How to put a protective cover on a trike

Our friends Jerry and Susan recently sold their Harley trike and offered us their protective cover to use or if we knew someone who could use it.  The package arrived today, two days from Texas and it took 30 days last year to get a priority package from WA to CA…go figure.   Larry sent an email to let Jerry know the package arrived and Jerry fired back a quick set of instructions for their way of getting the cover on the trike: 

By the way, the cover is a snap for 2 people to put on the bike. One stands at each end of the bike, holding an end of the cover, with arms crossed, and the open bottom of the cover facing upward. In unison, you lift the cover rapidly into the air (this fills it with air), then invert it (this is the reason you have your arms crossed to begin with), and bring it down over the bike, like a parachute. Make sure that you spread your arms wide enough, and you can take the cover all the way to the ground in one step. If there is a breeze, make sure that you turn the cover into the breeze, not with the breeze. We have never seen anyone else do it like this, but it works great. We have been doing it for years.

I can't help you with the removal/packing process.
Jerry

Can’t wait to try this out and hope no one has a video camera to post the results on facebook.

Looking for a new helmet?

Check these out:  http://visualfunhouse.com/transportation/painted-motorcycle-helmets.html

Milwaukee Bike Sox - DeFeet Technology

In searching for new biker gear I came across the Milwaukee Motorcycle Clothing Company known as MMCC Leather when I was researching socks. You can go to any major department store, discount store, motorcycle shop, or H-D dealer and find socks. What I wanted was socks with new technology for all road and weather conditions.
According to the MMCC Leather website, the socks are designed for the ultimate performance inside leather motorcycle boots and shoes. The technology for these socks comes from DeFeet an American Company specializing in sports. These socks re engineered for motorcycles to keep feet cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather, eliminating the need for packing multiple styles of socks for different weather conditions on long rides.

The socks are ribbed at the top and made to stay where you put them and feature Aireator to transport moisture and vent better. They have extra cushion without bulk inside the shoe for comfort. They come in white if you want them, or biker black which is what we choose.

So I placed an order and they arrived about 7 days later and included in the box was a packing list with a handwritten note thanking us for our order and signed by a real person, not a computer generated signature. Nice touch.

Due to a boat fishing accident which left Larry with a dislocated ankle and a broken leg, we won’t be testing out these socks until next spring. Plenty of time to plan an adventure

New boots: Magnum Stealth Force

I’ve owned my Harley-Davidson boots since Larry and I bought our first bike together in 1999. Steel toe with a steel shank, lots of tread, lace up, everything a girl could dream of! What did I know? I was used to wearing four inch heels and my closet was filled with shoes of every color, along with various exercise shoes for work and classes, and lots of pairs of flip flops for those sunny California days.


The boots have held up well even after a super glue repair job on a weeklong trip with friends in 100+ degree weather. I have been searching for a replacement pair since then, not knowing exactly what I wanted except I wanted them to weigh less than what felt like 10 pound weights every time I swung my leg over the bike.

I did Google searches, checked out what other bikers were wearing, and then while watching another police action adventure television show on TV one night, I knew what I was looking for, SWAT/tactical boots. Now the real investigation began because a quick Google search turned up multitudes of websites selling hundreds of brands of tactical boots with so many configurations of size, boot height, heels, prices that ranged from $80.00 to $350.00, water proof or not, zipper or not, that I was sort of overwhelmed trying to figure out the best brand and what I did or did not want in a boot.

Meanwhile Larry liked my idea and was much quicker in his decision making and bought a pair of Smith and Wesson tactical boots. They are waterproof, lightweight, side zip and lace up and now his leather HD boots are sitting in a closet with his cowboy boots and various assorted shoes.

So I asked the experts in my family, military and police for their opinions on what to buy. Several ideas later I was narrowing down my search to the Original Tactical boot and the Magnum Stealth Force. I didn’t need a steel toe riding on the back of a HD trike and the steel shank made it much harder to walk when you get off the bike for breaks and excursions on foot. I live in Washington State so they had to be waterproof. The boots needed to be breathable, moisture wicking, and antibacterial because we don’t always ride in the cold and wet weather on the west side of the state. Traction and stability, a zipper to keep them snug, and lightweight with memory foam to keep them comfy all day long. I choose the Magnum Stealth Force Series.

I placed my order with a company specializing in police/military boots/clothing after I found the best price including shipping and in less than a week the new boots arrived on my doorstep. When I picked up the lightweight box I didn’t even look at it, thinking it was something Larry had ordered and that my boots were probably still a few days out for delivery. Later that night when we returned home the box was still sitting on the sofa and I looked at the label and tore into the box. My new boots are pretty, yes I said pretty when referring to tactical boots because they are new without years of scuffing and they weigh only 1.1 pounds. Now to ride and try them out. I can hardly wait.

As much as I love these new boots, I do still have a much smaller assortment of three inch heels in various colors, prints, sequins, leather, satin, flats, and a few sandals that I wear when not riding on the back of our trike.

Last Saturday we took a 100+ mile ride with friends to Concrete for lunch at the Hi Lo Country Bar and Grill. My boots were comfortable and no break in problems. Light as a feather as I swung my leg over the bike seat and walking on flat ground and up a flight of stairs at Eagles in Flight to enjoy an ice cream cone were was easy and comfortable.

3 Daves, 3 rides

Sometimes life gets away from me, buries me, surrounds me, and no matter what the best of intentions where, the story gets told late; but better late than never.  So this is all about three different lunch rides with friends.

July 10^th, a Sunday afternoon…wandering the back roads and visiting old friends

Finally the weather is beginning to cooperate on the west side of the state.  We have had sunshine for several days and the forecast was for nice weather on Sunday.  The plan was to meet at Bakerview Starbucks, take a nice ride heading south and have lunch at Barbie Jacksons new restaurant in Burlington called “Better than Moms”.   Dave, Dawn, Dave, Brenda, Dave, Lorie, Rob, Kaye, Larry and I set out for lunch.

