Bicycle Tours

From: Okanogan, Washington
To: Mazama, Washington
Mileage: 59




Loup Loup pass was a steep 14-mile climb, but with plenty of breaks we made it up and over the pass (elevation 4020). After the 8-mile down hill (with a little road construction and detour) we arrived in Twisp at 1:00 pm for beverages and rest room breaks.

Going up Loup Loup pass was breath taking, in more ways than one. The scenery and fresh forest smells was incredible. We could see some of the smoke and smell the wildfires, but that disappeared about 4 miles from the pass. The Methow River valley between Loup Loup pass and tomorrow's challenge, Washington pass, is truly beautiful! Both the Rear Admiral and myself have voted Washington State as the most beautiful state we have cycled in on this journey.

We had lunch/dinner in Winthrop, which is a tourist trap kind of town. It's really is not fair of us to label it, but it has a population of 349, and yet created our first traffic jam of Washington state. The traffic jam was caused by all gift-tourist shops, and not enough parking places for half the state of Washington (at least it seemed like half the state of Washington).

Tonight we are staying at Mazama Ranch House which is a nice 8 room hotel that claims to be "the best little horse hotel in the State of Washington". We have to agree, but then again we have only been to one! It is truly a horse lover's paradise. After settling in, we went and visited the only grocery store for the next 50 miles, and after spending half of our retirement savings for tomorrow's lunch supplies we ventured back to the ranch to watch the horses and sunset.