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.