2026 PNW Trip 1 - Day 3

May 22, 2026

It was a bit chilly when I woke up this morning but not like yesterday when I was in the mountains.  I lounged for a bit, reading, before getting up, getting dresses, and going out for a walk.  Yes, I know that the morning stiffness is somewhat age related and I know that a good walk will completely loosing me up so that's what I like to do.  At home I head right to the gym 3 days a week, sometimes running there.

This morning's walk took me back to the far end of the site, an area they are developing but not yet done.  The campsites are defined with an umber, a picnic table, and a fire rind but there are not what we would call roads in the area.  This is why they call these sites the walk-ins.  They are free but one has the pay the $5 day use fee to leave a vehicle in the parking lots.  On a bicycle it would be completely free.  I pay half price with my military interagency card, $7.50, so for the extra $2.50 I don't have to carry in my gear.  But if the campsites were full, I could do that.

The train goes by every few hours.

I did the rest of the morning routine, broke camp, loaded up and hit the road by 8:25.  I rode straight into Ellensburg and topped off my tank while I took advantage of having cell service again and looked at the map.   There was motorcycle club at the station.  I noticed that several were armed.

Gas was pricey.

For a route, I really only have 3 options from here.  One is the long way by heading south and working my way around Mt. Ranier and coming in from the south.  It’s a nice ride but make a very long day.  The shorter option is to ride the freeway directly into Seattle and take the ferry across.  That sounds intense.  The remaining option is the one I usually take and took today.  It starts with 90 miles on I-90 before getting on Hwy 18 to Auburn and Tacoma, crossing the Tacoma Narrows bridge and then riding north.  One has to be highly alert on this route but I still have that skillset from all my years of driving/riding in Los Angeles.

So, off I went.  Somewhere along the line I got an alert from the navigation software that there was an object in the road.  I don't know how it knows there things but it walks to me in my helmet speakers.  Sure enough, I saw it and it looked like a roll of barbed wire.  I can only imagine what hitting something like that on a bike would be like.

The traffic on Hwy 18 going the other way, out of town, was backed up and stop and go for over 12 miles.  I saw this last year too and I think it’s people getting out of town for the holiday although I didn’t notice that many RVs.  When I took that route a few days later the crowds were gone.

I navigated my way, heading into stopped up traffic as I transitioned to I-5 but it got better as I left Tacoma behind and crosses some bridges.

The ride north is a 4-lane for most of the way moves along pretty well.  Somewhere between Gig Harbor and Bremerton I pulled off and stopped in a hotel parking lot for lunch, banana bread and an apple.  I also called home and got an update on things there.

Back on the road I made good time rode directly to my mom's place, a very nice independent living facility.  She came out to greet me and my sister pulled up right after.  I got the bike unloaded and took a shower before making a beer run.  My mom only has box wine in here fridge.  

We settled in for some visiting before my sister took off and my mom and went down to the chow hall for dinner.

The food here is pretty good, with a good variety and a special every night.  As it is rarely vegetarian I opt for their salad bar which is well stocked.  Her usual table was full so we sat at an adjacent one but I said hello to all as I have gotten to know most of them on my frequent visits here.  One of them had her 100th birthday a few years ago.

After dinner we went out to the lobby area where they have a big fireplace for Friday night chats.  It's a regular social thing and I enjoy talking to one of her friends who is an avid reader, particularly science fiction.

Back in my mom's apartment we went through process of making sure she could turn on her TV which we had turned off earlier.  Long gone are the days when TVs just had an On/Off/Volume control and channel selector.  Now, when one picks up the correct remote control, a challenge there, and hits the on button, the TV wakes/boots up, a logo is displayed, followed by a progress bar while it makes some kind of connection.  One would think that after that it would just be a matter of selection a channel, but no, you then have to work through a menu of input choices.  The correct choice is HDMI which means nothing to non-technical people, and it eventually settles in on some channel.

She watched TV a bit while we chatted some and I cleared out the email on my phone.  I got out my iPad and saw that it was on low battery so looked around for a place to plug it in.  Next to where I was sitting is an outlet that is servicing a lamp and, it turns out, one of her two oxygen concentrators.  She tells me that this one no longer works.  I asked why and she said that it doesn’t charge anymore.  I tried the On button and it was dead.  OK, I moved to the hallway and plugged it in there and it sprung to life.  I tried my iPad in that outlet and got noting.  I looked for switch on the wall that might control it but found nothing.  OK, a problem for another day.

I plugged to iPad in over in the kitchen and we wound the day down.

Riding, it was a 228 miles day.

2026 PNW Trip 1 - Day 2

May 21, 2026

It rained overnight but I stayed dry in my tent.  I slept pretty well too and woke up around 5:30, Montana time, and read from my Kindle for a while.  I did finally get up and started the day’s doings.  I heated up some water for my cocoa and the overnight oatmeal that I didn’t soak overnight.  It works well when just adding hot water and letting is steep for a bit.  I sorted things in my bags and moved stuff from my tent up the trail to the picnic table.

