Day 2: Leaving Leavenworth

Leavenworth to Coulee City

Today’s ride was all about big vistas, sage brush, cattle guards, coulees, dirt roads - and wind.  We left the lush forests of the Cascades for the open ranges of (more) eastern Washington. All in, we rode 97 miles with 4700 feet of climbing, some on nicely maintained dirt roads, but we reluctantly admit that there was a walker or two in there when the grade got to 20%. We looked at Google Maps and thought that we might grab lunch at a spot called Nelson’s Country Store. Sounded inviting. It may have been - 20 years ago. The place was defunct and decrepit (like us), so we settled for a ‘delicious’ energy bar. (We are already sick of them.) Turns out you can ride for 50 or so miles - literally - and not see a house or a store or gas station. For the most part you need to be prepared to eat and drink what you have or do without. And you don’t want to do without water.

We spent a good deal of the day riding through coulees (yes, like the Grand Coulee), which was great until about 70 miles in when a fierce headwind and cross wind kicked up.  No cyclist is crazy about a headwind but we can honestly say that we’ve never experienced anything like this.  We were thrown around and had to get off our bikes on several occasions to just hold on to avoid being knocked over - really.

We had a fast descent (thankfully) coming into Coulee City where we spent the night at the Ala Cozy motel.  Tomorrow its off to Spokane.