Day 6 Tonasket to Republic

After a fine, restful sleep in a motel the day started off great by meeting Dan's family and loading up his trailer with our luggage to be shuttled to Republic. We headed out around 7:30 and started with an immediate climb. Along the way I spotted several beaver lodges and tree stumps attesting to their presence. Others spotted deer and prairie dog colonies. Diane had a trilling flight from a farm dog saying she had " never pedaled so quick in her life." (sorry no pics or vid of this). We met up with Dan about 14 miles out to replenish out water supplies before a steep section of the climb. Then met us again at the town of Wauconda for added support. Most of us made it into Republic just after the end of the Prospectors Day Parade. After getting groceries we headed to the fairgrounds to set up camp, shower and eat. Tonight the fair was having horse racing and we made it over to see a couple of ‘Pony Express’ races. In these races the jockey races a horse for a lap then jumps off that horse and on to another one for the second lap then on to a third horse for the third lap. Handlers manage the other horses on the track and if one gets free then the team is disqualified. The cool thing is that most of the competitors are Native Americans and were racing bareback. Now its raining and I’m in the tent typing this.
For pictures we have Dan and his family this morning loading up. Then a wonderful yellow rose bush in front of an abandoned homestead with Oregon Bill waving and Cali Rick. Old homestead pick. Dan’s family at Wauconda.