Up at 7:00-out at 7:30  Whitney waiting outside door reading newspaper.  60-cold until 1st hill.  Unbelievable day for biking-all rds were smooth-scenery spectacular-almost no cars all day.  Good hills to climb-long straight down hills-got to 40 mph w/helmet flying behind head.  Passed my 1st biker today going uphill-he’s loaded w/camping equipment.  Whitney & Armand waiting for me at top of hill.  Other biker is right behind me.  His name is Ahti Auno from Finland.  Started in Anchorage, AK beginning of Aug-going to Mexico-picture of him on blog.  Stopped in Toledo (gateway to Mt. St. Helens)-no fresh donuts.  Whitney stayed w/us rest of day-short ride.  Went to 7-West Motel-looked like a dive-went to Timberland Inn & Suites-gave us a deal–$130 for suite-Whitney is sleeping w/us tonight.  Went to EL COMPADRE Restaurant for dinner w/Armand-absolutely the best Mexican food I’ve ever eaten–had shrimp enchiladas w/avocado.  Vote this the BEST DAY, BEST MOTEL, & BEST DINNER so far.

44.5 miles  11 mph (4-40 mph)  4 hrs of riding  climbed 1,300 ft

No clock in room-wake at 4:30 & 5:30–ask Armand for time-now 6:55!!  Hear them outside-brush teeth, dress, pack–out door in 7 min.  In 3 min bike up steep hill–4 in pack together ahead-I’m bringing up rear. Leave Jean & Lynn-I think I’m in the wrong group. Scenery is beautiful, trees & flowers line rd-feels like being in rain forest at times. Rds are good most of the time except for new rds made of rough gravel/tar asphalt (like TX)–felt like getting beat up by rd & I’m already very sore-very little traffic. At 30 m get to Elma–insist on getting donuts. At red light ask lady where I can get donuts–pts down the street to the rt. IA & Whitney are already at gas stations. Exxon doesn’t have them–IA (Iowa aka Armand) tries to tempt me w/pkg donuts-NO, I want fresh donuts. Whitney goes across street to Texaco for coffee–NO donuts–have to go to store. I lead pack to store. Hard to choose–finally pick jelly & chocolate covered–almost eaten before IA can pay. Sit on bench in store w/IA & Whitney standing over me–don’t hurry-want to enjoy every last bite. Good down hill–fly past them-in lead for 5 sec (like yesterday) before Whitney can’t stand it & flies past me. Whitney gets tired of our pace & leaves us. Take picture of calves enclosed w/little houses. Name of farm–AUSTIN ORGANIC FARM–take picture when AUSTIN family (Jim, Janie & Ron) come out to greet us. Tell them we’re from AUSTIN–invite us to tour farm. 1st one to use ROBOTIC milking equipment in area–had film crew out in morning. Everything is computerized-cows (about 170) produce 60 to 90 lbs a day & are milked 2 to 3 times each day. Cows come into milking area on their own–completely calm waiting for turn-walk into stall-sensors know where to go–sometimes they don’t want to leave-next cow knows it’s her turn & nudges cow out. Very impressive & very impressive family that would take so much time to show us around. Jim is 70 (looks much younger)-equipment comes from Sweden & costs about $450,000-farm has been in the family since mid 1800’s (I think). HILIGHT OF TRIP SO FAR!!!
1 m stop & eat hot dog–now can make it to CENTRALIA & Motel 6 ($50). Whitney has been in town for hrs-Jean & Lynn come in right behind us-everyone agrees best day so far. Map rap at MacD–tell them about farm-Gonsoulin’s grew up on farm-dad was a butcher. Whitney milked cows growing up (he’s a dr. now) & Armand took care of the little animals (chickens & pigeons). Whitney is suppose to wake us up tomorrow. Finish blog at 10:30–discover the entire blog was not published & lost-go to bed.
66.5 miles 12 mph (4-32 mph) 5 hrs 7 min rd time 1,600 ft of elevation

Not much sleep last night-1:00 AM hear pounding on door next to us & yelling for someone to open door.  Goes on for 15 min-finally open door-see big guy, long hair, tattoos-tell him to go to office & get another key or I will call office.  He lowers head & says he will go to office.  Later a horn alarm goes off.  Leave at 7:30 w/Whitney-sun is shinning.  Make good time-bike on freeway, rds under construction, rds lined w/trees & lakes-not many hills except 1 w/16% grade.  See 2mph-get off before falling off-walk bike up hill at 2.5mph.  Get to town at 11:30-call Jean from DQ.  They’re 2 hrs behind because they stopped at McDonalds (Jean’s favorite place for breakfast).  Eat lunch at Subway & try to find City Center Motel.  Streets are all torn up–go up steep hill or 2 or 3–GONSOULIN brothers w/maps have decided this doesn’t look right!!!  NOT AGAIN–go back to town-motel is a stone’s throw from Subway!!  Talking to manager when we see 2 bikers–It’s JEAN & LYNN.  They were2 hrs behind us but we check in at the same time-something is wrong w/this picture.  Mom & Pop motel-$65-clean.  Want to go to movie–see Mortal Instruments–It’s a sci-fi-not sure exactly what is was about.  Meet Lynn & Jean at Subway for dinner-call Whitney.   Map rap session-decide to leave at 7:00 AM together so we can follow Jean out of town.  Not taking many pictures except for Armand & Whitney reading maps.

47 miles   11.7mph (2-38 mph)  4 hrs riding time 

Up at 7:15 out @ 7:40-no more waking up at 8:00!!!!  It’s cold-50 degrees.  Stay on hiwy-lots of traffic-been on this rd before to our last ferry ride.  Get to 8:45 ferry at 8:45:30-wouldn’t let us on–call Lynn & wave good-bye to them.  Go eat muffin & hot chocolate–9:15 leave.  Can’t say enough about WA State Ferry system-For $10 each-rode around all the islands w/no more charges-last ticket was $2.  Also impressed w/grocery stores on islands-all well stocked w/fresh fruits & home made foods.  Islands were scenic & fantastic–what an adventure already.

Have on our Oregon & TX shirts-wear them on every trip.  Ride is going well-I love you OR-Are you following me TX? I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth.  My feelings change later today.  Stop at gas station to pee–when I come out-OR says that he sees Jean across street at grocery store.  Take picture of them in front of pumpkins-it’s 11:15.  Leave before them-OR jokes about taking wrong rd so we need head start.  Lake on rt-fort on left-STOP.  OR says lake is suppose to be on LEFT–asks hiker-need to go BACK 3 1/2m.  Sorry, TX! We just did an extra 7 m of hills.  Later see 2 bikers stopped on hill-It’s Jean & Lynn!! Tell Jean I want a new leader.  Go on uphill-stop at 53 m-really tired.  OR offers me chocolate-feel better.  Rd gets better-very warm-finally make it to Super 8.  Did 67.22 m-biked my age–which is a goal Mary Ruth & I have each yr.  Checked in room-looked outside window-Armand’s brother Whitney is standing outside talking on phone.  He got his bike fixed & will be riding tomorrow w/us.  Met Jean & Lynn at DQ-discussed route-either 43 or 70m.  Ate dinner w/Whitney-Italian.  Will be interesting to see how late I get to sleep.  Hope you had a good day.  

7:40 to 4:15   67 m  11.5 mph aver  (4 mph to 36 mph)  5 hrs 50 min riding time   4,000 ft elevation