Why eastern Washington? Those who have ridden here know  the"forgotten" area east of the Cascade Mountains is ideal for bicycling. The basins and foothills of eastern Washington and Oregon offer wide-open spaces, outstanding scenery, friendly small towns, and miles on end of flat or gently rolling terrain. Add to that the flourishing wine industry, a few tourist-savvy towns like Spokane and Pendleton, and plenty of old west and Native American history, and you have the makings of a great vacation.

The following two routes offer good cycling and should prove interesting for the tourist, whether native or visiting the Northwest. They both include scenery and sites designed to make your trip enjoyable before, during and after the ride.

Washington State

The Wenatchee-Chelan Overnight is a long one-day ride or two shorter rides for a weekend pleasure cruise. Take in the orchards, a calm stretch of the Columbia River, the shores of Lake Chelan, and a small piece of Wenatchee National Forest.

The Yakima Valley Wineries ride is an easy 18-mile frolic through the valley vineyards and five area wineries.