Enjoy early season cycling on some of the quietest roads you will ever see in eastern Washington’s wheat farming country. Rolling hills and beautiful rural landscapes. Stay in three separate small towns with several days in each town. There will be two days of hiking to view the spring flora and fauna.  Enjoy eating in small town cafés and diners. This tour will be a gentle way to get ready for a great summer of cycling. (Note that the cost for a single supplement/single room is an additional $630.)

We will be staying in three hotels/motels. One is a nicer chain hotel and two are modest small-town motels. All are clean and decent.

Almost all cycling is on paved roads, with a few possible short sections of gravel.  Lots of rolling hills but no long, sustained climbs. Very low traffic most of the time – generally more tractors than cars. The weather is usually dry and sunny with temperatures in the mid-60’s (about 17-20 celsius) in May but there could be rain or even some hail or sleet. Wind should be expected and possibly strong wind.

• Lodging for 11 nights
• Maps (“Old school” route maps will be provided. We will also endeavor to get someone to volunteer to create GPS route maps for those that want them.)
• Four hotel-provided breakfasts
• Three group dinners if the COVID situation at the time will allow for us to dine together safely.
• If it is possible to arrange these outings, we will have group tour of:
  • The historical museum in Odessa,
  • The Wilke’s Washington State University research farm in Reardan
  • A Hutterite farm near Davenport.

• Transportation to and from the starting and ending point of the tour and transportation during the tour.  The tour begins in Cheney, Washington, which is  about 670 km/ 6.5hr southeast of Vancouver BC and 27 km/20 minutes south of Spokane, Washington.
• Meals other than the four breakfasts and three planned group dinners if it is safe to have them. (You need to be comfortable eating in the modest restaurants, cafes, and diners that are available in small, rural towns. It would not be reasonable to expect much accommodation for restrictive diets.)
• Tour Leader fees. (Tour Leaders will pay the same tour costs as other tour members.)

Cheney – 4 nights

• Arrive in Cheney, Washington on Sunday, May 15, at the Holiday Inn Express in the afternoon. We will gather for a meet and greet around 7 p.m.
• Enjoy three days of easy-going cycling to get warmed up.
• We will have to drive to the starting point one of the days but the drive will be less than 30 minutes.
• Ride distances will vary between 29 miles (47k) and 34 miles (54k) per day so there will plenty of time to relax in the afternoons or explore this quaint college town. There are also places to hike nearby.
• Expect roads to be quiet with low traffic, scenic, and with rolling hills. Our rides will take us through the Cheney Turnbull Wildlife Refuge and around Williams Lake.
• We will stop for lunch in small town café’s whenever possible.

Davenport – 3 nights

• Drive 38 miles (61k) from Cheney to Davenport the morning of May 19, dressed and ready for cycling. Lodging will be at The Davenport Motel.
• Enjoy two days of slightly longer cycling in Davenport and one hiking day.
• Ride distances will vary between 41 miles (66k) and 45 miles (72k). We will have to drive to the starting point on one of the days but the drive will be less than 30 minutes.
• Expect roads to be quiet with low traffic, scenic, and with a few more hills than in our first town.
• We will stop for lunch in small town café’s whenever possible.
• One day will be an easy hike to Hawk Creek (5 miles and 900 feet of elevation gain).
• If possible, a group visit to a Hutterite farm and the Washington State University Wilkes Research farm will be arranged.

Odessa – 4 nights

• Drive 38 miles (61k) from Davenport to Odessa the morning of May 22, dressed and ready for cycling. Lodging will be at the La Collage Motel.
• Enjoy three days of slightly longer cycling in Davenport and one hiking day.
• Ride distances will vary between 42 miles (68k) and 60 miles (96k). We will have to drive to the starting point on a couple days but the drives will be less than 30 minutes.
• Expect roads to be quiet with low traffic, scenic, and with a few more hills than in our first town. We will be in the heartland of Washington’s wheat farming country so you will see lots of these as you cycle.
• One day will be an easy hike on the Bureau of Land Management Pacific Lake Trail to see the channeled scablands and the spring wildflowers.

If possible, a group tour of the local museum, which highlights the German heritage of the town, will be arranged

Registration will be on the CCCTS website on the date shown. A computerized lottery system and waitlist will be utilized in the event that the ride is over-subscribed. A $50 US payment is required at the time of registration. The lottery signup will run for 3 days, after which the Ride Leader will review the results.

The selection process will consider the following criteria in evaluating candidates:

• fitness and riding ability and experience required for the tour,
• a history of demonstrating safe riding practices,
• acceptable social behavior.

The leader may interview riders or others who know them to verify their suitability for the tour.

• The leader will notify registrants of their selection status. If the ride is not filled to capacity, registration will continue until the closing dates shown.
• After you have been notified you are selected for the tour, the tour fee of $805 U.S. is due on April 1, 2022.
• In the event of cancellation – If a replacement can’t be found, we will refund any fees for costs that could be avoided (e.g., motel rooms that can be cancelled without penalty). However, if there are costs that cannot be avoided, these will not be refunded.
• In the event the tour must be canceled due to COVID, refunds will be given, except for stripe fees.

COVID Information:

• CCCTS riding guidelines including applicable Covid guidelines will apply.  CCCTS requires all participants to be fully vaccinated, and proof may be requested by the leaders.
• Border crossing requirements are subject to change but at the time of writing these include proof of vaccination when crossing a land border into the US and returning to Canada requires proof of vaccination and a negative molecular test result from within 72 hours before crossing.
• There is COVID PCR travel testing available in:
  • Bellingham for a cost ranging from $175 to $275, depending on the lab used and speed of the results. See ArcPoint Labs or arcpointlabs.com or Any Lab Test Now or anylabtestnow.com.
  • Spokane for a cost ranging from $150 to $250, depending on the lab used and speed of the results. See Franklin Park Urgent Care ($185), Incyte Diagnostics ($150), and Indigo ($250).
• Also note that depending on the requirements in place at the time of this event, you may need to fill out the ArriveCan app in order to return to Canada, which includes the need to upload a photo of your proof of vaccination card.