Day 3. Rockport, WA to Colonial Creek Campground, 38 miles

We are in the mountains (thus the lack of cell service and the post-facto post). Today featured the first real climbing of the trip, though nothing compared to tomorrow, when I hit two major passes; the second, Washington Pass, is now the highest of the trip, since Logan Pass in Glacier is closed through at least the beginning of July due to snow. I discovered today that when I am climbing on a consistent but manageable grade I repeat to myself ”slow and steady slow and steady slow and steady.” When the grade grows severe I am reduced to mumbling ”okay okay okay okay.” Less instructive, more coping.

North Cascades National Park is gorgeous. It is the most beautiful place I have ridden, hands down. I had a life-affirming tailwind, and the weather was ideal, and really it was an excellent day of riding.

I went through a tunnel! It was a little scary, but you press a button before entering that tells cars there’s a bike in there. And it is presumably better than going over the thing they tunneled through.

Every road-side stop was eye-popping, with rushing green river against snow-capped peaks. I luxuriated, knowing I had only 38 miles to cover, and even with my lazy 10 a.m. departure I got to the campground by 3:30.

Colonial Creek Campground, which was fully booked when I tried to reserve a site a few weeks ago, does indeed have a hiker/biker site, though they had trouble remembering which site it was, since I am—the ranger told me—their first cyclist of the season! And it was free! After stashing everything in the bear safe, I went for a hike on Thunder Creek Trail. Because why not follow up riding with hiking?

Fell asleep while reading around 8:30 (not the fault of my book, Courtroom 302, which is a so-far-fascinating examination of the Cook County criminal justice system.