Today we awoke at 5:30 am, listening to yellow warblers and song sparrows serenade us while we were still in our sleeping bags. We packed up, ate breakfast, and pedaled a quarter mile to a coffee shop. A fellow we met yesterday at the restaurant in Republic wished us well once more.
Well caffeinated, we headed uphill- steeply at first- toward Sherman Pass (Elevation 5,575 ft. ) with about 3,000 ft. of elevation gain. As we gained elevation under blue skies, we saw ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, western larches, then true firs in dense forests. Larry, a biker we met yesterday, passed us just before the pass. After 14 miles we reached the pass and headed down steeply- braking frequently to keep our speed under control.
After 10 miles the grade lessened. We sped along at 15 mph toward Kettle Falls. We crossed the Columbia River (actually Roosevelt Lake here) and climbed a hill to town. We ate lunch at a park, then rode 8 miles on Hwy 20 to Colville, where we stopped at a bike shop for air and bike checks.
After our Pit Stop, we took back roads to a bike hostel 5 miles south of town. The photo shows the view from the front porch. Shelley and Barry Bacon, the hosts, invited us to their regular Friday dinner of soup, bread, and ice cream. Fourteen people showed up. The food and conversations provided a memorable evening to cap the day. Today’s mileage: 56.1 miles.
