Day 16 – from onions to kids on a train!

As planned I left Boise by 0800 and headed up the interstate to Ontario – in Oregon of Course! And as I was entering town I thought I could smell the distinct odor of onions? Since my sense of smell is really bad I was confused – but alas there it was, a big sign proclaiming Ontario as the Onion Capital of the USA! Once I got outside of the town into the flat countryside for miles and miles all there was growing were fields and fields of onions. They have kind of a neat way of irrigating them which I have no idea how to explain – so you’ll have to google it if you’re curious!!
Out route 26 I go and once past the onion fields there was a whole lot of nothing except more sagebrush and scrub grasslands. But once I turned onto 395 and headed into the foothills and then the mountains the road got fun. More twisties, ups and downs although not as tight as yesterday more like a slalom – lean left then right then left then straight and so on. I think Pam would have even enjoyed these twisties! But all good things must come to and end and into the flatlands I go again. Stopped for lunch at a cafe in the middle of absolutely nowhere – but the burger was good, the service friendly and in good time. On the road again and just five minutes down the road what awaited me but more fun! This time it was like a time trial speed slalom – don’t think I was lower than 3rd gear and zoom zoom – that sporty little mazda on my tail was left behind! The rest of the day was pretty flat and uneventful but some pretty rolling farming country on the way to Walla Walla. As far as I could see was a mosaic of green, beige, yellow, brown and black as the were growing hay, grain, canola and a few fallow fields for the brown and black. Between Walla Walla and Kennewick there is a ridge of foothills just lined with windmills. There must be at least 1000!! Maybe more!! It was an incredible sight for probably 10 miles.when I arrived in Kennewick there was a party goin’ on in the local park and there was a bunch of kids on a mini multi-colored train. They loved how I looked so much they kept waving and blowing the train whistle . . . well, okay – maybe it was Bruiser they loved so much 🙂
That’s it for the day I’m now in Kennewick until at least Tuesday as the bike goes in for service tomorrow ( and hopefully a good wash and wax if possible) and I will get a visit in with my colleague and friend Rob.