Dave J. is leading today and he loves to take us on the unexpected back roads where you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere when you are really just minutes from the freeway on some points along the journey.  We started out riding around the west side of Lake Sammish then right onto Barrel Springs Road.  Now the only way I can keep up is to take photos of road signs when I am fast enough and then use Google maps when I get home to fill in the gaps.  We followed enjoying the twists and turns past dirt roads leading to homes and farms turning onto Wood Rd, Colony Rd, Ershig Rd, and then highway 20 back into Burlington.  It took a little maneuvering to get into Better than Mom’s Restaurant because we were on the opposite side of a four lane major artery.  A turn, a U-turn, a short cut and we were there and Barbie was on the steps to welcome us with a big smile and hugs. 

Food and drinks ordered, we re-arranged the deck tables to fit our group and then kicked back to relax and enjoy the fellowship of friends.  Barbie checked on us to make sure everything was okay and brought the food out quickly.  I had the white chicken enchiladas with a cucumber salad and I loved every bite of it.  Homemade food, biker friendly, take out single orders or family meals…coffee, soda, mochas, cookies, cupcakes, Barbie has a little bit of everything.

Just as we were finishing up, Mike Lucas and his wife Laura arrived for lunch.  We all visited and chatted and as we rode to Skagit HD we left them on the deck enjoying their lunch.  Funny thing, as we pulled into Skagit HD, Lynn, Pat, and Pam were riding by and waved.  Everyone was out to enjoy the day.

We left the Harley shop and headed to Sedro-Wooley and then north on highway 9.  A cute sign on a coffee  shop read, “With enough coffee, anything is possible.”  Our next stop was the Acme Store for ice-cream and our good-byes as we headed home. 

Sunday July 17^th…cool with a chance of showers…got raingear?

Coffee, one cup, two cups, three cups, four--now stop at Starbucks before we ride.  This time it was the Barkley Starbucks before a ride through the north county.  Dave, Lorie, Rick, Marina, Dave, Dawn, Larry, and I set out on a hundred mile lunch ride with warm gear on and rain gear packed.
Today Dave M. was leading us out Mt. Baker highway past the Rome Market, going around the new roundabout at Nugent’s Corner onto highway 9/Lawrence Rd, Hopewell Rd, Goodwin Rd., through the Glen Echo community to S. Pass Rd.  We wandered and meandered up and down the hills, around corners, past small farms, grand homes, farm homes, mobile homes, past Silver Lake and into Maple Falls for a rest stop.  Gas, coffee, ready to roll.  Almost.  A little girl approached Dave M. buy some chocolate chip cookies.  Dave didn’t want the cookie but gave her a couple of dollars which put a smile on her face and her watchful mother.  He really is a softy, but don’t tell I said so.

Highway 542/Kendall Rd. south to highway 9 going south past Kendall Lake onto highway 9.  Our destination was The Blue Mountain Grill for lunch.  Usually when we arrive it is full to sometimes overflowing but maybe because we arrived after the lunch hour rush, we had no problem getting seated right away and ordering lunch.

Chores!  They never seem to go away.  Everyone had something to do at home so we decided to ride around Lake Whatcom into town and head home.  Another day, another ride, another meal, another memory.

Saturday July 23^rd…news flash it might hit seventy-eight degrees today. 

Dave L. sent an email last night asking if anyone wanted to ride and wouldn’t you know it I shut the computer off without reading my email before I went to bed.  I did remember after I crawled into bed and since I wasn’t really sleepy and figured I would be up in 30 minutes and check it then.  Next thing I know, Larry is waking me up and telling me there is a ride. As we were leaving the house this morning, our daughter Kelly asked why it is that I sometimes take hours to get ready in the morning when we are going to run errands but when Larry and I are going out on the Harley to ride with friends I can be up and ready in thirty minutes. 

Dave, Brenda, Dave, Dawn, Rob, Kaye, Larry, and I headed down Chuckanut for Anacortes.  The plan was to stop and buy sandwiches and have a picnic at the Washington Park.  Well we made a brunch stop at the little donut shop in Anacortes and changed our lunch plans and headed to Coupeville for lunch at the Tyee.  The more time I spend wandering the back roads of Anacortes, the more I like this little town.   Rather than back track, Dave took us up, around, and over the top of Anacortes to Campbell Lake road to highway 20.  When we arrived at Deception Pass it was a traffic jam.  Tourist and locals packed the parking spaces on both sides of the bridge and cameras were snapping in every direction.  It was a beautiful scene with the sun shining and the fog rising up from the water’s edge, over the top of the bridge and we were  riding through the mist.  The other side of the bridge was sunny and not a hint of fog.  Dramatic!

Lots of vehicles on the road for a Saturday and everything was okay except for the lady in the black truck whose lane ran out and she apparently decided that Dave and Dawn should give up their lane.  She was supposed to yield but no courtesy to follow the law, so Dawn waved at her.
I could have just stayed in the parking lot at the Tyee, soaking up the sun it felt so good; but then I would miss all the fun sitting around the table talking.  It wasn’t crowded so the waitress took our orders quickly and it wasn’t long before we quieted down-- sort of-- to eat.

It’s been a long time since we have actually been into the little town on Coupeville because the restaurant is on the other side of highway 20.  We drove down the hill, two blocks through town, past the millions of tourists, up the hill and turned onto Madrona Way around Penn Cove.  We passed The Captain Whidbey Inn built on the shores of the cove more than one hundred years ago, and back onto highway 20 heading east.  Deception Pass was just as crowded, the fog had lifted, and the cameras were still clicking away.

We took back roads heading south to La Conner, crossed over bridge and drove through the main streets packed with tourists.  Not a parking spot to be found so we didn’t stop for ice cream.  Out of town we headed east towards Edison and then a diagonal journey north to Alger where we entered the freeway for the last leg of our journey home.

All total we did about 360 miles on three lunch rides with great friends.  Thank you.

Hotel Key Cards

Always take a small refrigerator magnet on your trip.  It will come in handy at the end of the trip.  If you never thought about key cards containing anything other than an access code for the room, think again.

 Ever wonder what is on your magnetic key card?

Answer:

a. Customer's name

b. Customer's partial home address

c. Hotel room number

d. Check-in date and out dates

e. Customer's credit card number and expiration date!

