I began my long drive to the start at Umatilla out I-84 following the Columbia River through the gorge and back out again. As I got east of The Dalles, I noticed the preponderance of wind surfers out on the river (we are the wind surfing capital of the world after all). I also saw a few barges that look to have just moved through the area where the wind surfers were. I had to wonder if someone would yell, "Barge" as they all moved to the sides of the river while it passed through. Then as it moved through, they would call out, "game on" and move back out into the shipping lane. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks these things?
I did have some moments of doubt on the drive out. I kept seeing a lot of cars with road bikes driving back towards Portland, and I wasn't being passed by cars with bikes heading east. I was worried that CO had been canceled due to the fires that were burning along one of the parts of the route in the Elkhorn mountains. However, I was relieved after getting past The Dalles since I started being passed by cars with bikes heading my way.
I arrived at the Umatilla Army Corp of Engineers park below the dam. It was a nice grassy area that was quite full already, but I managed to find a nice spot next to the playground and close enough to the main stage to hear the music. Dinner was roast chicken, beef, and pork with potato, salad, and apple pie. I ate at a picnic table with some rookies who were at least 30 years older than me, but rookies all the same. After dinner, I called home to let them know I made it ok, got my little chair and a magazine to sit at the main stage to wait for the evening announcements. After the course description and introduction to the week for the new folks, they brought out a band called Manchester that Jada and I had heard during the Cycle Oregon weekend ride as well. They're from Seattle, but they sing in the mode of late '60's English bands out of, say, Manchester, England. They're pretty good. It's just 2 guys with guitar and keyboard. The second band was called High Karate who were a '70's funk cover band. I stayed at the stage until after Manchester. They're strangely hypnotic, but I was tired from the drive. It was 9pm by this time after all. I went back to turn in, and I think I fell asleep during High Karate's rendition of Kool and the Gang's "Jungle Boogie".
The moon was nearly full, so I didn't have to use my head lamp to find my way to the blue rooms (that's CO lingo for the porta-potties...they're blue if you couldn't figure that much out). The Roto-Rooter guys who take care of the blue rooms were adding some nice touches this year by adding glow sticks to each of the rooms and over the portable sinks out front. It's a nice improvement. Those guys really do a great job keeping the potties clean and well supplied all week.
Continue to Day 1.