Okanogan Day 5: Bonnaparte Lake to Tonasket and Home! by Emily

July 24
27 Miles, 75' climbing.

A great time was had by all..

In the morning, we rose with the light, and packed up before rolling over to the Resort for breakfast and coffee. My breakfast sandwich with avocado and hashbrowns was the best meal I had eaten in what seemed like forever!  As we sat at our window table, I noticed the fleet of ducks that were shored up on the dock. The wind was blowing them everywhere.  Finally the ducks decided by some mysterious decree to leave the dock for the wind break of trees and bushes.  One pair of young-looking ducks was inseparable, and moved in unison, including swimming across the spit of water, glued together. Very cute.

Inside the restaurant/lodge.

Fueling up!

Morning on the lake.

The trip down Bonaparte Lake Road was beautiful in the crisp cold morning air. We flew past those dogs again, this time we would have outrun them if their fence hadn't held.  The beautiful grasslands stunned me once again, but this time I captured some film.....

Rolling past the grasslands full of color and stretched morning shadows.

We turned back onto the main road to Tonasket, gleeful at our downhill spree.  And oh how gleeful it was for the first few miles.  THEN we came around a corner and ran smack into a  wall of wind!   We were pedaling just to go down hill.  If we stopped pedaling, we eventually cruised to a stop!!! Wow. Not what I expected.  And it lasted for the remaining 15 miles to Tonasket. 

This is what the road was like: 

stock photo of road to Tonasket

Stock photo of flat lands full of wind....

The last few miles before we dropped into Tonasket, I enjoyed seeing the mountains west of town that we first road through on day one.  We pulled into the Red Apple, checked in with Chris and picked up the van before stopping at the Co-op for snacks for the road.  Breakfast was still fueling us, so no need for lunch yet.  We said good bye to Okanogan, and began the drive home.  We didn't stop until Hwy 90 Coffee stop for treat to share.

This time, I was awake for the journey through the upper Columbia river Gorge, and took some pictures through the window....  They are at the end of this post for those who are curious.   After dinner at Cousins restaurant in The Dalles, we made it home before dark!

Entering the upper gorge from the north....