If you have a small magnet, pass it across the magnetic strip several times.  Then try it in the door, it will not work.  It erases everything on the card.

 If you forget to bring a magnet with you, take the card home with you and shred it. 

When you turn them in to the front desk, your personal information is there and can be scanned with a card reader.  Simply put, hotels do not erase the information on these cards until an employee reissues the card to the next hotel guest.  At that time, the new guest's information is electronically 'over-written' on the card and the previous guest's information is erased in the overwriting process.  But until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at the front desk with your information on it!

Some websites say this is false, others true.  Be cautious, use the magnet.

Yee haw, giddy-up...4th of July ride

Yee haw, giddy-up

3 days, 16 friends, 11 bikes, 2 countries, 1, 025 miles

We celebrated the 4^th of July weekend with good friends on a three day Harley adventure through Canada and the northeast section of Washington State.

It is easy to forget,  living even in a semi rural town that is near enough to two large metropolitan  cities (Seattle and Vancouver BC),  that our county is not completely populated with freeways, homes, sports complexes, fast food eateries, and people too busy to take the time to be polite.  Fortunately for us, we can ride just a short distance and be in numerous local, state, or national parks, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Our group met up at Starbucks on Bakerview with plenty of time for coffee and a chance to meet and greet the MGR group who also choose this same Starbucks to start their lunch ride.  Dave, Lorie, Bill, Marla, Dave, Dawn, Glenn, Martha, Bob (Hawaii Bob), Carole (Coconut Carole), Larry, Billie, eight bikes and twelve riders heading out for the Sumas.  We made a quick stop in Sumas where we met up with Ron and Lorri, then lined up for the border crossing.  It was going pretty quick with two lanes, double checking license plates, taking our drivers license, passports or nexus cards and waving us through.

We took Canadian highway 3A, the Crowsnest Highway, east towards Hope where we made our first stop just for gas before proceeding onto Manning Park.  We passed the Hope Slide, the largest recorded landslide in Canada that happened in 1965.  Hope Slide was caused by two earthquakes that caused approximately sixty-two million cubic feet of rock and debris that demolished the western slope of Johnson Ridge.  That was the plan, but we came to a complete halt on the highway about twenty minutes from Manning Park.  Engines off and kickstands down.  Lorie walked down to talk with some of the other motorists and discovered that a semi truck had crashed and burned just up ahead of us.  The wait was expected to take an hour or two before the lanes would be open again and it was now 11:00 AM and this crash happened at 9:00 AM.  So we waited.  It was only about another half hour until they reopened one lane, alternating vehicles to slowly clear out the traffic.  We later learned that the driver had two broken legs and several broken ribs, but made it out alive.  The cab was still smoking as we went by.

In Manning Park we had a nice break to stretch our legs, Marla fed the birds and we enjoyed watching the marmots, and sipped cold drinks before heading to Princeton for lunch at Billy’s.  Breakfast for lunch can’t be beat.  Everyone was relaxed and ready to gas up the bikes and head to the Nighthawk border crossing.  We were just about to mount up when we saw Dave M. talking to a couple and a few minutes later he let Dave J. our sweep know that he earlier invited  Darren and Audrey but didn’t know if they could make it.  They missed us when we left this morning and had pulled in right behind us at Manning Park.  The more the merrier.

The black asphalt pavement beneath us was hot, no shade to wait in, and the US border crossing agents seemed to relish taking their time and making us sweat in the 80+ degree weather.  Again when it was Larry’s and my turn, our Nexus cards are what speeded us up in getting cleared to cross the border but it was a little slower going for some.  The border agent did have a question for one of our guys about black bra straps but that is all I am going to say.  Enough said!  Too much said?

 Dave led us through Oroville, Curlew, and down to Republic where we were stayed for the night at the Northern Inn.  It’s range land so you have to watch out for cows (cows got guns Marla).  The one on the hillside just watched us roll by, but the other four cows by the side of the road sort of brought us to a stop as they tried to decided what side of the road they wanted to run to.  Dinner reservations were for 8:00 PM at Esther’s Restaurant which serves Mexican food.  Lots of laughter and stories before dinner and the food didn’t stop the chatter. Lorri asked several of us what our favorite part of the day was. Larry and Ron both said the dinner and chatting with friends; she said her long, hot shower was her standout moment.  The staff brought out a big sombrero and we all sang happy birthday to Dave McNeill (his birthday is July 5^th).  It was going to be early to bed because we have a full day of riding and sightseeing tomorrow in Canada.

Ron and Lorri were headed home and Darren and Audrey were headed south, so we said our good-byes before we hit the road by 8:00 AM and headed to the Danville border crossing into Canada.  The agent checked our license plates, took our drivers licenses, passports or nexus cards and had us pull through and wait while they screened us.  About thirty minutes to clear us and we were on our way.  The funny part was when the guard brought our ID’s back, he finally gave up trying to figure out who was who and just handed me the whole stack and asked if I would hand them back.  I laughed with the group and said I had passports for sale, what was the going bid.

We stopped in Grand Forks, located in the Sunshine Valley of the Thompson Okanogan region of BC for breakfast.  The town looked like a small strip mall sort of community on the west side but we found a historical town founded in 1895 with many of the old brick buildings still standing in the center of town.  Mining, lumber, the railroad, all played important roles in founding this town, and now recreation is a big draw.

We stopped in Castlegar located in the BC Rockies region for gas.  Forgetting to bring our Canadian currency and change along with us, Carole convinced me I should try one of the homemade cookies in the store.  To break a US $5.00 it was going to cost me an extra 25 cents and Martha said wait to wait, she had change and now I am indebted to her for 77 cents Canadian plus interest which she might be accruing.   Bob said Carole was a real temptress with food.  While I was inside getting my peanut butter cookie, Dave J. pulled out his tool kit and fixed my malfunctioning headphone system that was hanging by the wires.  Good to go and ready to ride.   Thanks, Dave! 