Little by little I got things ready to load on the bike.  The guy I talked to last night was drying out his tent in the sun and we chatted for a bit.  I took a close look at his bike and it’s really something.  He built it himself and it has lots of features for long distance riding with the ability to carry everything he needs.  He was trying to decided whether to attack Lolo Pass today, about 40 miles away, or to stop in Powell and do it tomorrow morning.  I commend him on his task.

I dried off the bike and got things loaded, changed into my riding gear, and set off about 8:25.  The only change I made in packing is moving a couple things into the right side carrier, including my iPad, to balance the load better and to make it easier to get to the iPad without unpacking.  Since the bike leans to the left on the side stand, this is the way.

The ride out was great.  Pretty much no traffic and the roads were great, even though it had rained last night.  I am hoping I caught some good video.

About the images and the videos.  They are problematic to post in these write ups without better cell service.  Plus, I am having an issue with Google which runs the blog software.  Since I am probably logged on to several gmail accounts at once, it can’t figure out who own the photos I want to insert.  I need to log out of all the accounts and log back in with just the one I use for the blog.  BUT, on the iPad I can’t figure out how to log out.  It’s an option on the desktop but I can’t find it here.  Oh, well, something for when I am in Sequim with some downtime.

I stopped in Kamiah and got gas and sat at their picnic table and posted yesreday’s blog.  

Then it’s a great ride to Orofino in a VERY curvy 2-lane.  However, I had some idiot tailgating me.  Very close.  I’d have pulled over but the choices are very few.  Finally there was a passing lane and when he passed, he went very close to me to show his displeasure for my going the speed limit.  (Actually, I was going about 10 over).  Up ahead he got stuck behind 2 cars that were going the speed limit and I watched him unsuccessfully try to pass in a couple no pas zones until we got to Orofino and the road went to 4 lanes.  Morons in trucks.

I stopped in the Slaterville rest area as I usually do and shed a couple layers.  This is another reason that I glad to have brought my blue backpack.  As the day went on it took on my heavy gloves, rain liner, and thermal liner.  I also had a big drink of water.

The navigation software did something different regarding Lewiston.  It usually takes me right through the city but this time, it me north toward Pullman.  It looked like an OK route and I would eventually be taking Hwy 26 which I have in the past.  The road out of Lewiston is VERY steep and several miles long.  At the top I saw a sign for a scenic view and pulled over.  It was great, a complete view of the cities.  Photos will tell the story.

From there I continued on wherever it told me to go and enjoyed doing something different although the scenery was similar: huge rolling hills planted with wheat.  Along the way I needed a break and pulled over next to some grain silos and had a snack and some more water.  

I continued on Hwy 26 to Othello where I stopped for gas and picked up a gallon of water.  I’m running low on water and there isn’t any where I will camp toning.  I filled my 1/2  gallon container and the bottle in my tank bag before drinking as much as I could hold.  

One of these times I’m going to have to stop for more than gas in Othello.  It’s the hometown of my roommate from when I was stationed in Germany in 1974-75.  A while back I did a search and found that he had moved back to Othello after the army and became a police officer, eventually becoming chief.  I read an article that he had retired a few years ago.

I’m not really into chasing down old army buddies but there are a few I’d like to.  One I already did and we did a meetup in Maine when I motorcycled there 5 years ago.  My other roommate, Pat, I’ve tried to find but no luck.  We all got to know each other pretty well being roommates and working on the same shift at the missile site, 24 hours on, 24 hours off, rinse and repeat.

From Othello I had to make a choice.  I could head south and pick up the highway that would taker me through Yakima and enter the canyon from the south or continue on Hwy 26.  The latter would be 40 minutes shorter BUT included riding the freeway for 40 miles.  That stretch into Yakima from south of Othello I really don’t like plus riding through Yakima is no joy.  So, riding the slab it was and it wasn’t that bad.

A rest area….

It took me to the northern end of the canyon so it was about 6-8 miles to the campground.  It’s small, with only about 6 pull in sites but there are a dozen walk-in sites.  Some are a long walk.  As I loop through I saw that every post had a reserved note on it.  I got off the bike and looked closer and most were for tomorrow through the holiday weekend.  I grabbed site #3, where I camped in the past, and got the bike unloaded, the tent set up, and changed into shorts.  It was pretty warm and this site has no shade.

After sitting on the bike all day I needed a walk so walked south to the far end of the campground and checked things out.  The river is gorgeous.

When I got back I got dinner going and downloaded the select videos from the dashcam system.  Tonight’s menu is Pad Thai.

A little hike before bedtime…

It was a 347 mile day.

2026 PNW Trip 1 - Day 1

May 20, 2026

It was departure day and the weather looked OK.  It was cloudy with rain showers predicted for sometime later.  I figure that I’ll be riding into them later today.

