ago
George HallTo Michell IrvingThanks Michell! I'm sure the food would have been great - maybe I'll be able to find out someday. The Centennial Trail was a great ride, at least one of the best rides of the entire trip. Thanks for following along,

Bud
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2 years ago