Bobbled booking

Cascade Locks to Hood River Oregon Saturday, May 18, 2024

You’d think after all my touring, I’d be an old pro at booking accommodations. Today’s experience showed how much I still have to learn.

Last night’s stay was in an unprepossessing place with reasonable rates. I was taken aback by the outside decor, they said they were undergoing renovations.

But you know what? It was fine. Comfortable, quiet, inexpensive, personable staff, no bedbugs.

I knew today’s destination, Hood River, was popular with tourists and that it was Saturday night. I sent requests to five Warmshowers hosts the day before, but none answered. Still going down to the low 40s at night, I’m still balking at camping. So I had to find a motel last minute, and was a victim of surge pricing. A nice Holiday Inn Express, but more than three times the cost of the night before.

My good friend and earlier host Annie Krumboltz always likes staying at Holiday Inn Express, and we joked about an old ad they ran claiming that staying there makes you smarter. I didn’t feel so smart this time. https://youtu.be/eHCTaUFXpP8?si=MKPLrz8GAwrjBBWj

Another smart move. Today’s ride was beautiful, but I only got this one picture, after two of that marginal motel room.

You can see that the interstate-adjacent bike path this time was well graded, not so abruptly hilly; I failed to capture the beautiful balustrades it had as it soared gracefully above the Columbia. You can kind of see ahead how the mountainous walls come very close to the river, forming a venturi, a natural carburetor that focuses the wind. In fact, just around the bend is Hood River, with a reputation for being the windiest place on earth. Fortunately for me, it was a tailwind.

There were a couple of blips. The bike path abruptly ended, and there was no choice but to ride on the interstate itself, which is allowed when there are no alternatives. It had a wide shoulder, protected by rumble strips, but still unnerving to have cars and trucks roar by so close.

The other blip was a sharp hill towards the beginning, with a 12% grade. I had to walk parts of it, but definitely found the dropper post made it easier to get back on the bike and continue when the grade lessened. A couple of lean cyclists were taking their racing bikes up and down this hill, I guess it’s comparable to one in the Tour de France, and they were training. Even they had to walk sometimes, and were impressed that in my lowest gear, I was going slower than their walking.

Jane, who had been there before with the family during my first failed attempt on Mt. Hood, told me the waterfront at Hood River was beautiful, full of windsurfers and kiteboarders plying the venturi winds. I figured it was worth 4 extra miles and another big hill to go see, but when I got there there was only one kiteboarder, too far away for a picture.

Determined not to be a victim of surge pricing again, I sent a last-minute Warmshowers request for tomorrow (generally frowned upon), and after not getting an answer in a couple of hours, went ahead and booked a fleabaggy room. Five minutes later, the host answered, saying I was welcome to stay there. D’oh!

Distance 24 miles, 722 total. Time 3 hours with stops. Elevation gain 1,779 feet

©️ 2024 Scott Luria