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Snowcapped volcanic peaks loom like ice cream cones behind the verdant pastoral hills:
... and just when you think you might need something - such as on the 20-mile climb up White Pass - a SIR Oasis appears around the corner, with casually clad helpful staff ready to hand you a drink, watermelon, or ice sock:
Even the painted snowflakes on the ski area sign felt cool and refreshing:
Descending to Clear Lake reveals a scenic setting:
... and a serene lake as evening gathers:
Control official offers the essentials: analgesics and photo-documentation:
Rider still trying to look fresh!
The Naches overnight control is abuzz with staff and riders:
Day 2 starts off with a climb up the Chinook Pass Road to the Lodgepole control, past many a flowering verge:
The descent east progresses from deep woods and cool temps ...
... to more arid, open country ...
... more and more open with fewer and fewer trees ...
... finally giving way to pivot irrigated fields on the broad eastern plains:
But even out here, tall trees offer some shady avenues.
Isabelle Drake is making the most of the open country on the way to Quincy.
Day 3 starts out with some river miles, followed by a climb up to Dry Falls.
... and a snack opportunity complete with SIR coffee and bagels at the Dry Falls rest area.
Next a climb to a high plateau - a sea of wheat dotted with large rust-colored boulders, a soothing landscape that could make one drowsy after the snack at Dry Falls.
It's really wide-open high plateau in which any Last Chance rider would feel at home.
Lone structures evoke the solitude of pioneer times on the vast plains.
We descend across a dry wash with typical western styling ...
... and climb out against the rockface.
Time passes. It is now late in the afternoon after what seems the toughest climb of the route: Loup Loup. Stiff grades in the heat of the afternoon. This mild scene at the summit is a welcome punctuation point to a real workout ... complete with a false summit midway up.
Final light falls, graced by clouds once part of a thunderstorm on the valley up to Mazama Ranch.
Day 4 begins with the de rigeuer Mazama rancher breakfast, and then a "late" (6am) departure for most riders, followed by a cool climb to Washington Pass, the highest point on the route, and certainly the most alpine!
The pass itself (where Tom and I decide on a photo op) is reminiscent of the French/Swiss alps:
Washington Pass is higher than Boulder, CO by a few feet, but with lots more wilderness!
A slight dip and short climb brings us to neighboring Rainy Pass, today quite unrainy.
Lots of sublime views at this altitude!
After a prolonged descent on the North Cascade Highway, a succession of scenic, jade-green reservoirs.
Waterfalls along the roadside generate pockets of chilly air to cool the passing cyclist!
And amidst all this sun and just-post-solstice daylight, a snowcave for whatever creature may abide there.
The route becomes calmer, including this flat, shaded stretch right at naptime in the afternoon.
The stream next to the road is running high with runoff and/or rain, a Northwest staple.
And one glimpses views, now from the west, of the range we have crossed, if we can get a peek through all that great foliage lining the roadways.
It's a fine final few miles on wooded country roads which bring us suddenly to the start/finish in Monroe, and cyclists (Tom and I) clearly elated with the experience ... still doing our best to look fresh.
The finish line meal is actually a hearty breakfast the next morning. Erstwhile Colorado randonneurs Val and Robin Phelps seemed pleased with the experience ... or the hearty breakfast ... or maybe both!
And I guess it's now ok to don the event jersey, each curve in that red graph replete with good times and trying ones, but most of all a rewarding experience.
At the top of Super-James, a scenic view of the Indian Peaks:
At the base of the Brainard Lake road, whom to encounter but cheery Vernon Smith and Catherine Shenk at the Millsite Inn 400k checkpoint! While taking a break, Vernon was called into service to help the Millsite staff move a pool table.
Most of the way up Lefthand Canyon, Brent and Beth Myers are taking it easy (if that's not a contradiction in terms climbing Lefthand) on their way to a successful 400k finish:
... while KC Heck pauses briefly at one of the new, paved cyclist turnouts in the canyon:
Lots of smiles to go around both in the snowy realms and on the 400k, as attested by Steve Le Goff, Michelle Grainger, and Catherine:
Now that summer is evidently with us, enjoy!
