Bike on the 4th of July

happy day off! i just found out it's the fourth of july. you tend to lose track of what day of the week it is, what day of the month it is, when you don't see newspapers or televisions or computers, or really anything besides trees and roads and birds and waterfalls and mountains.

we're in republic, washington, staying at a person's home. she offered her home to bicyclists on the route and we were pleased to accept. you forget how much you take for granted in daily life. things like running water - the night before last we stayed at this friendly lady's camping cabin. we had met her in town and she offered for us to stay at her cabin in the woods. the only problem was that her cabin was 24 miles from the town we had planned on staying at, and it was STRAIGHT UPHILL for the last 6, then an extra 3 more miles down a dirt road up into the hills.
alas, camping cabins don't have running water. which is disappointing because after riding 9 hours and 99 miles in 99 degree heat over a 5,400 ft mountain - you tend to want to rinse off. instead i just fell asleep in a hammock before i was able to think about anything else. the people were amazing though, they cooked us baked beans and hot dogs over a camp fire. it felt like we were in some western movie.

the trip is absolutely amazing. it's been beautiful sunshine ever since we left. we rode 74 miles the first day, 99 the second, and 84 the third. all that is hunky-dory? except we're riding over mountains! the cascades. they are so so beautiful, but also so so UPHILL. relentlessly uphill. i looked down at one point, trying to keep sweat from dripping into the sunglasses, and the temperature gauge read '03'. unfortunately, that was technically 103. degrees. it's hot under these lights!

camping is great, the thermorest sleeping pad was a very good idea. as was the traveling goose down pillow that i brought.

i've had two flat tires so far, which was a hassle, but not a huge deal. the first tube came apart at the seams - literally! near the valve - and the second one fell prey to a wayward staple on the road. i would like to have my red stapler back please. if you do not give me my stapler back i will just burn the building down. thanks to mister deeesario for showing me how to change a tire before i left! that knowledge sure came in handy.

anyway, i have to hit the road. we have one more mountain to climb today, sherman pass, at 5,575 feet. nice. that's like 4 or 5 bristol mountains for the rochester people.
i will be very pleased to hit the flat plains, although i'm learning to enjoy the climbs too. some type of metaphor for life. keep working and persevering because it'll all be worth it when you get to the top. one pedal at a time.