This is where I am right now about to have dinner. Today was my longest leg so far. 325 miles across Washington state from Seattle to Coeur D'Alene in Idaho. It started with a freezing ride across Stevens Pass to cross an alpine mountain ridge that still had snowy caps down a beautiful river valley with scary rapids that ended in a very creepy town called Leavenworth. It had this Bavarian theme that made me feel like I just crossed the Alps on my way back from Italy. I thought about stopping for a second to take a picture but I was too stunned and creeped out by the whole setting and I really just wanted to get away from there.
It went further along through the valley and it got really warm. From the deep green pine forrest that scared me a little when I stopped to take a picture (helmet and motorcycle gear don't protect as well against bears and whatever else might live in those areas as a car)
to yellow hills, big canyons, and flat that goes on for ever.
Literally. You see the horizon and once you've reached it, there's another one, even farther away. Fortunately, whoever it was who designed that road managed to build in some canyons and lakes to keep the bored rider from falling asleep. It starts with a curve out of nowhere that catches your attention. And another one. And you notice that the road starts descending. And before you know, a valley opens and this canyon appears. And you're just amazed and stunned by thousands of years of seismic activity that was necessary to produce something so beautiful.
At one point the canyon was nicely arranged around a lake that was so clear an still that I felt like putting on my wakeboard and jumping across every available wake.
Although the ride was really tiring and I had trouble keeping my eyes open during the last 50 miles I really enjoyed the absence of traffic after two nights in larger cities. And it made me really look forward to Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada.
When I finally arrived at my bed and breakfast I found it to be a very cute place with beach access to a little bay on the side of Spokane River. So, after my host finished the long and thorough walk through and instructions I took a quick bath. First in the river and then in the hot tub. With a view over the bay. Yeah, if I could have seen myself in that moment I would have hated me, too. But, hey, You ride 325 miles on that road and then we can talk again :-).
I took a quick look at the car show in Coeur D'Alene, The Thing this weekend. Well, hundreds of people lining the street looking at hundreds of old cars driving by. Granted, pretty old cars. But after five minutes I almost fainted because of the exhaust smoke and had to leave. They should park the cars and let people stroll along. But that would involve actual physical activity beyond moving your right hand and right foot :-).
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