I did most of my packing yesterday and just had to do my clothes bag and get stuff loaded on the bike.  I always try to downsize what I am going to bring in the clothes bag but it’s difficult because I’ll be spending 3 days in Sequim so I need non-riding clothes and my running stuff.  I have a bit of an overflow so I am bringing my blue backpack.  Stuff I might need during the day goes in that: lighter gloves, rain pants, and lunch.  In it I am also stowing my air mattress there.

We said our goodbyes and I pulled out at 8:40.  One year ago I was making the same trip, leaving on May 20 and pulled out about 8:40.

The route was the usual, off to Broadview and Lavina on Hwy 3 and then heading west on Hwy 12.  That took me to Harlowton where I made a rest stop.  It was no surprise that about 20 miles before Harlowton I ran into a heavy heady wind.  My MPG dropped to 35 at one point and the bike indicated the resistance by drifting in and out of “eco” mode.

I pulled over along the way to take an odometer photo.

After the rest stop it was then on to White Sulphur Springs.  Along the way I passed by Checkerboard, MT, an unusual little place, before riding past a big lake.  Somewhere along there I stopped for a few photos.

Since I was going through gas a bit more than usual, I stopped in White Sulphur to fill up.  Gas prices are up, about $4.69 everywhere I went by.

There is another route that bypasses White Sulphur by going past the Bair Museum and it shaves about 5 miles off but I really don’t like that road for some reason so I just stayed on Hwy 12.  It turned south and I had a good cross wind before heading into the mountains to Townsend.

That’s a nice ride with lots of curves and the new tires on the bike feel great.  I passed through Townsend and headed north toward Helena.  The sky looked threatening so a few miles out of town I pulled over and got my rain pants on and put the rain cover on my tank bag.  

The wind picked up and I hit some pretty heavy rain for 5 miles or so.  It let up and I rode through Helena without making a stop.

Now it was decision time.  Do I stay on 12 which will take me to the freeway for a 30+ plus ride into Missoula or do I take the alternate route?  I looked ahead and the freeway route looked like rain so in Avon I turned north and road Hwy 141 (I think) north to the intersection with Hwy 200.

The scenery is great.  I stopped along the way and took a break for lunch.   I had a fig bar and some banana bread along with some water.  Some photos of this area.

I’m glad I took this route as there are few cars and there is none of that competitive passing that takes place in the freeway.

I got the occasional spattering rain but rode into Missoula without incident.  The first order was to gas up.  Again, gas was $4.69 or so.  Then I did the ride through Missoula, lots of stop and goes along Higgins and  Brooks, until I cleared town and headed for Lolo.  It had rained heavily earlier and I dealt with lots of spray from passing vehicles who wanted to go 15-20 mph over the limit.  I just did the speed limit, not looking for any “performance awards.”

I made my usual stop in Lolo to pick up a refreshment to go with my dinner and then stopped for a photo of this sign.

From there the ride was pure joy.  These tires are just the best and make me highly confident pushing the bike in the many sweeping curves.  I stopped at Lolo Pass for a photo as I entered Idaho.

I picked up a light shower along the way but nothing of consequence.  I really enjoyed the twists and curves.

The day’s destination is the Jerry Johnson Campground, a place I usually stay on this route but when I got there a sign on the gate indicated that it is closed the 18th through the 23rd so the Conservation Corps can remove “hazardous trees.”  I looped through the campground and no one was there except the tree extractors. 

So, it’s another 28 miles to the Wilderness Gateway campground and that’s what I did.  

The Lochsa River is running high and fast and what I learned last year is that this campground will be almost full with people here with their kayaks.  I arrived and when I toured the place, most of the sites were already taken.  

I did see a few that were still open so I grabbed site #6 in the C loop.  It’s a bit of a walk-in type and that’s fine.  From where I left bike, it’s a short walk to where the fire ring and picnic table are.

 

Then another short walk to a place to set up the tent.

The river runs nearby and the sound of it will promote good sleep tonight.

I got things set up and the first order of business is to write this blog entry.  There is no cell service here so I’m just writing it in Notes on the iPad and will post it to the blog tomorrow, probably in Kamiah as I have done before.

I tried out my new method of saving video clips from the bikes cameras and that worked just fine.  I have an auxiliary power cable connected to the head unit (the thing the cameras record to) so I can turn it on without turning the bike’s ignition on.  This cable plugs in to the bike’s battery tender connection.  I then connect the iPad to the unit over WiFi (the head unit acts a server) and download the video clips that I want.  

I only want a select few videos and I have the time stamps saved in Notes on my phone.  When I see something I want to save, I say “Hey Siri.”  The microphone in my helmet picks that up and the Cardo unit on the helmet connects to my phone.  Then I say “Take a note.”  The phone answers back “What do you want it to say?”  The I read the time.  It saves that as a note that I can look up later.

When I was saving the videos, the gentleman from the campsite across the way stopped by for a chat.  He is also on two-wheels but his are human powered.  He is riding his bicycle from the Pacific Northwest to New Jersey.  Wow, that’s quite the ride. We had a nice talk about things before getting on with winding down our days.  

Meal time…

A short walk to the river near my tent site…

It was a 454 mile day.