Day 3 - Kennewick, WA to Lewiston, ID 136.67 miles

Day 3 was much better than the first. The weather was cooler than yesterday, low to mid 80s I think rather than the 90s in the Yakima Valley. The wind was again at my back for the most part, which made uphills very easy. One section of a pass blew me up at 25mph that normally would keep me at 10mph. To start the ride my knees reminded me they would like some time off the bike, they would get none today. The ride down Canal Street in Kennewick was beautiful, the road is propped up about 100 feet or so above the river which gave tremendous views over Pasco. It's Memorial Day so they decorated the bridges with Old Glory.

My ride through Ice Harbor Road was anything but what the name suggests, kind of like Iceland. There were apple orchards that gave way to wineries which finally after 20 miles out or so gave to wheat fields... and more wheat fields. I took a picture of an area I thought closely resembles the green field with blue sky landscape on Windows XP's wallpaper. After arriving in Waitsburg via US-12 I ran across a sign saying "Brewery ahead", thinking of the humor I stopped to take a picture of the sign and kept riding. I was almost past the brewery before I thought it would be good to stop in and see what's... brewing. It was a local brewery, which of course I had to stop. I met some government workers who work consists of traveling cross country, one from Knoxville explained I had quite the hill to climb to Lewiston. Later I would find the hill to be a somewhat modest 2,200 feet. Another couple were locals who went shrooming up in the Blue mountains. The beer was good, a no nonsense proud to be here kind of place, I respect it and the beer! Even better, the ride was much easier and I was in good spirits. I had the expectation I would run into places like these along the way more often than I had.

US-12 is a fantastic road, everyone is very friendly and some are even encouraging, unless a thumbs up means something else. I can't wait to see what is to come.

I tried something new, listening to music while I was riding. At first I used an Ipod Shuffle and then switched to the Blackberry once the battery ran out on the Ipod. I think the battery in the BB lasts longer, but I'll get to test that theory in the next few days. I was in a better mood and took a lot more pictures. I did miss one picture though, it was a handpainted sign saying "No peddlers or salesman, shot on sight", with another sign next to it with a cartoonish bull taking a dump and a red X over it. I was wondering if by peddlers he also included my kind.

I think it may have taken me a couple days to settle in and get used to riding 8 - 10 hours a day though. I feel better, although my knees still suffer from pedaling to hard on day 1. I noticed today at the restaurant some peculiar veins at the bottom of my calf I had not seen before...

Today's calories consisted of 66 oz of Powerade, 128 oz of water. 1/2 a clif bar, a handful of beef jerky, a beef brisket sub and handful of chips, 72 oz of ale, and a 1 lb burger which was totally awesome - it was a full 1 lb patty on an oversized bun. No I didn't finish it, I am not man enough.

Day 4 sends me in to the wilderness, it will be a day or two before I return to civilization.