June 21, Rainbow Falls State Park to Kalama, 71 miles, 2200 elevation gain
  Why did I decide to ride 71 miles on a fully loaded bike weight total of close to 70 pounds? Well, I don't really know.  It was actually less tiring than Day 1 somehow.  The weather was good, traffic light on the route I chose.  I was dreading a section of the route, a one mile climb just short of the end, named by Kalama Century alumni, That Bitch Carroll. Yeah, it was hard.  I survived and began thinking about my next tour.
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June 20, Millersylvania to Rainbow Falls State Park, 39 miles
 The rain didn't stop in the morning but it wasn't cold and I had rain gear.  As I departed, I could see that the campground had filled up overnight.  Kids everywhere on their bikes; the smell of bacon and pancakes mixed with the wood smoke, made my mouth and eyes water.
 I couldn't resist stopping at Bill & Bea's Burgers on the outskirts of Centralia.  I was not disappointed. Although navigating through Centralia wasn't fun, the fun did begin when I got onto a pleasant, hilly country road dotted with horses, cows, sheep, and John Deere tractors.  The last 15 miles to Rainbow SP is on the Willapa Trail, which I mentioned having traveled last year.

June 18 Lewis & Clark to Millersylvania State Park, 42 miles, 990 elevation gain
 More sun today, but rain's on the way I'm told.  Leaving Lewis & Clark, I stopped to check out the Jackson House State Park (first state park in Washington), a historic site just down the road.  It became a welcome stop over for people following the Oregon Trail to Puget Sound.
 I could not find an alternative to Hwy 99 north, and even though there's adequate shoulder, it's busy with large trucks and fast traffic.  On the plus side, I pulled into the Great Wolf Lodge/Waterpark and connected to their wi fi while having a break.
 In spite of having a pre departure checklist, I always forget a thing or two.  This trip was no exception.  I didn't bring a pump. Feeling this is a necessity, I was able to navigate to a retail store and buy a pump for insurance, guaranteeing I wouldn't get a flat.
 Millersylvania SP is a very large and very popular destination.  I decided to stay two days.  There's a small lake where one can rent boats, several miles of trails, lots of day use areas, and if you can believe it, a beer garden! Maybe I'm living a sheltered life, but I never expected a beer garden in a state park.
 I spent the next day doing a lot of nothing.  I found an empty campsite with electricity, sat in my fantastic Helinox Zero chair with a book, and got stuff all charged up. Anticipating rain on my second night, I scoped out a shelter near my campsite which I moved to so as not to have to pack up wet stuff.
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June 17:  Kalama to Lewis & Clark State Park, 45 miles, 2000 elevation gain
 Today was the start of a short tour, beginning in Kalama, WA, a short drive from home.  The Port of Kalama lets you park in the McMenamins lot, which is patrolled 24/7, if you request a permit.
 Yeah, you are probably thinking that 45 miles isn't so far.  Well I didn't think it was either until I started climbing some hills that I wouldn't want to do on my road bike.  I swear I will never ride Bond Road again for anything! I found a paved bike path that runs the length of the town of Kelso, a welcome change from the climbing and the traffic.
 By the time I got to the campground, it was late and no one was around, so I found my own spot and tracked down the ranger in the morning as I was leaving. I love hiker/biker sites - no reservations and cheaper than regular tent sites.  Washington and Oregon and a few other states have a no turn away policy for hikers/bikers, reducing the stress of where to camp the next night.

 

Out today with my paddle buddy, Alain, on Estacada Lake, Oregon, a short 40 minute drive from home.  The lake is actually a large dammed section of the Clackamas River and is part of the Milo McIver State Park.  The water is calm except for approaching the upper dam, our turn around spot, 3 miles up.  Small power boats allowed but most were there for fishing, not that anybody was catching anything. We saw a couple of bald eagles and an osprey tending its nest high atop a dead tree. Alain and I always have a contest to see who can collect the most and sometimes unusual, trash.  He won, no contest, as you'll see in the photos.
Stanley is beside himself with excitement as I organize for a small bike tour, now that Washington has opened some state parks for camping. Oh, and the Gypsea is a bit excited also. YAY!