We headed north into the west Kootenay Region of BC towards New Denver located on the shores of Slocan Lake.  We stopped in Silverton to decide if we should pull out the raingear.  Several of did, as the sacrificial riders. to protect the others consequently, we only hit one small shower that lasted a few minutes but the real excitement was the lighting that hit the mountain top above us.   A pit stop, water, ice cream, snacks, and Marla laughed while we were taking layers off, that we would put it on, take it off, put it on, and take if off all day long.   

We were heading on one of the most famous motorcycle roads in BC, 31A from New Denver to Kaslo with twists and turns along the river and beautiful scenery.  YouTube has multiple videos of motorcycles with video cameras attached showing the ride down this road.  Now,  the only bad thing about this is some bikers think owning a motorcycle and having a license gives them a permit to drive crazy reckless without thought of other motorcyclists or cage drivers.  We witnessed two sets of these brainless riders.  The first ones rode Harley’s (this is the sort of rider that gives all Harley riders a bad name) and the leader, the biggest of the three with the biggest, badest bike passed in and out of our group and around blind corners and double yellow lines to show us he could ride.  The next bike was a little slower on jumping over the double yellow lines but then he followed suit.  The little guy on the sporty was just trying to prove he could keep up and in doing so pushed Martha to the far right hand edge of her lane, causing Glenn to back off, and the rest of us to back off.  What is the point of riding a great road if you can’t even enjoy it because you are trying to ride fast or keep up?  The second group rode “rice burners or crotch rockets”.  They had the same mentality the first group did with a dash of death wish thrown in.  They passed on blind corners over double yellow lines doing 60 or 70 in a 45 pulling in two at a time into our group expecting us to just move over.  When they cleared our group around the last corner in the other lane, they just missed colliding with three Harley riders that came around the corner shaking their heads.  Seconds is all the prevented a major accident.

We arrived in Kaslo as small town on Kootenay Lake with  a population of 1,000.  We scattered to several locations to find sandwiches, pizza, and cold drinks.  Larry and  I found sandwiches in the local grocery store and sat outside on the library steps (a storefront converted to a small library) to have lunch.  Glenn and Martha joined us and we watched the vacationers wander in and out of the shops as we ate our lunch and talked. 

Next stop heading south was Nelson, also known as the “Queen City” and situated  on the west side of Kootenay Lake in the Selkirk Mountains of BC.  The population is about 10,000 made up of old families, draft dodgers and hippies from the US, artists, city refugees, and vacationers.   The hillside was filled with old buildings that we could see as we passed over the bridge into town.  We gassed up the bikes, finished off our apples because we can’t take them into the US and we were ready to ride to the border at Metaline Falls. 

It was fairly quick at the border crossing and we were soon on our way south on highway 31 heading to Colville for the night.  We stopped at the junction of highway 20 where we would turn westward on the final leg of our day’s journey about twenty miles away.  Dusk and  the sun in our eyes, we needed to watch for deer that would be feeding in the fields, some of which are still unmowed, some are littered with freshly cut hay and alfalfa, and others are strewn with round bales ready to be stored for the winter. 

July 3^rd and most places are closing up early and we arrived a little later.  The place next door sold fresh pizza except they were all out.  The Mexican restaurant was closed so Mickey D’s for salads.  Of course they have a good mocha frappe so that was my desert.

Who needs an alarm clock because when a Harley starts up in the parking lot you come awake right then, no matter how quiet they were trying to be, it’s the sound.  It’s okay because another five minutes and the alarm would have gone off anyway.  The motel had a breakfast bar and hot coffee so everyone had something to eat before we set off on our way home.  There is something about riding in the morning, it’s quiet, you are refreshed, the air is clear, and it’s just a great way to start the day.

As we rode out of Colville the main street was lined on both side of the street with American flags.  We took highway 20 west but before we could get more than a few miles outside town Dawn’s deer count went from 21 to 42.  We took the Inchelium-Gifford Ferry on Roosevelt Lake  for a six minute crossing and a thirty mile shortcut.  The big excitement for the day, for part of the group was when a moose decided to cross the road, bringing  our bike procession to a complete stop.  We saw everyone pointing but by the time we passed by the moose had blended into the woods.  We did see the wild turkeys, a few eagles, and more deer.  We passed over Sherman Pass and through Republic.  Over Wauconda Pass then a stop in Tonasket for gas. 

It was warming up so layers came off and we mounted up for the short trip to Omak.  The 4^th of July and who would have thought the whole town closed up except one little restaurant, Magoo’s.  Back on the road to Twisp for a gas stop.  Not!  Diesel was all they and since we were just topping off everyone had enough to get to Marblemount.  Winthrop had cleared out and within minutes we were out of town and headed over the pass.  A quick stop at Diablo overlook and it was down the mountain.

Looking at the old homesteads littered across fields as we rode through the back roads was sort of a sad commentary on our real monuments and tributes to American history.  There were log homes, simple farm houses, outbuildings, well houses, smoke houses, lean-tos, chicken coops, barns, etc.  They were all in some sort of decay with roofs falling in and in some cases entire buildings caving in on themselves.  Families built new and better homes when they could, leaving the old buildings and their stories to die.  The pioneer women and men who gave up almost everything to travel west and somewhere along the way most had to lighten their loads again arriving in desolate locations with the promise of land and a new beginning.  As we celebrate the 4^th of July we need to remember our roots, our heritage, family stories that we can pass down to future generations, photos that are cherished and not packed away in boxes or museums, the farmers, ranchers, miners, loggers, who took a chance and paved the way.  Those who had a dream and made it come true and built Harley-Davidson motorcycles that allow us to ride the back roads and glimpse pieces of the past.

Happy 4^th of July. 

Happy birthday America.

A weekend ride to see the laser light show at Grand Coulee Dam

So we are all sitting at dinner whining just a little because of all the rain and the fact that we can’t ride.  Someone mentioned that the forecast for Saturday was sun and someone else said Sunday was also forecast for sun.  Two whole days!  What day should we ride?  Lorie mentioned that Dave was ready for a longer ride and they were thinking about riding to Grand Coulee Dam to see the laser light show.  Everyone perked up at the mention of a two day ride in the sunshine.  By the time we got home Lorie had sent out an email with the name of the inn they were staying at and the route Dave was planning.

