Installing a Muffler and Leaving Portland

8/24/2006: Day 5, 34.4 miles; Total 143.0 Miles

We awakened on the TB Cimarron’s birthday in Belcher’s yard where we both slept in the VW for the first time. We slept in until 6:30 and Cimarron reminded me of the hole in the muffler he found during the cattle drive. It needs fixed before we leave Portland, the largest city on the whole trip. Having his van repaired is almost as tough as having his child operated on, so I felt I’d better go with him. He had seen a VW dealer yesterday so we headed over there. I parked the Van while he went into service and asked if they had a muffler so they sent him to the parts department. I came in and said we needed a muffler on the Van quickly as we were riding a bike to Washington, DC. The service manager said, “If it were mine, I’d go 55 blocks down the street to Portland Muffler, the best in town where I took my own car.” So we did, and 2 hours and $90 later we had a new muffler. We then had the giant birthday breakfast and drove to 181^st and Burnside to start the ride again at 1:30 pm.

I rode 6.9 miles along the light rail line on Burnside and a few side streets to the I-84 entrance ramp where we reconnoitered and decided to go for Hood River some 50 miles away. I-84 was a great ride. With me at 16 mph and the traffic at 65 mph, it was really not bad. There is a 10-foot shoulder nice and smooth and the traffic stayed over nicely. There was a trailing wind out of the west and so my pace was good with about a 14 mph average. The route is only slightly uphill and no major climbs as the road follows the Columbia River Gorge for over 200 miles. We saw the Bonneville Hydroelectric Dam and multiple locks and the Bridge of the Gods that crosses over into Washington and is the route of the Pacific Crest Trail that I hope to hike someday before I get old. I stopped at Multnomah Falls that is the most magnificent in Oregon and falls several hundred feet from the cliffs into the gorge right beside the interstate. I didn’t have my camera so asked a nice tourist family to take my picture with their cell phone. I hope to post the picture.

At exit 40 bikers are required to leave the interstate because of a narrow tunnel unsafe for bikers. The bike trail is on old highway 30 built in the 1920’s as a single lane dirt road carved out of the side of the gorge. It was beautiful and views of Bonneville Dam were spectacular; however, the road climbed the side of the gorge and I had to walk the bike up some mile or so and lost much time in my average pace. At one point there are about 60 steps coming down the gorge back to the road and a groove to push the wheels in. It worked pretty well as I used the hand brakes and let the bike roll in the groove as I walked the steps. But this side trail cost me time and energy and I could see I would never make it to Hood River. I had called the TB and he couldn’t find a motel in Hood River because of some type of weekend celebration so he was waiting at the Viento State Park Campground. I was very upset about this, as I had sent him off to find a motel room and to relax away the afternoon while I pedaled. But he never got the rest he needed. As I entered the little town of Cascade Locks some 8 miles short of the destination, I passed the Cascade Motel and got us a room. By the time he got here I was showered and had washed out my biking clothes. He micowaved leftovers from last night’s birthday bash and I went to the local drive in and picked up an excellent hamburger and fries and vanilla shake. I just went back on red meat 3 months ago and the burger was great.

So, although today’s mileage was again not up to standard, I have more excuses and extenuating circumstances (the muffler) and will do better tomorrow. However, the latest problem for tomorrow is the Steelers are on Friday night football and I’d sure love to see it. Being on Pacific time the game will start at 5 PM!