Bicycling the Lewis & Clark Trail
Pasco to Dayton, WA

Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Distance Cycled: 67 miles
Vertically Climbed: 1,710 feet
Average Speed: 13.6 mph

We are finally on our trip. Everyone came over for supper Sunday night and Gary and Ann took home the packing materials to mail to St. Louis for us. It was a great time just sitting around eating good food and anticipating our trip. Today George and Jane and Ken and Jan rode their bicycles to our house.

Before 7:00 we were on our way, the first 6 miles was along the Columbia River, a beautiful calm day with lots of birds both in the sky and along the waters edge. However, we soon reached Highway 124 and from then on we were looking at sage brush and wheat farms. Around 10:00 we found grass and shade under some trees. It was a welcome rest stop, and gave all of us time to catch up. After a nice down hill we saw a sign that stated 16 miles of road construction with single lanes. Not a happy sign on a bicycle. But were we surprised. It was the best 16 miles of construction I have ever ridden. The road was smooth and clean and hardly a car going either direction. We did have to stop twice for flagmen but all in all it was a perfect ride. We were sad to see the construction end as we entered Waitsburg, so we found a nice restaurant for lunch and time to sit inside where it was cool. After lunch it was only a quick 9 miles to the Weinhard Hotel in Dayton. What a beautiful old Hotel all furnishings are from the 1800's and our lovely room included a fruit bowl and delicious chocolate. The food was a perfect touch before cleaning up, washing clothes out in the sink and getting ready for supper. Jim and I also did our computer chores.

We climbed the stairs in the hotel and visited a roof top garden. When we looked over the railing, we saw the restored Dayton Railroad Depot. It is a now a museum, so we walked over and had a lovely private tour. The visit to the museum was very interesting. For example, the railroad tracks in Dayton dead end at a vegetable packing plant on the east end of town.

We will now head for supper across the street and then I know we will be ready for bed.