First thing Friday morning I made our reservations and Larry emailed Dave and Lorie that we would be at Sehome Starbucks by 7:30 AM Saturday morning and ready to ride.  Dave, Dawn, Bill and Marla were also in.  Dave and Brenda couldn’t ride because IBDave was on call for work this weekend, Rob and Kaye couldn’t board the dogs, and Rick and Marina were already on a mini vacation, Gary is still looking to purchase a new bike and is currently without a ride, and Martha and Glenn couldn’t go because of previous plans.

Larry gassed up the bike and washed it.  We checked to make sure we had all the basics loaded for the riding season, hand sanitizer (Gold Bond alcohol free), Ibuprofen, Starbucks instant coffee, 5 hour drinks, aloe vera cream (great for bee stings), crystal light single serve packets, band aids, snacks, etc.  Larry dropped the dog off at the kennel and Kelly was left in charge of taking care of the cat who thinks she is queen.

Saturday morning was cool but the sun was shining.  I layered my heated liner under my leather coat because the ride down the freeway would probably be cool and Stevens pass would definitely be cool.  That’s okay because warm sunshine was waiting for us on the other side of the mountains. 

We took I-5 to Everett and then highway 20 to Monroe for a quick stop, Sultan, Start Up, Gold Bar, Index, Baring, Skykomish, Wellington, a break at Nason Creek, Leavenworth, and a lunch break in Cashmere.  Cashmere was first named Mission after the early missionaries.  In 1903 the town was renamed Kashmire and in 1904 renamed Cashmere to appear more American.  We stopped at Barney’s for lunch which has good food and good service.  After eating, laughing, and relaxing we were ready to ride.

We took highway 2 over to highway 97 and back onto highway 2.  We passed through Waterville, the Douglas county seat, which officially became a town in 1890 when Washington became the 42^nd state of the union.  Next we passed through Douglas which was named after Stephen A. Douglas an American statesman.  We stopped sort of in the middle of nowhere at a gas station/mini mart/liquor store/motel/bait shop for a rest stop and cold drink.  The road stretches out in front of you with nothing but newly plowed and planted fields on either side dotted with huge volcanic rocks sticking out of the earth and smaller rock mounds where the farmland has been cleared.  An occasional lone farmhouse tucked back from the road and partially obscured by a wind block of trees stands like a sentinel watching over the fields.  Now we were back on the road to Coulee Dam and riding alongside Banks Lake.  There were lots of boats on the lake and fishermen sprinkled along the shores. We quickly passed through Electric City and into Grand Coulee to the Columbia River Inn where we were staying for the night.

Checked in, we had time for showers and a quick nap before a pre-dinner social time outside and chatting with other bikers who were also staying at the inn.  We walked several blocks down from the inn on a tree lined street with their branches arching over the road, over the bridge and up the hill to the restaurant for dinner (which was not particularly good) but there aren’t a lot of choices in a small town.

Grand Coulee Dam began construction in 1935, was completed in 1942, and is the largest concrete dam in North America.  Roosevelt Lake which formed when the dam was built is named for Franklin Delano Roosevelt who approved building the dam.  The visitor’s center is right across the street from the inn where we were staying and the show starts at 10:00 PM every night beginning Memorial Day weekend.  We walked over about fifteen minutes before the show was to begin and found some available seating in the bleachers.  The laser light show lasted about a half hour telling the story of the Columbia River basin from past to present.  Towards the end of the show they played America by Neil Diamond to a fast and spectacular finish.  It was a great finale to a wonderful day riding with friends.

On the road by 8:00 AM Sunday morning we rode back to Electric City to have breakfast at the Pepper Jack Bar & Grill.  Some chose the breakfast buffet which had a wide selection and the rest of us who weren’t quite that hungry, ordered off the menu.  The waitress was really friendly and ready to match wits with Dave M. 

We stopped at Crown Point Overlook State Park as we left town and had the most amazing view of the dam and the surrounding area.  The circular structure is a huge sun dial and when the sun shines through the hole in the center of the roof, the light beam falls on one of twelve roof support columns which correspond to twelve hours of the face of a clock.  It was built in the 1940’s by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp). 

The hills are still green from an abundance of rain this year and other than a few ducks and an occasional deer we didn’t see any other wildlife on this stretch of the road.  Bridgeport, Brewster, Pateros for a quick break, Methow (you have to have eagle eyes to see a marmet sunning himself on a rock beside the road), Twisp for gas, Winthrop, Diablo overlook for a quick break, and onto Marblemount.   We had lunch at the Marblemount Diner with good service and generous portions.  Just ask Larry about ordering the pork loin cutlet. 

Back on the road we went straight through to Burlington where we stopped for a quick break and a chance to say our farewells before we took the freeway and headed home.  Some of us had a Starbucks coffee from the mini mart and Bill finally was persuaded that if he was going to get anything to drink it would be from the mini mart and not the coffee stand next to it.  Marla was emphatic.  Bill settled for a bottle of tea from the store.  Good choice Bill.

First one bike, then another pulled off the freeway at their exit, until only Larry and I were left riding down the freeway heading for Ferndale.  Larry honked and I waved good-bye to the others as they peeled off and I can hardly wait to do it all over again.

Five hundred and fifty-five miles enjoying the company of good friends, sunshine, and memories. Thanks Dave and Lorie for inviting us on your spur of the moment week-end getaway. 

Looking for the elusive Orca

Rob and Kaye sent an email out Friday asking if anyone wanted to join them Saturday to ride to San Juan Island in search of the elusive Orcas.  I looked at Larry and said we are in, send an email.  With all the rain we have had, I am not missing a chance to ride if we have a clear day, even if it is overcast, just as long as it doesn’t rain.

 Life holds challenges between prior obligations, work, and family, so you never know who is going to show up if a reply to all on the email is not clicked or if you are still trying to determine if you have time and decide to wait until the morning of the ride to decide.

