zenwhipper
Well-known member
So, I don't usually post ride reports - but this one, for me at least, was definitely one for the books.
My plan was to take advantage of the nice weather and head east and see some fall colors. I also just purchased heated gear (Warm & Safe) and I wanted to test it out.
I left Seattle at noon on Friday the 25th of Oct. I took a half day off and headed up I-5 with the plan being I would go over the North Cascades (highway 20) and stay the night in Winthrop. Then on Saturday, I would continue on through to Chelan and Leavenworth and over highway 2 to home.
The lowlands in Seattle have been socked in from fog for a couple weeks for sure. Sometimes it burns off and sometimes it doesn't.
East of Darrington... still foggy and over cast.
So about 10 miles east of Newhalem, the clouds and fog disappear and I am stoked. But, the road just turns to crap. Apparently, the road had iced up overnight and the DOT had been sanding. Also, in the shaded areas of the road, there was still moisture on the road. Sand and wet made the ride just a bit dodgy! Even the cars were going slow. I really expected I'd be bombing up the highway just like the summer. I mean the whole state has been under a huge high pressure system for weeks and not much weather has been occurring at all.
Road schmutz!
I thought... this is going to be fun. And the road climbs in elevation... so is it going to get worse?
I come around a bend and see this:
Panic sets in as I pull the bike over. Holey crap - is somebody trapped? Hurt? I rip my gear off as fast as I can and run over. I am calling out - hey anybody in there? I look inside and nobody is in there thank god. Just then a trooper pulls up and jumps out and I yell at him - nobody inside. He asks me if I saw it happen and I said , no I just pulled up. As we look at things a bit more closely, it looks like it had been a while since it happened. Perhaps, the occupants were ok and just hitched a ride out?
So, I gear up and hit the road. I'm kind of freaking as I go along. This is a bit nuts I mumble to myself.
I'm taking it pretty easy and I see another M/C coming my way, so it can't be that bad. I'm happy to see another fool out here like me I guess.
The road improves the closer I get to the top of Washington Pass. I'm now able to obtain normal speeds and just be a bit extra diligent on the road conditions.
At the top of Rainy Pass- I got get some pics of the snow.
So, I head down the other side into Winthrop. I grab a nice room at the Methow River Lodge and Cabins and head over to Old School House Brewing. Bummer... they are out of the Imperial IPA. But a pint or two or three of the Ruud Awakening IPA will do the trick. These guys know beer!
So, I know the next morning will be chilly in the Methow Valley. But, when I get up, its a nice cool 34 degrees. This is how the Feejr looks. Frozen!
I head to the best coffee in the valley - Rocking Horse Bakery and let the bike thaw out for an hour.
I roll out of town about 10 am and the bike thermometer says 36 degrees. But it was sunny and my heated gear was doing a great job.
Its a beautiful day in central Washington.
I head to Leavenworth and over highway 2. The fog sets in about Skykomish as I get closer to Seattle. All in all it was a great trip. My gear worked great.
__________________________________________________________________________
My plan was to take advantage of the nice weather and head east and see some fall colors. I also just purchased heated gear (Warm & Safe) and I wanted to test it out.
I left Seattle at noon on Friday the 25th of Oct. I took a half day off and headed up I-5 with the plan being I would go over the North Cascades (highway 20) and stay the night in Winthrop. Then on Saturday, I would continue on through to Chelan and Leavenworth and over highway 2 to home.
The lowlands in Seattle have been socked in from fog for a couple weeks for sure. Sometimes it burns off and sometimes it doesn't.
East of Darrington... still foggy and over cast.
So about 10 miles east of Newhalem, the clouds and fog disappear and I am stoked. But, the road just turns to crap. Apparently, the road had iced up overnight and the DOT had been sanding. Also, in the shaded areas of the road, there was still moisture on the road. Sand and wet made the ride just a bit dodgy! Even the cars were going slow. I really expected I'd be bombing up the highway just like the summer. I mean the whole state has been under a huge high pressure system for weeks and not much weather has been occurring at all.
Road schmutz!
I thought... this is going to be fun. And the road climbs in elevation... so is it going to get worse?
I come around a bend and see this:
Panic sets in as I pull the bike over. Holey crap - is somebody trapped? Hurt? I rip my gear off as fast as I can and run over. I am calling out - hey anybody in there? I look inside and nobody is in there thank god. Just then a trooper pulls up and jumps out and I yell at him - nobody inside. He asks me if I saw it happen and I said , no I just pulled up. As we look at things a bit more closely, it looks like it had been a while since it happened. Perhaps, the occupants were ok and just hitched a ride out?
So, I gear up and hit the road. I'm kind of freaking as I go along. This is a bit nuts I mumble to myself.
I'm taking it pretty easy and I see another M/C coming my way, so it can't be that bad. I'm happy to see another fool out here like me I guess.
The road improves the closer I get to the top of Washington Pass. I'm now able to obtain normal speeds and just be a bit extra diligent on the road conditions.
At the top of Rainy Pass- I got get some pics of the snow.
So, I head down the other side into Winthrop. I grab a nice room at the Methow River Lodge and Cabins and head over to Old School House Brewing. Bummer... they are out of the Imperial IPA. But a pint or two or three of the Ruud Awakening IPA will do the trick. These guys know beer!
So, I know the next morning will be chilly in the Methow Valley. But, when I get up, its a nice cool 34 degrees. This is how the Feejr looks. Frozen!
I head to the best coffee in the valley - Rocking Horse Bakery and let the bike thaw out for an hour.
I roll out of town about 10 am and the bike thermometer says 36 degrees. But it was sunny and my heated gear was doing a great job.
Its a beautiful day in central Washington.
I head to Leavenworth and over highway 2. The fog sets in about Skykomish as I get closer to Seattle. All in all it was a great trip. My gear worked great.
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