Day 3 - 82.8 miles / 7 hours 02 min - Odessa, WA

hey, i'm exhausted, so i am off to bed. we will be staying at gonzaga tomorrow.

it was a long hot day today, my comfy air mattress is calling my name

max 31.8 mph, dist 82.8 miles, time 7 hours 2 min, ave 11.7 mph, pbj, 0 flats, i cant send pictures internet not avail (from my cell phone)

Day #3

We started day 3 off well. I rode again with James, Kevin and Steph( were like a family within a family). No one's tent blew away during the night. We broke down camp, loaded our gear and had a catered breakfast at Blustery's again. Eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, fruit, toast, and muffins. (Steph and Kevin said that it was the best meal yet)

We got our cue sheets from Daniel and then as a group went out onto Interstate 90 to do across as a group (there are no shoulders on the bridge across the Columbia). Our support vehicles went in front and in back of us. We were quite a sight. Vehicles going west on the bridge slowed and many of them honked and waved their hands. It brought tears to my eyes because I think I finally realized that we had become a large family with a similar goal.

On the climb up I-90 towards George, Steph said, "I don't mind hills anymore." Strong work coming from a flat lander from North Carolina. We went by a lot of different kinds of fields on our way towards and out of George. They post signs now on the road telling people passing by what is in the fields. I didn't know what carrots for seed looked like until I read the sign. The town of George has a sense of humor. They have Valley Forge Fruit Company, Martha's Inn, and a picture (like on the dollar bill) of George Washington on their Water Tower. I stared laughing when I saw the Valley Forge Fruit Company. Steph said, "I don't get it." I explained and she laughed too. "You know I don't like to read books, don't you," she said.

We went from George to Ephrata North 283 and then caught SR-28 from Ephrata to Odessa. This was the most miserable 42 miles I have ever rode on. It was hot and the scenery was just sage brush, and some rock formations. The most exciting part of this whole stretch of highway was when Nick (Our Mechanic) wrote WATER Fall on the pavement. It pointed to an irrigation ditch with a small man made water fall. I took a picture of it with my cell phone camera.

After leaving the water stop/check point at 22 miles into this last slog towards Odessa, I got so burnt out of being on my bike that I took off and rode between 18-23 mph for the last 20 miles. Anyone who has ever hiked with know this mentality that I get ( the mule heading towards the barn one).

At the Odessa School I grabbed my bags, Steph's and Kevins. I would have grabbed Jame's bags too, but didn't know what they looked like. I set up my tent and waited for the others to get into town. Everyone was exhausted (all 37 riders). Steph and I went to the public pool for a swim and shower. Dinner that night was made by the cooks at the school. It was very good. I later took a great picture of the sunset. (see pictures from day 2-4)