# Portland to Pullman



## Colin McKnight (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi, very new to posting on forums but I must say they are great way of sharing info. I have a daughter in her 4th year at WSU and has her graduation in May 2007, myself and one of our other daughters ( we have 3) are looiking at treating ourselves to a cycle trip from Portland to Pullman to be with her on the day. We looking at going via the gorge, then up the or near to the Snake river. What I wish to ask, it looks about 3 days, maybe 4 (oldish legs) am I right and are there any places that rent tour bikes in Pullman or is it best to bring our bikes which are what I think you would call cross bikes. Only reason I ask that is that it is a long way to bring the bikes for what is really only a small tour. We are also cheating by not camping ( We usually do ) as I think there are lots of place to stay at a reasonable price, once more am I right. We are travelling from New Zealand.


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

*route*

I just drove from la grande OR to Clarkston, WA and it would be a beautiful route but prepare for hills .... are you thinking Pullman to Portland or vice versa? you might want a route via the tri cities of Walla Walla .... there will still be some nice long grades but I think you could route it less steep than going through La Grande.
The route to La Grande was very beautiful though and it crosses the Snake, the route out of Clarkston on the Snake it just looks like a lake due to the dams on the river. Pullman to La Grande to Portland would be more of the 90 deg angle than cutting the corner via the Wa Tri cities route

post your route and I could probably help on what to expect and could make some recommendations depending on the vertical punishment you seek

cheers, Travis


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## Colin McKnight (Oct 17, 2006)

Thanks for that Travis, we are heading from Portland to Pullman and depending on time may catch the train back to Portland. My daughter at WSU is there on a rowing scholarship so she has told us of a few of the hills coming up from the Snake. I'm at work and have not got any of my maps with me but the route through Walla Walla was one I was looking at plus I do enjoy a drop of good wine, so am I right that that area is a wine area. Thank you once more.


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

Here's my first suggestion for a route:

Portland-to-Hood River via the Gorge (Old Columbia River Hwy, some pleasant, paved MUT to avoid a nasty, narrow freeway tunnel, maybe a few reasonably OK freeway miles after that to get to Hood River)

Cross bridge at Hood River, take hwy 14 to Lyle, take beautiful road Lyle to Goldendale (great views of Mt Adams & Mt Hood once you're up on the plateau where Goldendale is). Hwy 14 (to Lyle) is OK, but not great, and crossing at Hood River rather than The Dalles means you miss the Mosier tunnels (very nice Old Hwy tunnels reclaimed for MUT) and dramatic/gorgeous Rowena Crest. To see these you need to go to The Dalles, cross the river there, and backtrack to Lyle.

Up to this point I've ridden all these roads & they are great. There is less than 1000 feet of climbing to Hood River, and maybe 1500 from Lyle to Goldendale. At this point, you are past the Cascades (the magic of the Columbia River Gorge). I don't know the eastern WA terrain very well, but the Google aerial image view makes it look as generally flat as I think it is. (Note, generally flat still might include an odd 500+ foot climb out of a river valley, maybe lots of rollers, but no 2000-4000 foot mountain climbs.)

From Goldendale I'd go to Mabton, then 241/243 to Mattawa, 24 to Othello, 25/26 to Pullman. I don't know these roads, but they aren't the main roads to anywhere, so I bet they are pretty quiet.

You can see this route on Mapquest, after entering Portland to Pullman, and zooming in one (or two) levels. Mapquest puts the distance at 350 miles. I think I'd give it 4 days, maybe 5, depending on fitness. If you like brevet riding, do it under 40 hours for your 600k training ride.


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## Colin McKnight (Oct 17, 2006)

Thank you PdxMark that is a great reply just the answers I needed, I'll go over my mapes when I get home. It will most likely be a 5 day trip, as although I’m of reasonable fitness, even at 58 you think you are better then you really are, so I’ll give myself an extra day. Again this is a very helpful forum, great info but always open to more and if I can help with any about NZ just ask.

Regards Colin


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

Colin McKnight said:


> Thank you PdxMark that is a great reply just the answers I needed, I'll go over my mapes when I get home.


Colin, you're welcome. As you pin things down, I can give you specific route information about getting to the Gorge from Portland. How's the cycling in NZ in October? We were thinking of riding in France during October 2007, but maybe NZ is the place to go if the weather is nice. 

PS. Are there LOTR tours yet? (Just kidding)


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## Colin McKnight (Oct 17, 2006)

The best time to take on NZ is Jan' through to April, Oct' is a bit so so, can be good but can be very bad. If you are into sking it is OK but although the mountains look great there can be cold high winds with rain. Now that I have pushed you in the France countryside, I hope the trip goes will. Yes there are LOTR tours all over the place, as they used so many areas but most are in places you get to without going with a tour and a few have been worth going to long before LOTR. We (wife and I) passed through eastern part off France about OCT 20 odd years ago on our big cycle tour it was great weather and good cycling, come to think of it was 25 years ago. 4 months on a bike wish I had the time now to do it again, maybe in a couple of years. 

Regards
Colin


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

hey Colin,

Plenty of winery stops in the Walla Walla area; this site might help. in the top nav you can sort by region

http://www.washingtonwine.org/sub_page.cfm?action=wineries

cheers, Travis


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## Colin McKnight (Oct 17, 2006)

HI Travis, once more thanks for the info, now I wish we could spend longer, maybe another day as we have been talking about sea kayaking out from Seattle at same stage and I can see an very good road trip in the making to go with it. Better get back to work so I can afford our dreams.

Regards, Colin


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## Flounder (Apr 15, 2005)

PdxMark said:


> I don't know the eastern WA terrain very well, but the Google aerial image view makes it look as generally flat as I think it is. (Note, generally flat still might include an odd 500+ foot climb out of a river valley, maybe lots of rollers, but no 2000-4000 foot mountain climbs.)


Its been nearly 20 years since I graduated from WSU, Mark's assessment of the terrain is correct. There are very few large hills, but plenty of rollers. Some, not to far east of Othello, could be rather challenging.



PdxMark said:


> 24 to Othello, 25/26 to Pullman. I don't know these roads, but they aren't the main roads to anywhere, so I bet they are pretty quiet.


Hwy 26 is THE main route from Seattle to Pullman and vice verse. I drove the "Cougar Trail" a couple of years ago, and it looked as if it had recently been improved and repaved. However since you will be on HWY 26 just prior to Graduation Weekend, I would expect the roads to be fairly busy.

There is plenty of nice riding to be done in the general Pullman area. If I remember correctly there is one bike store in Pullman, but I don't think they have any rentals. If you still want to pursue the rental route, you might try Moscow, ID. Here is a link to a ride report I did on the 2005 Tour de Lentil. I look back on the time I spent at WSU with fond memories, I hope your daughter does as well.

Good Luck
Dave


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## Colin McKnight (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi Dave, sorry for the delay in thanking you the info, we have been away. Yes my daughter has had a great time at WSU but after 4 years there she is ready to move on to new things.

regards
Colin


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## b987654 (Aug 18, 2005)

one last thing about a lot of eastern washington is it it really windy, constant 15-30 mph winds mainly in the evenings.


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## Colin McKnight (Oct 17, 2006)

I hate wind but I enjoy early a starts and finish so hope to miss most of the wind.


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