Day 7 - Ellensburg to Windy Point CG

Nice flat ride with tailwind along Yakima River Canyon, a beautiful canyon with lots of float fly fisherman on the river. We stop by the river for a break and meet "Rad  Man" a hippie-type that ties a big bungee to a tree along the river, then gets on a board and drifts downstream until he buries himself under the water and comes shooting out for a wild river ride called "rad boarding".
We have a gradual climb into Selah for burritos at Taco Bell. Leaving Selah we a cursing Adventure Cycling as they take up and down brutal climbs which could have been avoided by staying on the main road. Dick is starting to fade in the desert like heat and we stop by the only shade foe miles and a nice woman invites us to rest on her shady grass and fills our water bottles. Navigator Johnny ignores the woman's elicit directions in favor of confusing ACA ones and takes us on a unintended 5 mile round trip detour. Dick begins the Bataan Death March on a 2 mile uphill climb, where proudly he refuses a local's offer of a pick-up truck ride. Then down to Naches, where Johnny has a brief moment of panic as it is Sunday and the State Liquor store is closed.

We finally start a 3 mile route along heavily trafficked Hwy 12 w/ minimal shoulders, then head south and reach the Windy Creek Forest Service campground, a beautiful site on the Tieton River. Our total is 63 miles w/ the 5 mile screw-up. The gentleman, Brain Anderson from Sacramento, gives us homemade oatmeal cookies.