Fontanaman
Robin Trower
The North Cascades Highway reopened on April 16 this year. This is a classic motorcycle ride and is best done in early season before the snow melts at the lower elevations. I prefer the scenery with snow.
I have been waiting for two years to get a photo at Rainy Pass. The photo I had was shot with a lens that was out of focus. Last year I went to Rainy Pass on a weekend and cars along side the road spoiled the art I was trying to capture.
This year I decided to try a weekday and see I could get the photo I wanted. This past week the weather has been absoluting stunning so I called a couple of friends to go for a ride.
We met at a Starbucks south of Everett Washington just off I-5. We catch up about bikes, life and particular Doug’s BMW RT which after 145,000 miles left him stranded with a burnt valve. Doug’s wife Meg rides too and so they rode her bike home two up with Doug driving.
Doug is a mutual friend of all of us and was unable to make the ride today. This meant we could really question his BMW loyalty. Ha ha. Truth be told I like BMW RTs - I just don’t want to pay for one or pay for the maintenance.
Another truth is his BMW has seen better days. It will evolve from one aw shit to another. Out of this fact I made a crack Doug could part out the bike and be further ahead rather than fixing it for after all a final drive with 145k miles was worth it’s weight in GOLD. It is a proven unit and what could be better for a BMW owner than knowing their RT final drive will not end up leaking all all over the pavement; a sure sign of impending doom. That comment created all sorts of giggles and ha ha with my friends on this splendid sunny morning.
Well I have spoken too long and rather than describe the North Cascades Highway let’s get on with the part everybody wants; the pictures. I took over 100 photo on this ride. So this is a photo essay.
Whitehorse Mountain near Darrington the crack capital of Washington.
The rest are scenery shots of peaks with names unknown to me.
Brian on the road and what a road it is....
We walk up the snow covered hill to get this photo of the high alpine cirque.
Rainy Pass the photo I have been trying to shoot for two years. I like how the road curves out of sight with the mountain in the background with the snow bank drawing the image forward.
Approaching Washington Pass and Liberty Bell.
Life is Grand!
Approaching Liberty Bell avalanche shoot and Big Bend where the road does a 180.
Just after Big Bend
So we went to Twisp for lunch. Curtis decide to do the loop and head back home via Wenatchee. Brian and I could not resist the call of the North Cascades Hwy so we return the same way we came.
Liberty Bell
Once again approaching Big Bend east to west this time.
Brian driving by what I call God’s Golf Course. You ought to see it in July. I it is all lush and green. By September everything is brown.
Another shot of Rainy Pass. This time in the afternoon. Nothing like a nooner.
Brian on his ST.
We stopped at Newhalm where this engine sits.
The End
I have been waiting for two years to get a photo at Rainy Pass. The photo I had was shot with a lens that was out of focus. Last year I went to Rainy Pass on a weekend and cars along side the road spoiled the art I was trying to capture.
This year I decided to try a weekday and see I could get the photo I wanted. This past week the weather has been absoluting stunning so I called a couple of friends to go for a ride.
We met at a Starbucks south of Everett Washington just off I-5. We catch up about bikes, life and particular Doug’s BMW RT which after 145,000 miles left him stranded with a burnt valve. Doug’s wife Meg rides too and so they rode her bike home two up with Doug driving.
Doug is a mutual friend of all of us and was unable to make the ride today. This meant we could really question his BMW loyalty. Ha ha. Truth be told I like BMW RTs - I just don’t want to pay for one or pay for the maintenance.
Another truth is his BMW has seen better days. It will evolve from one aw shit to another. Out of this fact I made a crack Doug could part out the bike and be further ahead rather than fixing it for after all a final drive with 145k miles was worth it’s weight in GOLD. It is a proven unit and what could be better for a BMW owner than knowing their RT final drive will not end up leaking all all over the pavement; a sure sign of impending doom. That comment created all sorts of giggles and ha ha with my friends on this splendid sunny morning.
Well I have spoken too long and rather than describe the North Cascades Highway let’s get on with the part everybody wants; the pictures. I took over 100 photo on this ride. So this is a photo essay.
Whitehorse Mountain near Darrington the crack capital of Washington.
The rest are scenery shots of peaks with names unknown to me.
Brian on the road and what a road it is....
We walk up the snow covered hill to get this photo of the high alpine cirque.
Rainy Pass the photo I have been trying to shoot for two years. I like how the road curves out of sight with the mountain in the background with the snow bank drawing the image forward.
Approaching Washington Pass and Liberty Bell.
Life is Grand!
Approaching Liberty Bell avalanche shoot and Big Bend where the road does a 180.
Just after Big Bend
So we went to Twisp for lunch. Curtis decide to do the loop and head back home via Wenatchee. Brian and I could not resist the call of the North Cascades Hwy so we return the same way we came.
Liberty Bell
Once again approaching Big Bend east to west this time.
Brian driving by what I call God’s Golf Course. You ought to see it in July. I it is all lush and green. By September everything is brown.
Another shot of Rainy Pass. This time in the afternoon. Nothing like a nooner.
Brian on his ST.
We stopped at Newhalm where this engine sits.
The End
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