6/21/2021 – Past Colville to Newport, WA

87.08 Miles / 430.68 Total Miles

2874 Ft. of Elevation Gain / 24,485 Ft. Total Elevation Gain

Did you notice the number of miles we peddled today? Insane! It was my longest ride since I left Utah last summer, and I just barely survived it– I swear. Actually, I am getting stronger and stronger every day. I just hope my legs aren’t turning into Popeye legs.

Today’s route was hilly from start to finish, with the first part of the route continuing through the Colville National Forest.The scenery was again–spectacular! Being from Arizona, I just don’t see this kind of beauty too often. I’m not complaining. I love the beauty of the Sonoran desert, the Red Rocks, and Arizona’s high country, but it’s a different kind of beauty. Here, we’re talking about endless creeks, rivers, lakes, pastures, fields, forests, historic barns, etc. etc. etc..

The little market below is one of just two places we could have picked up a snack, today, in 87 miles of riding. We were starving for food!. Thankfully, we came across the little market at the moment we needed a late morning snack. The guy who owns it also owns and rents vacation cabins, and if we didn’t have a schedule, we would have stopped to relax by the lake behind the market and spend the night in those little cabins. But it was not to be. We had to push on.

Once we got to the Pend Oreille Rivern (pronounced Ponderey), we headed north toward Canada to the first river crossing, then crossed over to the other side of the river. We spent the rest of the day cycling down 50 miles of LeClerc Road, a quiet 2-laner that meandered along the eastern shore of the river. And no matter where we were, the river was glassy, and the scenery was ________. (Sorry. I’m running out of words.)

I was impressed by these Stonehenge-like monuments in one of the front yards we passed today. I was thinking a half-sized installation would look good in my new super tiny back yard, and the grandkids would love climbing on them

Newport, our destination for the evening, was a big enough town to have fast food restaurants, like Burger King and McDonalds, but there is no way that kind of food could have satisfied the appetites of these two starving cyclists. We bypassed checking into our motel and taking a shower, and went straight to the busiest eatery in town, wearing spandex and looking exceedingly grungy. And they didn’t hold it against us. They served up an amazing meal of authentic Mexican food that hit the spot.

P.S. I think my legs are starting to look like Popeye legs. What should I do?