Day 49 – Washington!
Last night’s rest was surprisingly comfortable considering that I was camping in the backyard of a house with pseudo permission. Figuring an early start was wise, I got up and packed quickly before riding up to the Priest’s River Hardwood Grill for breakfast. Some neighbors heading to church gave me some sideways glances, and I smiled and waved. Todd had said they began serving at 8, but I arrived around 7 and the front door was open, so I sat down to take care of some writing and correspondence while I waited.
A little after 8, I took a table and ordered some absolutely delicious food, exactly what has slipped my mind! Again, I’m too reliant on the FlipHD camera to remind me of all the details around my trip. Ah well. Everyone was so friendly and cheerful in the morning and I ate my fill, handed out a number of cards and headed on my way.
With no camera but my iPhone, I crossed into Washington and snapped a few pictures of the welcome sign high above the ground. Then I rode on, uneventfully, through beautiful country, an occasional sprinkle, but mostly just heat and sun. Thristy, tiring, and needing to get more sunscreen on after some rain, I finally pulled into the Best Buy north of Spokane and started the process of fixing my Flip.
Naturally my info was nowhere to be found in the system, and after 2 hours of patient troubleshooting to find my purchase (how is it a major retailer like Best Buy doesn’t have a centralized computer network for this sort of thing?) I had a brand new Flip in my hand and started shooting. Sadly, as I would discover later, when you haven’t set up the device and don’t pay close attention to downloading the items from the camera, you may not actually download anything. Subsequently I have lost all the names and photos of the people who helped me at Best Buy and Spoke and Sport down the road. Email me if you read this and thank you!
So I was in Spokane and figured out at Spoke and Sport that Davenport, about 40 miles down the road would be good stopping point. I had to find reliable internet this night as several items for law school and my professional life needed submission and delivery by Monday morning. I figured Davenport would likely have a place, but had no real surety in the matter.
Then… on my light ride around downtown Spokane about to head out I saw a glorioius sign; The Old Spaghetti Factory. With excitement and substantial hunger I pulled the rig in the door, saw the early seating happening and decided to find a place in town with internet, come back and eat, then prepare for a late night and early morning online. Using my iPhone, I called a local HoJo’s that was now a FairBridge Inn Express, got a great rate and rode to check in so I could come back and have a beer or two. My check in was pretty hilarious with quests and staff shocked at my adventure, but between my excitement about Old Spaghetti Factory and the rumble of my belly I pushed off quickly to the restaurant.
For the first time in my memory of all the OSF’s Victoria and I have gone to over the years, I was able to sit at the bar and get a full meal. Kristy served me some wonderful beers, three platefuls of pasta (so much, and so good) and I spoke with two tables for sometime about my adventure. Finally, I said goodbyes, dropped off my bike and went across the street to a 7-11 for some late night snacks for later before starting to work. Can never have too much food on this trip.
Today’s ride felt light in comparison to the last couple, but it was so satisfying to have a good shower, a working FlipHD camera, and zippy internet to complete some work. Plus, this bed is so comfortable I’m going really have to force my way out in the morning. But the most important thing learned of the day: I’m in Washington!
2 years ago