Bicycling the Lewis & Clark Trail
Hood River to Troutdale, OR

Saturday, May 15, 2004
Distance Cycled: 50 miles
Vertically Climbed: 1990 feet
Average Speed: 11.3 mph

Mary Kay set her watch to wake us up at 6:30 AM but in the morning she had her arm under the covers and she did not hear the alarm on her watch so we got up at 6:50 AM. We rushed getting ready and made it to breakfast by 7:30 AM. As we walked to breakfast the sky was very cloudy and looked like it was possible we would spend the day in the rain. We ate breakfast and began riding our bicycles from the motel to the interstate highway. We started going east and we were going 20+ miles per hour for less then a mile. Then we reached the freeway entrance and turned west. Suddenly the wind that was pushing us as we went east was now stopping us, as we turned west. We fought the wind for about 8 miles until finally the wind began to lessen. We left the freeway just before Cascade Locks, We traveled over a very nice bicycle path between Cascade Locks and the Bonneville Dam. At the fish hatchery we pushed our bicycle up 64 stairs to stay on the bicycle path. At the Bonneville Dam we returned to the interstate highway until we reached the Historic Columbia River Highway. It was nice to exit the interstate highway for the last time. We traveled to Multnomah Falls where we stopped and ate lunch sitting outside. Ann Roberts went to sit in the warm lounge to drink coffee, although neither Gary nor Mary Kay could find her. When we did find Ann, Mary Kay and I decided to head out before it started to rain harder. Gary waited for Ann to get ready to leave. As we left it began to sprinkle but we continued toward Crown Point. Since we were in the forest, the trees kept the rain off part of the road. As a result we would bike in the rain and a few feet farther we would be biking on dry pavement under the trees. First rain and then shelter from the trees over and over. It was a nice ride, although it was raining harder as we reached Crown Point, so we zoomed by without stopping. It was pretty cold and wet coming down the hill. Just as we reached the bridge to enter Troutdale, the skies opened up and it rained in buckets. Needless to say we were soaked through when we reached the motel room. Ann and Gary arrived about one hour later. After we were all dried off and warmed up we walked over to Sheri's in the rain and enjoyed supper. George and Jane arrived from their conference in Seattle around 9:00 and will be ready to ride with us tomorrow. Today is George's 69 Birthday.