Caution: Low Flying Ducs
Nick and dad on the Twisp-Carleton Road
With two free days and gasoline burning holes in our pockets, Nick, my Dad and I finally took the Ducs to Hwy 20 - the grand daddy of motorcycle touring roads.
Hoping to beat the Memorial Day RV rush, we left on Thursday afternoon. The trip up I-5 didn’t set the stage well (too many cars on narrow, chewed up roads), but we found Hwy 530 in Arlington soon enough. Cars were non-existant on this road, but side winds buffeted us all the way to Rockport, causing otherwise perfect lines in corners to look a little crooked as gusts pushed us over.
The worst of the ride over, we stopped at the roadside park just outside of Rockport for a cookie break - fortification for the non-stop fun ahead.
View of the N. Cascades from the roadside park
After gassing up in Marblemount (last chance for 90 miles) we were off for the ride of our lives. The twisties started just outside of Newhalem and didn’t stop until the far side of Washington Pass. We paced a dark green Miata until it couldn’t keep to the speed limit anymore. I roared past it, the Miata sped up to keep pace, Nick said he could smell burning rubber.
The descent from Washington Pass was nothing to write home about - straight, dry and ... well ... boring. We found ourselves in Winthrop soon enough though - three tired puppies.
Dinner was at the Winthrop Brewing Company where they were offering $2 pints and $2 tacos. Yum! It wasn’t long after that though that we collapsed at the Duck Brand for many hours of deep sleep.
Friday dawned clear. After a big breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, beans, bacon and coffee we set off on the side roads, paralleling Hwy 153 south to Lake Chelan.
In Chelan, we stopped off to visit Gary Rittenmeyer - a friend from the “old neighborhood” - at his gorgeous south-facing house on the lake. Unfortunately, we missed seeing Diane who was out of town.
We continued on to Leavenworth where we stopped for a brat and lemonade. Another gas up and we were off on the final stretch home. The roads just outside of Leavenworth in Tumwater Canyon are excellent. Unfortunately, they straighten out somewhere around Skykomish - long before home.
We were right about the traffic: Cars lined up at a near standstill from Gold Bar back almost to Monroe. Fortunately for us, we were going the other direction with free and clear roads ahead of us.
Will we do it again? Most definitely.
Comments:
Will we do it again???
You bet.
My only question is: When?
soon i hope.
Next entry: Getting comfortable
Previous entry: An artist or an ape?