Day 5

Left next to heaven at Paradise (Mt. Rainier) for the 12 mile downhill ride, followed by another 11+ mile drop (of course, this is what we'd been doing the other direction for the last 2 days)-- (see the attached picture of the 3D of Mt Rainier, especially at the switchbacks) hands ached from braking, bone-chilling downhill ride but what a blast. Going up the road was the 150 miler RAMROD group which is the 150 mile ride around Mt. Rainier (Editor's note: we saw only 3 women of the 150 or so that we passed). It made me feel a bit like a wienie only doing 50 miles but we'd already paid our dues.

We continued pedalling through quiet backroads (Rt. 25) to lunch, which Art missed for the 4thday out of past 5). After another great lunch of blueberries, smoked salmon and salad, we loaded up the biles and proceeded to today's ending spot of Skamamia Lodge (Stevenson, WA). We didn't stop at Mt. St. Helens itself but had several viewing points, all of which were pretty spectacular. The Lodge is lovely-- golf course, lap pool, hot tub, view of the Columbia River Gorge, and wine.... and internet so we can catch up with all the lost days.

Dinner was fabulous (Art had beef with blue cheese and K of Kobag had little baby lamb chops(sorry, Susan), topped off with huckleberry creme brulee and cherry cobbler.