1 North Cascades Highway Mountain Loop Mon Jun 08, 2015 2:19 pm
Two Wheels Better
Moderator
We had a chance to take a day ride on Sunday, about ten hours on the bike, my K1200GT Brick, on a beaut, warm day. It approached 29 degrees in Washington state and aside from a steady breeze, a few wisps of cloud, it was a near perfect day for a mountain road ride. First, a quick ride up highway 530 past the former town of Oso, site of the devastating landslide on 22 March, 2014.
This was once a quiet country neighbourhood half a kilometre away.
Trees have been planted in memorial to the lives lost.
One last look back as we ride away. Half a 'mountain' literally slid away as a rumbling mass of trees, mud and boulders swept over dozens of houses, farms, as people were inside their homes or driving cars along the highway.
The Sauk River was at full Spring runoff peak and was blocked by mud and debris and crews had to bulldoze an opening rapidly before a lake formed.
The scenery in this valley is awesome! Here's a glacial peak near the town of Darrington.
The peaks surrounding Diablo Lake lookout.
Late afternoon sun hazes the view above Diablo Lake, a majestically blue water reservoir for the Seattle City Light Company.
It was an easy 300 miler (485 kms) with many stops and a fine dining experience in Marblemount, Washington, along the Skagit River. Here the GT rests at Tacoma's Commencement Bay shoreline at day's end with snow-covered Mt Rainier in the background. I managed an average of 48 mpg (per US gallon) two-up with panniers out of the silky smooth GT BricK.
This was once a quiet country neighbourhood half a kilometre away.
Trees have been planted in memorial to the lives lost.
One last look back as we ride away. Half a 'mountain' literally slid away as a rumbling mass of trees, mud and boulders swept over dozens of houses, farms, as people were inside their homes or driving cars along the highway.
The Sauk River was at full Spring runoff peak and was blocked by mud and debris and crews had to bulldoze an opening rapidly before a lake formed.
The scenery in this valley is awesome! Here's a glacial peak near the town of Darrington.
The peaks surrounding Diablo Lake lookout.
Late afternoon sun hazes the view above Diablo Lake, a majestically blue water reservoir for the Seattle City Light Company.
It was an easy 300 miler (485 kms) with many stops and a fine dining experience in Marblemount, Washington, along the Skagit River. Here the GT rests at Tacoma's Commencement Bay shoreline at day's end with snow-covered Mt Rainier in the background. I managed an average of 48 mpg (per US gallon) two-up with panniers out of the silky smooth GT BricK.
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"A long ride is the answer to a question you will soon forget!" ~ Anonymous
1977 R75/7-100, '93 K11/K12 Big Block, '93 K1100RS, '95 R100 Mystic, '96 K1100RS, 2 x '98 K1200RS, '06 K1200R & '09 K1300GT