 The alarm went off Saturday morning and Larry looked outside.  Clear skies and the sun was starting to peak out, at least in our neck of the county.  It looked a little iffy to the east and south, but looking to the west we could see blue skies and that meant a good day for a ride.  We tried to tip toe around the house as not to wake a sleeping baby (never wake a sleeping baby) and his mother.  We were just about ready to back out of the garage with the motor off when mom and the little guy appeared in the doorway to wave good-bye to us.  Although our grandson is still not sure it is us under the black leather and helmets, he waved.

 We arrived at Sehome Starbucks and no one was there.  OTOH!  Maybe everyone looked east and not west.  A few minutes later Rob and Kaye pulled in.  One of our friends was under the weather, a new boat took precedence over riding today for another, and one had a “blood sucking appointment.” Riding on Friday, work, family, so it was to be just the four of us today.  When you ride with friends it is not about how many people you ride with, but that you are riding with friends.  Dawn said it best this week in a Facebook post:  FRIENDS -
F.R.I.E.N.D.S: (F)ight for you. (R)espect you. (I)nvolve you. (E)ncourage you. (N)eed you. (D)eserve you. (S)ave you.

 Rob was leading our adventure today, so we took the direct route down the freeway to Anacortes.  Good choice because this gave us time to stop at a great little donut place called the Donut House.  Kaye and Rob have been there before and with the food concession not opening on the ferry until almost arrival time at Friday Harbor, this seemed like the perfect solution for a morning snack.  Ha ha!  This little donut shop has a huge selection and how do you pick just one?  Finally I knew I wanted a maple twist or as Kaye latter called it a puzzle as you tried to pull it apart to eat it.  Larry had the same thing only covered in chocolate.  This was not going to be a good start for the diet today, but was definitely going to be a wonderful treat.

 Only a few more miles to the ferry and a fairly short line and then this is where riding a motorcycle has advantages, you get to go to the front of the line and board first.  We had about a fifteen to twenty minute wait before boarding and shortly after, we went upstairs to finding seating before the ferry departed.

San Juan Island was discovered by the Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza and a year later discovered by the Europeans.  San Juan and Orcas Islands were named for Francisco, and Haro Strait is named for one of his officers.  San Juan Island covers 172 square miles.
First we rode out to Cattle Point, past the lighthouse and stopped at an old Navy radio compass station near the lighthouse that was built in the 1920’s on the southern tip of the island.  This former compass station is now used as a picnic area.  Hudson’s Bay Company established a farm, Belle Vue Farm in 1853 and unloaded cattle on a dock built near the point.  The lighthouse is a thirty-four octagonal concrete tower erected in 1935 used as an important navigation guide to vessels entering the Haro Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  It is closed to the public but can be viewed after a short hike from the Compass station.
Back on the bikes we took False Bay Drive for a scenic ride past summer houses, B&B’s, and pastures with cattle, horses, and a few donkeys standing in a paddock next to the road.  Back out on the main road we headed to Lime Kiln Pt. State Park which was named for the lime kilns built in the 1960’s.  It is built at Dead Man’s Bay overlooking the Haro Strait.  It has a thirty-eight food octagonal concrete base and is a duplicate of Seattle’s Alki Point Lighthouse.  This was the last major lighthouse established in Washington State.
On the west side of the island is where the “Pig War” of 1859-1872 changed the boundaries between the United States and the British Empire.  The shooting of a pig--also called the Pig Episode, the Pig and Potato War, the San Juan Boundary Dispute, or the Northwestern Boundary Dispute-- was the only casualty of the bloodless war.  American Camp was located near Cattle Point Lighthouse and English Camp was located near Roche Harbor.

It began when a pig owned by Hudson’s Bay Co. ambled onto an American farmer’s garden and the farmer protected his property by shooting the pig.  George E. Picket (of Pickett’s Charge fame) was sent to defend the American citizens and from there it escalated into reinforcements for both sides.  .  This dispute was decided by Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany awarding the archipelago (an expanse of water with many scattered islands) to the United States.  One small pig led to one large international confrontation. 

Now it was on to Roche Harbor for lunch at The Madrona Bar and Grill.  A new entrance down to the marina winds along the hillside to prevent tourists from driving through the residential lined road that visitors previously used.  It was 56 degrees when we went through Anacortes this morning and not one drop of rain.  I don’t know what the temperature was at lunchtime but it was warm enough to sit on the deck for lunch and view the boats and yachts filling the harbor.    Good food, good conversation with Kaye and Rob relaxing and agreeing it was a great day for a ride.  Rob in I both ordered the Cheese burger in Paradise that came with cute little bar umbrellas decorating them.  Larry had the lamb burger and Kaye had the flame grilled basil chicken.  We wandered around the harbor, took photos of the gardens, and then mounted up, heading for the ferry.  Luck was on our side and we waited only minutes after arriving to board the 2:00 PM ferry back to Anacortes.

The elusive whale sighting is still just that--elusive.  We did see foxes that ran right across the road in front of us, deer that didn’t seem to mind the loud pipes, an eagle that flew down the highway toward us and passed just about 20 feet above our bikes as we rode down a tree covered canopy.  There were donkeys, llamas, and even a camel leaning casually up against the fence.  But no whale and that’s okay because I am sure we will return on another excursion.

Rain?  Okay we had a few drops just before we approached Chuckanut Drive and it did continue to rain all the way home.  We waved good-bye to Rob and Kaye in Fairhaven as they turned towards home and we still had about ten miles to go before we arrived home.

Thank you Rob and Kaye for an enjoyable day spent riding with friends.

Thankful for sunshine...

John Denver’s song, “Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy” was the perfect tune that kept running through my mind as we rode with friends on Sunday. 

 Coffee and motorcycles are synonymous with riding.  So what better place to meet up for a ride,  Starbucks at Sehome, be there and ready to ride at 10:00 AM.  We gassed up the trike and thought we were doing well on time but when we pulled in, you guessed it, we were almost the last ones to arrive.  Not quite, but almost.

 Our group rode out Samish Way, around Lake Padden, and the west side of Lake Samish, across the freeway to Alger, down Parson Creek Road to Prairie Road and then highway 9.  We took a short break in Sedro-Woolley before turning onto highway 20 then headed to Concrete.  Overhead we could see first one and then a second jet streaking across the clear blue sky heading east over the Cascade Mountains leaving a white trail to mark their passing.

