Ralston, WA to Ewan, WA - Bonk

May 17 - 40 Miles - 4.5 hours of seat time.

The day started with all the ambition in the world. I intended to ride to Rosalia, WA which is sort of the last big town in Washington before heading into Idaho and the beginning of the Trail de Coeur D'Alenes. Having beaten myself up the day before I studied the alternative routes and opted for some pavement again.

Google Maps had indicated that I'd be riding roads until I got back to an intersection with the Palouse to Cascades near a former town known as Marengo, but it turns out that one of the roads, was more like field access on a cattle ranch.

I came over a small rise to see what looked to be about 40 head of cattle, and one coyote. Or at least I think it was a coyote. It was grey and bigger than what I think I coyote should be, but I wouldn't let my mind contemplate the idea that it might be a wolf because I'm pretty certain I can defend myself from a coyote before it rips my throat out, but a wolf. Yeah....don't think about that.

Besides, if it WAS a wolf, all these cows would have circled the wagons so to speak, right? Anyway, bear spray. I need to start carrying bear spray.

Just me and some cows near Marengo, WA

On a side note, this entire trip, I've also been taking video. At some point I hope to have the time/bandwidth/ambition to edit those snippets together into something and add it to the web site. For now...if you know me imagine me riding along singing 'rawhide' while unintentionally herding cattle. If you don't know me, well, I'm the sort of person who also moos at cows.

Truth be told, I could have stayed on pavement/side roads, today, but there was one more birth year picture I wanted to get for my grandparents, who happened to have both been born in 1923. I knew there was a chance I would miss this mile marker, having started the day on pavement, but I was willing to consider back tracking once I got back on trail and knew where I was in the mile marker progression.

For Grandma and Grandpa. Heavenly.

After I got this picture I back tracked about a mile to get onto asphalt. My love/hate relationship with the P2C, John Wayne, Iron Horse, whatever you wish to call it, had turned into a 'hate' relationship, and I wanted nothing to do with sand and gravel anymore.

I'd originally agreed with Bunny to meet in Ewan, WA for a lunch break. This was a little less than 40 miles and seemed perfectly reasonable, but I could feel my legs getting really weak, and I could also tell my stomach wasn't enjoying water or processing Gu chomps. I called Bunny and asked her to move the van and meet me in Revere, WA.

Asphalt turned to gravel. Gravel turned to hills. I started questioning the wisdom of leaving the trail. The trail may be soft and slow, but it is FLAT. I did a quick descent into Revere and ran into Bunny and Poodle walking down a gravel road next to an old grain elevator. I got off the bike and asked Bunny to roll it the rest of the way to the van, and suddenly felt compelled to sit down, and then lie down, in the middle of the road. Bunny became concerned and asked if she should move the van to me. I said, 'Sure!'

Poodle became concerned because Squid was lying in the road, Bunny was walking away, and Poodle wasn't sure what to do.

After a moment to catch my breath, I sat and then stood, and then climbed back on the bike, and rode the last 200 yards to the van. This was quite a relief for Poodle. At the van, I grabbed an iced tea out of the fridge, fell into the passenger seat, and slammed the tea. I instantly felt better.

This has never really happened to me before. I've certainly been dehydrated, but I've never just felt the sort of full body exhaustion that makes you want to collapse right where you stand. I chalk it up to not using electrolytes in my water bottle thus far (yes...I am stupid), and also yogurt, granola, and Gu chomps probably not being enough fuel for 40 miles. Suffice it to say, the nutrition plan will change in the future.

Bunny made us sandwiches. I ate mine and crawled onto the bed for a nap and asked her to wake me at 13:30. I did fall asleep but woke up on my own about 15 minutes early, and actually felt good. I asked her to meet me at Ewan, WA again and I headed out to capture some more miles.

The bridge in the distance is notable for the cut stone foundations at either end. Zoom In!

The final 11 miles to Ewan were spent on gravel roads or P2C. Thankfully the P2C mostly firmed up again so there wasn't another BONK.

The town of Ewan can be seen in the distance.

After the drama from earlier in the day, Bunny and I decided that Ewan, WA was far enough for this segment. I was only 30-40 miles short of Rosalia, and making that up the following week would be relatively easy. Up until now, I've been working 3 days per week and then riding across Washington. A couple of days after Memorial Day weekend, I'll start my vacation/personal leave of absence and, there won't be any more shuttling back and forth between the GART and home.