Day 16: Relaxing in Umatilla

In one of my earlier posts I explained that getting plenty of rest was going to be crucial and that, among other things, I would try to achieve this by making every third week a relatively easy week. Yesterday was the start of my third week and so I am planning to really take it easy: resting today; taking two days to ride to Walla Walla, Washington, which should be considered a one-day ride; resting for a couple of days in Walla Walla.

Yesterday I got up early, had a bowl of oatmeal, then poked around for a couple of hours as I packed up and got ready to go. I was procrastinating, I think, because I was fatigued. Fortunately, Barbara got me moving by asking me to stop by her camper for a cup of coffee.

The coffee and talk really hit the spot. I had met Barbara the day before. She and her husband Mike are avid windsurfers who spend a lot of time in May in Roosevelt Park and other sites along the Columbia River. I guess they should be considered professional windsurfers, because for several years they traveled around the western states promoting the sport. They pull a trailer behind their truck camper: when I first saw it I thought it was a small horse trailer but it is really just to carry all their various boards and sails. Barbara said that the sport of windsurfing seemed to be dying out as kite boarding, which is actually easier to learn initially, gains in popularity.

Barbara said that she had been bicycling a couple of days before, on a day with a very stong wind, and had coasted UP a long steep hill, with the wind at her back, and then had to peddle hard to get down!

I next stopped at a restaurant about a mile up the road. All morning I had been looking forward to a full breakfast there. But when I arrived I found it was a bar and grill that didn't serve breakfasts so I had to settle for a (mediocre) BLT.

I set off for Paterson, about 35 miles away, the next town en route. My thoughts were on stopping there for a good lunch and cold water and some snack food -- my bicycling map said Paterson had a grocery store, restaurant, and gas station. It was sunny and hot and I was running out of water by the time I reached Paterson. I saw what had been the gas station, now just a derilict building. The restaurant, The Desert Cafe, looked like it had been deserted years ago. And the grocery store was closed on weekends!

I asked a local resident (whose wife, it turned out, ram the grocery store) to refill my water bottles. As I was chugging water and eating some trail mix, he said he was going to be driving to Umatilla in a while and would be happy to throw my bike in the back of his truck and give me a ride. I admit that I seriously considered his offer, but I declined. I asked if it would be okay for me to stretch out on his lawn in the shade of a bush to rest for a bit, and he said "Sure, you're welcome to, but you'll need to be careful of the spiders." So I declined that offer, also, and continued on my way to Umatillo, 18 miles farther.

Shortly after leaving Paterson some clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped quickly. I put on my rain jacket/windbreaker, but was still somewhat chilly. Eventually the wind picked up and I had a tailwind. Then the road turned and/or the wind shifted and I had a headwind. I found myself having to peddle on what should have been a long gradual downhill, and was reminded of Barbara's more extreme experience.

Before checking in to a motel in Umatilla I passed an ice cream place where I stopped for a chocolate shake. Good!

I was told that the best place for dinner was the Devine Diner, a 10 minute walk. But when I arrived at about 8 pm they were just closing -- ar 8 pm on Saturday! Umatilla isn't NYC.

I was directed to the Express Cafe, where I was assured I could get good food. This turned out to be a bar with two pool tables, and a limited bar food menu. I had wanted something with a lot of carbs, but my choices were limited. I chose the nachos, which were not very good. They were so cold (although the cheese was still soft and runny for some reason) that I had to ask Becky, the bartender/waitress/cook/cashier, to put them back in the microwave. I had also been considering an order of deep-fried green beans,which Becky had told me were excellent, but after the nachos I decided to forego this pleasure.

On the way back to the motel I picked up some milk, fig newtons, and fruit, so that I didn't have to go to bed hungry.

I got a good night's sleep, just finished a decent breakfast (at the Devine Diner), and am looking forward to doing some laundry, getting another milkshake, and taking a long nap.

Sent from my iPhone

Walt Wright
917 783 6540
Walterwright@brooklynny.us

www.walt-fatmanonabike.blogspot.com