Breakfast place in Walla Walla |
I'd been
cycling for a couple of hours this morning when a regular clicking
sound started. It was present whether or not I was turning the
pedals. I investigated and after initial lack of success – due to
my mistaken belief that the problem lay with the front wheel –
found a 3 cm nail in the rear tyre. It had entered the base of the
tyre, gone right through, and come out the side. I pulled it free,
expecting to hear a hiss of escaping air, but the inner tube was
intact.
Looking across the Columbia to Washington state |
After
riding west on US 12 for nearly 50 km, I came to the Columbia River
and turned to follow it south-west on US 730. The river runs through
a gorge not a valley. Treeless slopes rise up on both banks. The road
and railway run along the water's edge. The wind was coming at me
from the south-west and slowed me down, but fortunately it was
nothing like as strong this morning as it often is here – the wind
turbines were rotating only lazily – and I welcomed its cooling
effect.
I've made it to Oregon |
After a
further 10 km I came to the state line and entered Oregon, my
eleventh and last state. Immediately the shoulder narrowed from about
1.5 m to 50 cm. As I continued it widened and contracted
periodically. Often it was narrower than is comfortable when heavy
trucks and trailers are travelling in the adjacent lane.
I
reached Umatilla (first syllable pronounced You), my staging
post for the day, after 90 km. My motel and another across the road
are sandwiched between two 'gentlemen's clubs', the first I have come
across on this trip. I'm told it's possible to get a meal without
being exposed to exotic dancers. I will find out later whether this
is true.
Just caught up after another Melb visit. Congrats on reaching your final state. Great achievement. Your pelican shot was nice but can't wait to see your dinner pics. Ride safely.
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