Looking back on this adventure it was pretty low-key with no close calls, horrible wether, or disasters along the way.
I tend to do this trip twice a year, once in the later-spring and once again before winter sets in. The time of year largely determines the route I will take with the spring excursion taking a more direct route due to mountain passes encumbered by snow and ice. The late summer/early fall ride can take me around Mount Ranier and a nice campground at Sawtooth Flats and riding over Chinook Pass, 5,430 feet. I can also take Hwy 20 across the Cascade, a gorgeous ride and an easy detour through Canada.
This time, it was more of a direct route and I lifted my preference for 2-lanes roads and covered quite a few miles on The Slab (AKA: freeways). Riding the freeways is s kill set all of its own with passing and being passed the order of the day, a skill I acquired during years of riding and commuting in Southern California, a skill I want to keep at the ready.
I did vary the route a bit with the detour around Lewiston and spending more time on Hwy 26 across Washington than I have in the past. The long ride across Eastern Washington is, well, just a long ride. It has its gems such as riding Hwy 261 near Palouse State Park but other than that, it’s about covering miles.
Arriving in the greater Seattle area is always a change, as I go from only a few other vehicles around to the intensity of what a metropolis brings. I’m usually on the freeway through that area, around Tacoma, and while it is intense, I like it better than all the stop and go I would get on city streets with the increased chance of being rear ended or t-boned. Either way, the alert status is in the red line zone.
The stay in Sequim was great as visiting family and catching up is always welcome. My bike stayed parked the whole time I was there due to unattractive weather on the day I had considered riding up Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. I’ve done that ride a couple times and will have plenty of chances to do so again in the future. Going out for a couple long runs (on foot) in the mornings made up for any loss of riding opportunities.
Gear-wise, I have it mostly dialed in, as I should, after covering over 55,000 miles in the past 5 years. Every ride gets me thinking about how I could bring less and when I got back and unloaded and unpacked I looked for items I didn’t use or need and considered whether they could be left behind next time. However, I travel prepared for all sorts of weather so warm clothes and rain gear are not optional and when things get warm I have to have someplace to put them. My clothes bag is pretty full as I need to bring an assortment of clothing for weather and I bring my running clothes with the shoes being the bulkiest items. They serve a dual purpose as I wear them when I am staying in Sequim instead of my riding boots.
I may pare down the tools I bring. I have never needed any of them and, face it, if something goes wring on the bike, chances are small that I would be able to fix things on the side of the road. The tool pack is small but weighty. I’ve changed where I pack things in the side cases and I may rearrange that in the future with one side dedicated to cooking gear and food which is sort of what I do now and more efficiently use the other side, maybe for my running clothes. In the meantime I have my blue backpack strapped on the back and keep my layers of riding clothing in it. Also carry my midday meals there, all easy to get to.
Water is an issue, The campgrounds where I stay are dry so I carry a bit over 3/4 gallon with me and sort of ration my use. In the future I’ll carry another 1/2 gallon so I can be more liberal with consumption and not have to stop to refill. I have a 1/2 gallon carrier for each side of the bike but only brought one on this trip.
How about some stats?
Days gone: 9
Days riding: 6
Days staying in Sequim: 3
Night camping:4
Total cost to camp: $29
Longest day: 454 miles, Billings to Wilderness Gateway Campground
Shortest day: 202 miles Sequim to Yakima Canyon via the ferry to Seattle
Miles traveled: 2,025
Number of gas stops: 13
Gas used: 40.11 gallons
Miles per gallon: 50.61
Total cost of gas: $201.44 ($169.01 a year ago)
Least expensive gas: $4.57/gallon in Billings, MT ($3.07 a year ago)
Most expensive gas: $5.90/gallon Ellensburg, WA ($4.90 a year ago)
Yes, the price of fuel has gone up. It’s a big issue in the news. It cost me about $30 more to do the trip this year. Other than that, the stats were about the same as previous rides.
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