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Day 28,

August 19, 2003.

 

Lewiston Hill

 

 

Morning started not in the best way – some lady came to the tent and said that it was a private property and I can’t set up tents here. J

 

Well, at least this happened in the morning, so I was already rested enough and after quickly packing up, went to look for the library. The library was easy to find but it was still closed for another 20 minutes, so I just waited outside. By the time it was 5 minutes until opening, a lot of people gathered outside. After the doors opened, many of these people rushed to computers, to use the internet.

By some lucky chance, when I realized that soon there will be a shortage of computers, I asked a librarian at the sign up desk and was assigned a computer that was still not taken.

The use of the internet was free. I spent there an hour or so, answering and writing e-mails, as well as uploading recent pictures.

 

After the library I stopped by the grocery store known for the lowest prices. It’s called “Grocery Outlet”. There I bought coupple of cups of yougurt, cheese and pears. After this I stopped at Burger King and ate some cheesburgers. Finally I was full and ready to leave. Right outside of Lewiston, starts a very long and steep incline, called Lewiston Hill.

 

I rolled down to the river, crossed the freeway and started riding up hill on a nice wide shoulder. Soon I got tired of pedaling and started walking. Slowly, road was getting higher and higher exposing a beatiful view of Lewiston and the factories around the river.

 

In about an hour of walking, a small pick-up truck of GoodYear tire company pulled over next to me and a guy behind the steering wheel asked if I needed a ride. I said of course that I didn’t need it but thanked the guy for the offer anyway.

 

By the next hour or so, wind became extremely strong so that there was no way of riding – I could hardly push the bike.

When road became especially wide and there was some space between the road and the mountain, I stopped for a break to eat a can of beets. Right across the road, there was a great look out point with a terrific view of Lewiston and more distant hills. (Refer to pictures. A little smoke from a distant fire can be seen on the picture.)

 

Walking further, I came close to a road sign that was mounted on a big spring. The wind, that was very gusty at the moment, was leaning the sign almost horizontally.

Finally the hill ended and for 2 or 3 miles the road was flat. That’s when I crossed the Washington border leaving the state of Idaho.

 

Washington started with pretty flat going among the fields.

Soon the road became straight and entered a little town. I stopped in front of sitting group of seniors to ask about the road ahead and where would be the best place to buy groceries.

Turned out the biggest town ahead that I could still possibly arrive in today, was Pullman.

By approximately 6 o’clock, I was on the edge of another small town where I didn’t find any stores. I stopped at a small park to rest for few minutes and look at the map, when this guy in the car stopped to talk to me. His car had a bicycle on the roof and he told me how in his young days, he rode a mountain bike from Seattle to Spokane. He said he didn’t like the experience because he took the Interstate and it didn’t feel safe for him.

 

The sun was about to set when I decided to ride another 16 miles to Pullman. I headed to the road and started pedaling. The wind was a head wind but the road was quite and peaceful, going among corn fields. I also enjoyed watching a beautiful sunset.

 

When I arrived to Pullman, it looked like a dead town, because there were no moving cars. I stopped on big, empty shopping centers and ate a double cheeseburger meal in Mc Donalds.

Then I went to Safeway’s café to write in this journal and look through magazines.

 

Since the town was very quite I knew there shouldn’t be much problems finding a spot for the tent. However I spent almost an hour trying to find a school, that was pretty high in the hills. I had to walk there since the hill was too steep to ride on.

Finally I arrived to school and even found an open bathroom on the football field. There I’ve done all the washing necessary and set up the tent on the balcony of one of the buildings. The stairs were going to the second floor, with a nice area protected from the wind and views of anybody in the parking lots. I put a tent on a concrete floor and it felt incredible laying on that mat in the tent.

 

Today’s total- 31 miles.

 

 

 

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