 Concrete Washington:  early settlers came to the Baker River in 1871 called the first settlement Minnehaha.  In 1890 the town was platted and a post office was started and the name Baker was adopted.  The east side of the river was named “Cement City” and sprang up around the Washington Portland Cement Company.  The Superior Portland Cement Company was built in Baker and the two towns merged in 1909 and settled on the name Concrete.  Most of the original wooden buildings lining Main Street built prior to 1921 were destroyed by fires.  After the fires, most commercial buildings were built with concrete.  The Baker Street Grill is one of three of the oldest wooden buildings still standing and is a popular place to stop for lunch among motorcycle riders.  The Henry Thompson Bridge was once the longest single span cement bridge in the world and is listed on the Washington State and National Historic Register. 

 Eagles In Flight is a local Concrete motorcycle shop owned by Rob Tygret and although we didn’t stop today, we did wave as we rode by noting the parking lot was full of bikes and it will be a destination stop on a future ride.  Riding on towards Rockport, we turned onto highway 530 for the last leg of our morning trip on the way to our lunch stop at The Glacier Peak Café in Darrington.  It was a picture perfect day for photos of Whitehorse Mountain as we pulled into the café parking lot.  We laughed that each time we come to Darrington we take a new picture of the mountain so we have to label them by year to tell the difference.  Everyone had their cameras out snapping away and Brenda said we looked like paparazzi and then coined a new word for us “Harleyrazzi”.

Lunch was relaxing; the talk fast and furious up and down the table, the food was good and filling.  Standing in the parking lot with  our gear on, zipped up, plugged in, the sun shining down on us, we were ready to ride.  Our next stop was Arlington and then south on highway 9 again to Marysville for a stop at Sound H-D.   It’s always fun to check out the new bikes and clothes, even if you are just window shopping.  Rob, Kaye, Dave, and Brenda left the group heading up the freeway for a stop at Skagit H-D before they headed home.  The rest of us weren’t ready to give up the day just yet, so we headed east across the freeway and took the back road past Lake Goodwin on our way to Stanwood and then north on the Pioneer highway to Conway.  We crossed over the freeway again for a quick gas stop and then headed east on highway 534 till we hit highway 9 again heading north this time. 

 The twist and turns on the road were like a waltz on two wheels, or in our case three wheels, as we zigged and zagged as we wound our way to our last stop at the Acme store.   When we pulled in Angie Williamson and Rick and Joan White were out front waving to us.  There were hellos, hugs, and smiles all around as we visited with old friends.  We admired Angie and Rick’s new bikes and shared our riding adventures of the day.

 It was one of those days when you could feel the sun on your face and soak up the warmth, willing it to stay and the rain that was forecast for the coming week to go away and stay away.

 The group split up at Smith Road with one group heading back to town and the other group heading towards Ferndale.  It was a great day with friends.  Thanks Dave, Lorie, Dave, Brenda, Dave, Dawn, Bill, Marla, Rick, Marina, Rob, and Kaye.  Thanks to Angie, Rick, and Joan for being the “lagniappe” (the little something extra or unexpected) at the end of the day. 

 Our grandson was not happy that papa and grandma were leathered up and leaving him behind again this morning but when we arrived home he was waiting to greet us; however, not excitedly until we removed our helmets and he could verify it really was papa and grandma, and then he could hardly wait for us to dismount and pick him up.  Then he decided he needed to sit on the bike.  An H-D rider in the making.

Sunny and Sixty degrees...let's ride.

Well the sun was shining on Saturday and we decided to take advantage of it and ride.  It was just
the two of us as friends were out of town or had family commitments because it was Easter weekend.

It was sixty degrees but we still layered up, as the wind chill riding down the road can creep on you fast.  Our grandson is not sure what to think of grandma and papa dressed in black leather and leaving him behind.  We rode out the back way from our home to Haxton Road, around Marine Drive, past the Lummi waterfront, through Fairhaven and down our favorite road south, Chuckanut Drive.

Chuckanut Drive was lined with empty vehicles because everyone was hiking in the warm (warm in Washington is a state of mind, some start wearing shorts when the sun comes out and it is forty degrees).  We cut over on Bow Hill Road, crossed over highway 5, and proceeded east on Prairie Hill Road.  Beautiful farm land but still too wet to plow fields.  Horses still wore their winter blankets as they raced across fields when they heard the sound of the pipes on our trike.

We headed up highway 9 to the Blue Mountain Grill for a late lunch.  There were two large groups of
other motorcyclist at the BMG and we would have sat outside, but all the tables were full.  We took a seat in the back corner by the windows and a view of Mt. Baker dressed in a thick white coat of snow and ice.

We took our usual route home and arrived in plenty of time to dye Easter eggs with the grandbaby.

No rain two weekends in a row! That's news.

Saturday was looking a little sketchy for riding and we had a fundraiser to attend that evening so we stayed close to home and hoped that Sunday would bring sunshine and riding weather.

Saturday night after we returned home an email was waiting from VM (he is quick witted but not deadly) asking if anyone wanted to ride on Sunday and where to meet up.  That was all it took for us to say we were in.

Sunday morning we bundled up and rode to Starbucks on Bakerview to meet up with the group.  To our surprise the MGR (meet, greet, and ride group) was planning a ride for the day and this was their location to meet up also.  We were the first of our group to arrive so Larry ordered coffee and I went to say hello to Mike L., Pat and Pam, Lynn, and Bryan.  Before we left they had four more show up for their ride.

Shortly thereafter, Dave and Dawn, Lorie and Dave, and Bill and Marla arrived.  More greetings between the two groups, checking out each other’s bikes, discussions about the bike show at Skagit HD on Saturday, and then it was time for our group to depart.

Dave M. had us winding our way through Bellingham through the older neighborhoods, down to Squalicum harbor, around the waterfront, up to State St., through Fairhaven, and onto Chuckanut Drive.  We were hoping that heading south and west that we could stay out of range of those pesky dark rain clouds that were hovering just to the east of us.  Lorie wore her rain suit and that was going to be our rain protection (if someone does not wear raingear on a day like this, you can almost always bet on getting soaked).   Okay we did have a couple of sprinkles, and some small hail, but no downpour.

