July 12, 2003 We are now at The Dalles, and our hotel overlooks the dam at The Dalles, forming a very wide and deep Columbia River. We spent the day along side the river, and it provided some natural airconditioning. We left Umatilla, crossing over the Columbia back to the Washington side, very early (6:10) to avoid some of the heat and wind. Again, we were unsuccessful. The wind was howling out of the West as we turned West, and it was difficult to maintain any kind of speed. We also ran into a lot of rollers. The combination of wind and rollers kept our average speed under 11 mph. We had fun, however, because the scenery was full and the traffic was light. There was a great shoulder on the road for the whole ride. At the 16 mile point, according to our two mapping services, we were to have services. Well, they were both closed, and we are more than slightly pissed. We really couldn't understand why they would be closed on Satuday! Anyway, we talked to a guy who said that we would find water, etc. at Roosevelt, about 33 miles down the River. On we rode, really working hard to hold our speed against the climbs and the wind. We eventually reached Roosevelt (And, that bar and grill was a wonderful sight, as we had been out of water for 15-20 minutes.) - after over 5 hours in the saddle, and we talked about packing it in for the day. Had there been a motel close by, we would have adjusted our schedule so that we could stop. When we went into the bar, we told the bartender that we would be interested in a ride to The Dalles if someone were willing. There were no immediate takers. After a short time, this guy came in, and sat next to LaValle. After a bit, LaValle asked him if was local, and he said no - he was headed for The Dalles to visit a friend. Well, the rest is history. The scenery as we were riding was the same as yesterday - brown hills, lots of orchards, gobs of wheat and some hay fields. However, it changes constantly, so it is never boring. After we got in the truck, the scenery changed markedly, and the river started being bracketed on the Oregon side with the tan cliffs, and on the Washington side by those nice, brown hills. It was spectacular. At one point, as we were driving along, Mount Hood started showing itself. Eventually, the mountain was perfectly framed by the Gorge, making for one of the most spectacular sights of our trip. What a combination of natural wonders. The weather today was very nice except for the wind. The temperature when we started was 73, and it warmed into the high 80's. The sky was clear and blue, and, as was said earlier, the wind was howling. It was blowing a steady 20-25, and the gusts were much stronger. The bike did well today, and the Team continues to do its job and still recover nicely. Tomorrow is the jaunt into Portland, where we will have a rest day. Ron Note from LaValle... today's photos are somewhat abbreviated. I didn't take pictures in John's truck so all of the photos of Mount Hood and the approach to the Dalles are missing. But on the other hand, John was a blessing. Much like the seagulls for the Mormons, he flew into that bar out of nowhere, ordered a tomato juice and beer and then said of course he'd take us to The Dalles since he was going that way anyway. John is a crane operator who used to be an ironworker. Home is LaBarge, Wyoming (having been born and raised in Ohio). You'll see pictures of John, but he so much reminded me of Doug Simon that he could be Doug's cousin. Thank you so much John, wherever you are!!