Beverly Dunes to Warden, WA - Happiness VS Safety

May 15 - 54 miles - 4.5 hours of seat time

I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but the reason for using the GART as the route for riding across the US, is that it provides safety from cars. Motorized vehicles are generally excluded from using the GART.

However, the trail surface can be inconsistent, and as the previous blog entry should have made clear, the trail surface can make the ride downright uncomfortable. While I would like to use the trail as much as possible to remain safe, I've decided that I will happily avoid the trail when I feel like riding roads is safe and more enjoyable.

With that in mind, instead of returning to the Palouse to Cascades trail aka John Wayne Trail, I followed Lower CrabCreek road to the East and made my way to Royal City.

A bridge near Beverly Dunes

After Royal City, there was a generally East Northeast zig zag through cherry and apple orchards, with the occasional grove of other varieties of fruit trees. Initially I followed an access road that followed an aqueduct, but at an intersection where I stopped to get my bearings, a trifecta of guard dogs came from the closest house to inform me that I was not welcome.

Of the three dogs, there was a silent German Shepherd, some sort of Lab/St. Bernard mix (the size, skull structure, and floppy jowls said St. Bernard, but the coloring and tail said Yellow Labrador Retriever). This fellow would occasionally 'WOOF' in the way only a large barrel chested dog can accomplish. Then there was the shouty terrier, who was the first to make his presence known, and the most insistent of the three dogs, that I should leave, that I should never have arrived, and that he was the boss, but that he also had back up.

WOOF.

I wish I'd taken a picture, but I think the terrier would have taken offense. At this moment I noticed a sign that said the road next to the aqueduct was private, and that there was to be no trespassing, so I turned directly North and slowly pedaled uphill while reassuring the terrier that I was leaving. The St./Lab mix was the first to stop following, then the terrier who I can only imagine had lost his breath from barking so much while running. The silent Shepherd followed along for a bit and his gait changed from skulky slink to amiable trot next to me....almost as if to say...."Hey, I gotta act like I hate you while they're around, but now.....can I just hang with you for a bit?" Eventually the shepherd also turned around and headed back home and I hit the top of the ridge and peaked over the top at Moses Lake. Out of the orchards I got off gravel and found a long straight ribbon of pavement.

This looks heavenly to me.

Things got a little windy on the south side of Moses Lake, but settled down as soon as I got a mile or so away from the lake. In Warden, I caught up to Marshal and Amy as they were finishing up lunch. Bunny and I consulted each other and decided to go to an RV park for the night to ensure we could easily fill up on water and drop the gray tank.

Crazy kids riding to Chicago