Sunshine!Seventy degrees when we started at 7:30 this morning, after pedaling down the road to (apparently) The place for breakfast, consuming our daily supply of sugar in the form of french toast and blueberry pancakes.  Our first 14 miles took us along the forest edge,past creeks and farms.Equal opportunity photo……Perfectly Gorgeous morning.

The best part was it was flat; something we had not enjoyed since beginning this ride.  After a week of seeing deer everywhere, I was finally able to get a picture, they are much quicker than my camera.Once reaching Colville however, everything changed.  We began continuous rolling UP (not up and down) hills. These shorter, stair step climbs were a steeper grade than the straight up mountains of the last several days and they were taking their toll on our legs.  But the day was spectacularly gorgeouswith very little traffic and an occasional log trucks.The fields were a rich, healthy green and the crystal clear blue sky was accentuated by pristine white clouds……breathtaking!

Just before noon and 32 miles of riding we reached Crystal Falls. Without any sound of water all morning, we turn a corner for this spectacular sight,not to mention the family rapelling down the cliff to the falls. We stayed there for a rest, nourishment and our remaining water, hoping to regain some energy for what we hoped was the downward leg of the ride. Though the temperature was only in the 80’s, in the sun the heat was cooking us. Obviously, we had not given enough respect to the gentle climb the topography showed for today’s ride.  It was not until 2:00, we were able to stop for more water and lunch; not sure how much farther either of us had in us, without this stop. Several miles down the road we finally came to the downhill that we had been waiting for all day.  Within minutes of our ten minute thrill down, all memory of heat and exhausted legs disappeared, the smell of pine filling our lungs.  Just what we needed to invigorate us enough to go the 20 more minutes to “town” and our stop for the night. This is second time we have been within 25 miles of the Canadian border.  Though we are going to cross it soon, we apparently need to travel further south, first.  But not tonight, after our 6 1/2 hour ride and almost 57 miles, we needed to stop.