36: Here comes the rain again, falling on my head . . .

No lie, I think we have had rain for the better part of a week now.  The other day, when we were staying with Warm Showers hosts Dave and Carol, the sun came out for a bit after dinner and I walked outside to just stand in the sunshine. It was so bright I had to close my eyes!  They hurt from the brilliance of the sunshine. I have become a mole-person. Another couple of days in this land of no-sun and I will be doing nothing but drinking hot tea and listening to Janis Ian. The Pacific northwest is made for sterner folk than I.

Thanks, Henry, for setting us straight.

Our ride today was short - just 36 miles - and that was longer than planned because we got turned around a bit at the end of the bike trail and had to back track a section. Our Good Samaritan today was Henry, who was riding along the Green River bike trail and stopped to chat while we were stopped there looking at the map and guide sheet.  He was kind enough to retrace his route and get us back on track. Thank you! We never would have found our way out to the proper street.

We had sprinkles again today. So what? It didn't really get us wet, we just miss the sunshine. I know that we will soon be riding in impossibly hot weather, wishing we could have some cool showers.  In fact, the forecast for eastern Washington next week includes high temps in the 90s! So we should be enjoying this cool weather while we have it. And we are - I actually think it's just about perfect to ride at 60 to 65%. But I am tired of getting wet every day!

We had a nice road to start on - sort of like that road through the industrial park where the Ashley Furniture factory is in Redlands. Good road, no traffic, parallel to the freeway. From there, about 15 miles on the very good Interurban Bike Trail. We loved this one.  Most of the crossings had automatic sensors, which put lights on for the cars, who had to stop for us. Bingo! We had some breakfast at CoCo Joe's Tavern, which was sort of a trip. I do not often have my omelette right in front of a beer tap. But it was the only place to get breakfast there in Algona. As one local sitting there in the bar put it, "who's going to come to Algona?" Who, indeed?  Just a couple of cross-country cyclists!

Lake Washington

The last part of our ride was along Lake Washington, and it was pretty. The yards here were beautiful, as they have been all along the Oregon and Washington leg of our journey. There are so many colorful bushes and trees - lots of purple and deep pink shrubs - plus rhododendron of every shade, peonies, roses and lilacs. Then you've got dogwood trees, perennials, annuals and even wildflowers in most gardens. It really is lovely. And all of this is set on an emerald green lawn, which doesn't even bother me because of course, they don't need to water them.

Lawns and gardens are lovely up here

We are staying for a day or two with the sister of my very dear college friend.  Gaye and Ben are winemakers, and they live in a great 1917 Craftsman cottage near Lake Washington. Roger and I walked to a lovely French restaurant for dinner, where we enjoyed a splendid view of the Seattle skyline.

I did not realize Seattle was so up-and-down until we rode here!

Roger said, "we're hardly roughing it tonight." To which I replied, "I didn't agree to rough it for six months. I agreed to have an Excellent Adventure, which is what we are doing.  So pour me a little more wine, darling!" And he did.

Yes, it is an Excellent Adventure!

The day's report: Puyallup to Seattle, 36.3 miles/1763 to date