Down Chuckanut, through Edison and onto highway 20.   We made a quick stop to stretch our legs and then rode towards La Conner and the tulip fields before heading into Mount Vernon for a stop at Skagit HD.  People were stopped everywhere along the roads to view the tulips in reds, pinks, oranges, and the yellow daffodils.  They were slogging through the mud in their designer rubber boots to have their pictures taken in the tulips.  Nice, but seeing the flowers from the back of the bike was enough for us.

We stopped at the Train Wreck in Burlington for lunch and much to our surprise it was not full. Table for eight, something to drink, we placed our orders, and then we could sit back and tell stories.  It is good to spending time with friends that you can totally relax with and laughwith each other.

Where to next?  Highway 9 as we headed back to Whatcom County.  We rode north to Everson, then west to Birch Bay State Park to enjoy a pit stop and enjoy the sunshine and the beach views.  We all said our good-byes as we mounted up and headed home.  Bill and Marla peeled off first, and then to make sure we didn’t miss our turn, Lorie and Dave were kind enough to both point to our road and Dave and Dawn honked a good-bye.

Eagle Eye pointed out numerous eagles, perched and flying throughout the day, and we saw deer, lots of baby calf twins, sheep still wearing their winter coats, and lots of other bikers.  It was a good day.

Sunshine...where have you been?

It has been a wet winter and that would be okay if it rained Monday through Friday, but every weekend?  Now don’t get me wrong, I love to sit by a warm fire with a cup of coffee and relax, but sunshine on the bike, sitting behind my husband on the trike and riding with friends is just a beautiful day.Finally on Saturday the sun came out to play.  On the news Saturday night, the weatherman was saying it had been forty-two days in Seattle without sun.  Way too long.  Sunshine does not mean warm weather in Washington State.  Looks can be, and are, deceiving.  Everyone we knew had chores to do or other obligations, so Larry and I bundled up with layers and heated gear and headed out on the trike for an afternoon ride by ourselves.  Our daughter and grandson watched as we backed out of the driveway and I am not sure what the little guys thinks of his grandparents dressed all in black and riding on a big loud noisy trike. Hopefully by the end of summer, when the weather warms up and he has heard the sound of the HD pipes multiple times, he will be ready to take a ride down the end of the driveway and back.  A HD rider in the making.

We rode out Mountain View to Olson Road and then took Grandview to Birch Bay Drive, through the park and Birch Bay.  Larry rode on Friday by himself and said the park was swamped with people digging for clams, but today there was only a  handful of people on the beach with shovels and buckets and Birch Bay looked like a late Sunday afternoon in the fall when everyone goes home and the shops all close up and the resort community becomes a bedroom community again for the locals.
We rode around the shoreline enjoying the quiet time on our way past Semihamoo to Blaine.  We then
took the H Road to Lynden.  To anyone on a motorcycle on two wheels, be careful because just before you head up the hill out of Blaine on the H road, the city is doing road construction and the road
is pretty nasty right now.

We passed maybe only a handful of cars going west and nomotorcycles.  We saw deer but that was it
for wildlife sightings.  We stopped at Jake’s Western Grill in Lynden for a great lunch and then took Birch Bay Road to the Enterprise Road and Portal Way, slowly winding our way home.
It was a good day for a ride and I can’t wait for the next sunny day...but I hope it is not forty-two days away.

Finally…a break in the weather

Rain,  rain go away...and it finally did on Sunday.  Larry and I put on our cold gear layers because the temperature gauge on the back deck was reading 30 degrees.  Our grandson woke up just in time to see us backing the trike out of the garage.  He wasn’t sure about the loud noise the pipes made or that grandma and grandpa didn’t look quite right dressed from head to toe in black leather and wearing helmets that made us almost unrecognizable to him.  We waved good bye and his mom held him as we rode off with the music pumping.  We rounded the first corner after we left the house and slowed quickly as there were seven deer grazing on a neighbor’s lawn.  They stopped to look at us as we
rode by but didn’t spook and continued their morning feeding.  We met up with our friends at the Sehome Starbucks Sunday morning about 9:30 AM and we waited to see who would show
up.  Seven bikes and twelve riders, it was going to be a good day.

We rode down Chuckanut Drive, for the first of many rides we will take down this road in the coming months.  I can’t say enough about heated gear because when we hit the Skagit flats the wind was blowing and I was turning up the heat.  Dave and Dawn were riding in front of us and she pointed out the eagles as we rode through the farm lands.  We stopped for a quick break just after we crossed over highway 20 then proceeded onto the Roadhouse for lunch.  I’ve missed the camaraderie and fellowship of eating lunch with friends while out riding the bikes but even on the coldest, darkest, rainiest days of winter, we met up every couple of weeks to have dinner, share stories, laugh, and just enjoy time with friends.

After lunch we rode down to Sound Harley-Davidson, checked out the bikes outside and inside, wandered the aisles for a little shopping, and then it was time to meander towards home. We headed up highway 9 and two bikes split off at Sedro-Woolley heading to the freeway while the rest of the group continued on the back roads.  One more bike split off at Lake Whatcom and then there were four.  Just before we pulled into the Acme store for a break we saw guinea hens by the side of the
road.  An unusual sight and I couldn’t get my camera out quickly enough to take a photo.
One more bike left the group headed home in a different direction and then there were two headed to Ferndale.  It was a great day with friends and we can’t wait to do it again.

Our friends laugh when they ride behind us because my head is bopping and my foot is tapping to the music. I like to have a variety of songs on the cd’s and can usually burn about
150 songs on each one.  So what do we listen to?  Todd Rundgren, The Blues Brothers, Roy Orbison, Michael Buble, Manfred Mann, ZZ Top, Train, 38 Special, Colbie Callat, Toby Keith, Gloria Gaynor, Village People, Josh Groban,  Jerry Lee Lewis, Queen, Duffy, Nickleback--so the only word that can really describe our music selections is eclectic.