Tuesday 9 June, 2009
Concrete, WA, to Diablo Lake, WA
A beautiful ride on a sunny, cool day, the first 40 miles or so of it along the fast flowing Skagit River. Diane and I stayed behind so that Diane could conduct a radio interview at 10:30. While waiting, I sat at a picnic table and created a watercolor of the Skagit River with the mountains in the background and trees in the foreground. It's not very good as you can see below. I'd love to be able to keep a sketch-book type diary but the talent just ain't there. Photos will have to suffice. To give you an idea, below are the watercolors I managed to paint before leaving.
After Diane's interview concluded--at about 10:45--we started out, well after the main group. Not long after we left the campground, we stopped at Cascadian Farms, a roadside fruit farm, for a break. I had a bowl of blueberry cobble with some homemade blueberry ice cream.
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Morning fog over the Skagit at our campsite
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Ancient Horsetail (scouring reed) beside the Skagit River
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Foxglove--one of the most common roadside flowers
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Plucked, ripe, and unripe salmonberries, another common roadside find
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Cascadian Farms Roadside Store
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My blueberry cobble with fresh, homemade blueberry ice cream--exceptionally delicious
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Diane enjoying the break at Cascadian Farms
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A little area history: The North Cascades Highway follows the Skagit River on the west side of Rainy Pass. The Skagit River was dammed three times (Ross, Gorge, and Diablo dams) early in the twentieth century by Seattle City Light, Seattle's municipal power company, which provides hydroelectric power for the city. I'm sure there must be a story behind getting the eminent domain to flood these pristine, wild valleys along the lines of the theft of the Owens River by Los Angeles, but I don't know it. Anyhow, the power company turned the resulting lakes into a recreational area that is very popular with Seattleites.
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Old World Swallowtail on pinks at Cascadian Farms
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Wild astilbe at roadside
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Photos above explain why the Cascades are called the Cascades
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Diane and I stopped again in Newhalem, a touristy little town created by Seattle City Light. Here Bill H., Kevin, and Tim were enjoying a couple of beers at a shaded picnic table. We explored the nearby suspension bridge and Diane made a star jump video on restored steam Engine No. 6 that sat in the park. Somehow we missed seeing Ladder Creek Falls. I think they were a short walk on the other side of the suspension bridge.
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Bill H, Diane, and Kevin on a suspension bridge across the Skagit River in Newhalem, WA
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Tim riding his loaded bike across the suspension bridge
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Tim, Kevin, and Bill H pose near City Lights renovated Engine #6 in Newhalem
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Gorge Dam
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After this break, the big climbs began and didn’t let up for the next 9 miles. When we got to an uphill tunnel, Diane and Tim rode through it together, but I couldn’t manage it and walked. After making a video of Diane wobbling exhaustedly on the other side of the tunnel, Tim went on and Diane got off her bike and walked. The two of us must have walked a couple of miles uphill before we were able to get on our bikes again and pull our BOBs to the Colonial Creek CG. It probably took us the better part of four hours, and it was heating up. Heat, hills, but no headwind, thank goodness. We did not get to the campground until 7 pm.
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Route 20, the beautiful road we would ride through the Cascades
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Diane and me climbing (though it doesn't look it, we are definitely climbing) to Colonial Creek CG;
note the June snow at the edge of the trees and on the mountains |
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Tim activating our lights and preparing to ride through the tunnel on the way to Colonial Creek CG
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The CG was full, and there was no room for the two of us at our group’s campsite, but the others had asked some young campers in the next site if we could set up our tents to the side of their gravel pull in. This we did, and then took showers and got back somewhat to normal. I spoke to the young people—a couple and the guy’s sister—and they said that they would be glad to haul our gear to the top of Washington Pass the next day because they wanted to hike up there anyway. This was very good news for all because this is only Day 2 and we haven’t built our touring or climbing muscles yet . . . at least I haven’t. I was so exhausted that I had no hunger or laughter in me. I hit the sack while the others were still eating hotdogs, telling tall tales, and drinking beer (below).
Tune in tomorrow when we have a couple of passes to climb. Can't wait . . .
