Two-Thirds Dry

Today was my longest "Day Tour" this season. I went south then west through Rochester and Oakville on Hwy 12. Passed the tiny little burg of Porter (the "Entering Porter" sign could just as easily say "Leaving Porter" all on the same side of the sign). When I got to Malone (also very small, but abit bigger than Porter), I turned right onto Mox Chehalis Rd. From there it was 9 miles to McCleary. I can now say I have ridden the entire length of Mox Chehalis Rd. (Funny thing, it doesn't go to Chehalis nor to anyplace called Mox). I had lunch, as usual, at the Subway in McCleary. I've eaten there 3 times in as many months. You would think they would start to recognize the strange woman who always comes in wearing bike gear. Maybe they do and they're just not letting on. McCleary was 50 miles into the ride.
Up until McCleary, there had been no rain (weather forecast said only 20% chance of rain). When I came out of Subway, it was sprinkling just a tad. I rode back to Hwy 8. The rain continued, but not enough to wet the road. For moments of time I had an awesome tailwind. Unfortunately, it would periodically swirl around and become a ferocious headwind (such a tease). As I got closer to Olympia it started raining more. Just as I was about to exit onto Old Hwy 410 another cyclist passed me. What is this? Someone else out here in the rain? He took Old Olympic, I went down 410. 410 is faster because I got ahead of him again. Alas, he passed me. Okay, though, because I stopped at Blue Heron Bakery and had a delicious slice of Carrot bread (they call it "cake", but it's more like bread). After that, I rode the rest of the way home with a short visit at Mary Beth's. I was pretty soaked by the time I got home (should have had my "Jacket of Awesomeness" on). Oh, another thing, it must have been "Road Construction" Day. I had to stop for 4 flaggers. One guy (just after Porter) said I could go through, just stay in the lane that was closed. That was great except, the piece of machinery they were using was taking up the whole lane for a section! I had to wait for the oncoming car to go before I could get around it.
Anyway, total miles for today: 79

Earth Day Ride (or, Feeling Like Some Hwy Riding)

Got a later start today, but that was okay because the weather just got better as the day went on. I headed to Littlerock and then on up to Mima Rd. Mima turns into Gate Rd. which turns to become Moon Rd. From Moon Rd. I worked my way back to Littlerock Rd. at Rochester. From there, I rode Hwy 12 to Grand Mound. I decided to treat myself to a chocolate dipped cone. I chose McDonalds over DQ because the McDonalds cones are 250 calories. DQ's are something like 800 calories! Funny, the 250 calorie cone tastes just as good to me!
After Grand Mound, I continued on Hwy 99 to Tenino. Except for the traffic moving faster, the road is good. Wide shoulders and smooth pavement! In Tenino I picked up the trail and rode home.
Total miles today: 59

Day Tour Number...(I've lost track)

Today's "Day Tour" took me on a road I've not been on. The wind was at my back all the way to 8th Ave. S. After turning onto 8th Ave. S., the wind was a very strong cross-wind. After a number of miles getting blown sideways, I stopped to have a look at my map. I wanted to see if 8th Ave. S. continued across Hwy. 702. According to the map, 8th Ave. S. did continue, but wouldn't take me where I needed to go. Oh well, I would turn onto 702. When I got to 702, I had another look at the map. Lo and behold, I discovered I was looking at the wrong 8th Ave. on the map. Turns out there are two 8th Aves. VERY close together. One is 8th Ave. South and the other is 8th Ave. EAST. 8th Ave. S. did continue in a way that would take me where I needed to go! So, I got to continue on in new territory (with the wind continuing to try to blow me across the road--at least it was better than a headwind)! I went by Hart's Lake and came back into McKenna. Stopped at a bakery and had a delicious piece of chocolate cake with a strawberry on top and a hot chocolate.
For a day that could have been very rainy, it was surprisingly sunny. Only got rained on a little bit on the way back in Yelm. Okay though, because I was wearing my new "Jacket of Awesomeness" (a Showers Pass jacket that I have coveted for a LONG time)!
Total miles: 67.9

Must Be Visiting Day At the Prison

How else to explain the traffic on a "Primative" road? I finally rode up Bordeaux Rd. today. For a number of years now people have asked me if I've ever gone up Bordeaux Rd. A friend used to go fishing up Bordeaux (not sure where, although there is, I'm guessing here, Cedar Creek). Said he used to ride his bike up Bordeaux. Said it was quite a hill. I figured today was as good as any to check it out (okay, there could have been better days--like ones with sunshine instead of rain). I turned onto Bordeaux from Mima Rd. At first it is just a long flat straight stretch. In a couple of miles I got to Capitol Forest and not long after that a sign indicating that this is a primitive road (little signage, etc.). A few log trucks passed me (empty ones going up; loaded trucks coming down). What amazed me was the large (for a "primitive" road) number of regular cars! Some were coming down and some were going up. I continued up the road (after I stopped to put on my rain pants). There were various roads that went off of Bordeaux (by then called E Line), but I stuck to what appeared to be the main road. About 3 miles from where I had put on my rain pants, I came to the Cedar Creek Correctional Facility. There in the Visitor Parking were all the cars that had passed me. Hmmm...must have been visiting day. I road a little further until the road changed to gravel where I turned around and headed back. As for the hill? Yes, it was about a 3 mile climb. No, it was not that steep. I've done much longer and steeper climbs. However, I did enjoy the ride down. Oh yes, one other thing. When I got home and talked to my friend on the phone and told her where I went, she says, "Oh, Bordeaux Rd., isn't that where the murder was?" WHAT MURDER???? Total miles: 46 (26 of which were in the rain)