Another 3 pass blast Saturday, June 15, 2013

Dave, I suggest we go as the route is planned...through Hwy 2 first, and end up in your back yard.

Two things come to mind. One is that the places I want to take pictures of, are on the right side of the road as you head into Leavenworth. It would save crossing the road repeatedly to catch the spectacle the river is now with the snow melt. The other is that the traffic gets really bad at the end of the day on Hwy 2 as it squeezes through Goldbar, Sultan, etc. till it gets to Snohomish. I don't think you get the same traffic jam at the other end. Doing the route clockwise makes sense. It's a longer ride for you in the morning, and longer ride for me at the end.

I want to enjoy both the ride...and the scenery we'll be going through. I'd feel that way, even with the Burgman 400. But I don't wish to push the NT either. I'm good with riding it in "normal" conditions, but I'm not willing to push it to the limits. I know the bike can handle it; I'm just not sure I can. So like I usually ride, I plan to stay within 5 mph of the speedlimit which should allow us to enjoy both the scenery and the road.

I'm looking forward to this. The weather should be good with a window of nice weather on Saturday. Somehow...I'm not sure how...I have 2200 miles on this NT with only about 4 weeks of riding time. :roll: I'm enjoying the bike, and this should give us a good chance to get out. I look at it as payback for the lousy weather we normally ride in.

Tipsoo Lake is right next to the road. It'd be worth a short stop there.
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Chris

The start time is negotiable, but I'm thinking let's meet at Patty's Egg Nest in Monroe at 7am. I'm hoping at that time, we'll be able to get seated quickly. Whoever gets there first, gets a table for the other (and anyone else who wants to join us). Let's plan on kickstands up when we leave, so gas up prior. The ride is 8 hours minimum, so I'm thinking that's at least 10 hours with breaks and lunch. Probably more like 11. That'll get you home by 5pm, and I'll be home up north by 6pm.

Here's the route I'm proposing. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Patt ... ,8&t=m&z=9

If that long URL doesn't work, here's a short version. http://goo.gl/maps/vVPYy

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A few weeks ago, a trip like this was proposed by Julie D on the Meetup group. She proposed going through the Yakima River Canyon (WA-821 S). Lots of twists and curves. It sounded like it would be fun. So the route takes us from Ellensburg to Yakima on WA-821.

I'm assuming you'll drop off at about point F. Gas in Ellensburg and/or Yakima. Distance to Ellensburg is about 146 miles. Distance to Yakima is about 184. That might be stretching it, if you get on the throttle in the corners on the Yakima River Canyon road. From Yakima, it's about 130 miles to gas in Enumclaw.

Here's a picture from Google Maps at Chinook Pass to whet your appetite.


Chris

Just keep an eye out for the future. I will do at least one, if not two runs up to Artist Point which is much closer for you. This was kind of an anomaly for me, in that I was able to plan ahead. Normally, I look at if I'm teaching at church that Saturday morning for the Men's Group, if I'm going to the prison on Saturday morning, etc. ...and if that and the moon is in the right phase :lol: ...I'll make a post a couple days out and ask if anyone wants to come along wherever I'm riding. I don't normally plan anything two weeks out.

Dave and I just independently found a ride posted with another group and both signed up. The more I got to thinking about it, the more I wanted to not go with the group. I'm always torn between enjoying a fast ride (which is no where as fast as some like to ride), or soaking in the scenery because we are so blessed with what we have all around us. I wanted to stop for pictures and knew that some people would be chaffing at the bit to get going. So Dave and I decided to go without the group. I guess Dave doesn't mind waiting for a slow poke like me.

Chris