Day 6 - June 24, 2011
This morning was a very brisk and overcast one. With just energy bars, fruit and trail mix we decided to just eat on the 7 hour hill we had to conqure today. Since the campsite had no water we decided to skip the long process of boiling and hoping it would cool down by the down we needed it, and to try to find some the town next to us. Entering Diablo, it was as dead as last night. Riding in circles we spotted a couple of cars driving into the back parkinglot of a buliding across the street. Following, we found three ladies smoking in the back who were hestiant at first but allowed us to use thier kitchen faucets for water. Filling up all 10 of our water bottles and two 6 litter water reseviors we pedaled towards washington pass. Instantly a 8% average grade for the first 3 miles had us chugging our water and chewing on our cliff bars. Reaching the first leveled out part we made a quick stop at Diablo Lake viewpoint. Trying not to cool down to much, we kept climbing, and climbing with some more climbing. After 5 and a half hours we reached rainy pass, which is 5 miles before the steep grade to washington pass. At extacly 7 hours we reached the elevation of 5744 feet of Washington Pass. Catching our breath we looked around on the snow top mounatins around us and began to realize the feat we had just accomplished. With tears and smiles on our faces we decended 18 miles to mazama. We slept at another free campsite 2 miles west of mazama.