The Flood

After a week of rain, snow, more snow, melting snow, more snow/rain, and snow melt from the mountains, the soil of the Palouse is saturated. Paradise Creek was running higher today than I have seen it before, and the trail was flooded in places.

I didn't see the first patch of flooded trail until I was right on top of it. When I biked to Pullman this morning, it was still snowing/raining, and I had my head down against a strong wind out of the west. The first flooded section was only a couple of inches deep. However, the section of trail just before the tunnel under Sunshine Road was much deeper. I took a picture of that section this morning, and I also recorded myself biking through it later in the day - at about 6:30pm. The first part of the video is of the water rushing under the bridge by Airport Road in Pullman

I leave an extra pair of socks in my office in case I get really wet on my ride in to Pullman. I had my soggy clothes hanging on my bike so that they would dry faster. Fortunately, I didn't have office hours or visitors - They would have wondered at the sight of my drying socks, jacket, and biking tights. Everything was dry by this afternoon when I suited up and headed for home. The ride back was dry and clear except for the one patch of still flooded trail.