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Tour de PNW Columbia River to Idaho REVISED

  • 10 Jun 2023
  • 9:00 AM
  • 15 Jun 2023
  • 4:00 PM
  • Vantage Riverstone Motel in Vantage, WA on off I-90 on the west side of the Columbia River
  • 6

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Tour de PNW Phase 3: Columbia River - Idaho REVISED

Revision highlights:

  • 1st day start location changed to Vantage where Phase 2 ends.
  • 1st day will cross the Columbia River on the newly reconditioned Beverly Bridge.
  • No change to existing Phase 3 lodging plans.
  • The drive from home to Vantage and back to home is only for those who did not arrive in Vantage on their bike by riding Phase 2.
  • A revised option 3 for Friday, June 16th: Join a separate ride to Wallace - Mullan - Lookout Pass (32 miles, 2,500 feet of gain round trip), then return home on Saturday.

Here’s an opportunity for a few good riders interested in an expeditionary bike tour to explore a slice of our Pacific NorthWest region in a unique adventure.  This tour is designed for active senior bicyclists to ride their bikes eastward in a series of 5-day tours, or phases, across Washington and Idaho.  Riders may do 1, 2, or all 3 phases.  This tour is for Phase 3 from Vantage, WA by the Columbia River to Wallace, Idaho on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

For more general information for this tour series, refer to the initial Tour de PNW announcement: https://bikesclub.org/memberforum/13034453.

Ride leader: Rick Proctor, BikeHound@comcast.net, 425-293-3153.

Register:

  • By Sunday, June 4th, 2023
  • Group size limited to 8.
  • Riders must make their own lodging reservations.  

Routes: 

  • Links to RideWithGPS routes for each day are in the attached spreadsheet.  You must make your own lodging reservations soon. 
  • Tour de PNW is planned for overnight stays in motels and most meals in restaurants to minimize weight and bulk on the bikes.
  • This Tour de PNW does not require camping equipment, but the routes have sections with many hours between restrooms or porta-potties.  Riders must be willing and able to “go” outside.

Pace: 

  • The moderate “effort” pace of this tour is intended for riders who regularly ride paved roads at a moderate pace slowed down by a touring load of gear, gravel riding, uphills, headwinds, photo stops, etc. 
  • Routes pass through sections with wild areas, opportunities to get lost, and sometimes no cell phone service.  The plan is to keep everyone within line of sight and frequent regroups for safety. 

Equipment:  

  • Your bike must be in good condition and ready for the route. 
  • Before the tour starts you should test ride your bike fully loaded for the tour to make sure everything fits and will stay where it belongs on the bike when riding on rough surfaces such as gravel and rough pavement.
  • You must be able to do your own minor repairs, including flat repairs, and maintenance.

Drivers: 

  • If you are not riding Phase 2, someone will need to drive to deliver you to the start location and retrieve you from the end of this tour to take you home.
  • Sufficient public transportation is not known to exist to the Vantage or Wallace areas, so creative bribes may be needed to stimulate willingness from family and/or friends to drive a motor vehicle(s) to deliver us to the start location in Vantage and bring us and our bikes home from Wallace.

The Plan:  The tour schedule and estimated costs, including links to RWGPS routes for each day and suggested lodging for each night are in the attached spreadsheet.  Bad weather could cause a reschedule.  Check with Ride Leader if in doubt.

  • Saturday, June 10: 9 AM start at the Vantage Riverstone Motel in Vantage, WA (about 151 car miles from the Mill Creek area) then ride bikes to lodging in Othello.  49 bike miles with 1,695 feet of gain.  This day will be about 20 miles of gravel and 29 miles of pavement. 
  • Sunday, June 11:  Ride bikes from Othello to lodging in Ritzville.  54.3 miles & 2,496 feet of gain.  This day's plan is all pavement.  Carry a picnic lunch.
  • Monday, June 12:  Ride bikes from Ritzville to lodging in Cheney.  53.3 miles & 1,674 feet of gain.  This day will be about 20 miles of gravel, 34 miles of pavement.  Carry a picnic lunch.
  • Tuesday, June 13:  Rest day in Cheney after 3 long-ish days and a few more coming up.
  • Wednesday, June 14:  Ride bikes from Cheney to Plummer, Idaho.  We will meet up with the BIKES Club Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes Tour group for lunch in Plummer, then ride the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes to lodging in Harrison.  57.8 miles & 2,217 feet of gain.  This day will be about 6 miles of gravel and 52 miles of pavement.  Carry a picnic lunch.
  • Thursday, June 15:  Ride bikes from Harrison to lodging in Wallace.  49.2 miles & 1,140 feet of gain.  This day is all pavement and almost all on the trail.  Lunch stop in Enaville at the Snake Pit, a unique Idaho eatery at about mile 32.  Tour de PNW Phase 3 ends in Wallace.  Riders may choose to go home this day or later.
  • Friday, June 16 options:
    • Hang out local in Wallace, or:
    • Return home, or:
    • Join a separate ride to Wallace - Mullan - Lookout Pass (32 miles, 2,500 feet of gain round trip), then return home on Saturday.
  • Hopefully our drivers will meet us in Wallace to return us and our bikes home.


EastWA-ID Phs 3 rev 28-May-2023.pdf

E-Bike Riders Read This:  E-bike riders and Ride Leaders should understand the BIKES Club e-bike policy.


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