Today was another long day in the saddle. The morning started out cool and overcast and the route took me out of town and down backcountry roads, which made for pleasant riding.

The first half of the day paralleled I-5 (an interstate that goes north-south through Washington, Oregon, and California), and that meant that the roads I took only had sparse local traffic, anyone going somewhere would be on the interstate, it was night and day compared to 2 days ago. The route also followed the Cowlitz River south, a large, wide, slow moving river. I sat in a park had lunch watching it flowing past.

Just after lunch I pivoted to head west, following the Columbia River to the sea. There’s only one main road and the route followed it, skirting along the north shore of the river. However the shoulders were thin to non-existent and the cars were speeding past so close, so I looked to Google for any alternate. After a few miles on the highway I took the alternate route it suggested that went up a steep climb. Even after 70 miles grinding up 1,000 feet sounded more fun than the highway.

Tonight I’m camped on the shores of the Columbia River, at a marina. I can see the boats coming in for the evening. As with the other days in Washington the wind has picked up in the afternoon (the dreaded headwind for the final few miles), but the marina is pretty sheltered. Tonight will be my last night in Washington, from here I’ll cross the Columbia River into Oregon, and then head towards Astoria, where I started my Trans America ride last year.