North Cascades Highway to reopen FRIDAY May 11th, 10am

[escapefjrtist]

Four letter word beginning with "W" still in the way...

--G

+1

eye trouble coming on???

Yeah, can't see myself being here...I wish! Another wonderful day of meetings where no decisions are made.

--G

 

[Panman]

Made the call for inspection but he didn't show so I'm a no go

. I guess I'm staying on queue never have made the opener.

Bright side Monday is calling for 80 degree weather, I can see a Can-Am happening! Let see North Cascades, Loop Loop & the Crows Nest?

 

[allrider]

Made the call for inspection but he didn't show so I'm a no go

. I guess I'm staying on queue never have made the opener.
Bright side Monday is calling for 80 degree weather, I can see a Can-Am happening! Let see North Cascades, Loop Loop & the Crows Nest?

Sounds warmer than Friday

 

[allrider]

WOW!! I wish I could be there for the opener! I've done it a few times, with some of you. Have a great ride guys!!

I think i did my first with you. Now i can't stop. I expect i might see Tom Edison.

 

[JamesW]

Made the call for inspection but he didn't show so I'm a no go

. I guess I'm staying on queue never have made the opener.
Bright side Monday is calling for 80 degree weather, I can see a Can-Am happening! Let see North Cascades, Loop Loop & the Crows Nest?

Spoken like a true retiree. Crows Nest is a bit up N. Could not get up the energy this AM.

 

[Panman]

Well Monday don't work either, to damm many irons in the fire!

Inspector came did good had three little pick-up and even got the OK to insulate. I'll have two fixed tomorrow and need to go to the truss Manufacture and get two special hangers Monday.

Monday I also have to take the M/H in to have the Hydra Lift installed & the car to get the tow bar installed.

Retirement is tough, I never had this much going when I worked, or did I.

Edit: I was looking at KOMO new and it looks like Gordon made it on the right hand side of the picture.

https://komonews.com/news/local/gallery/north-cascades-highway-reopens-for-the-season

 

[Mount Rainier]

22-year-old dies in motorcycle accident on North Cascades Highway

https://kgmi.com/news/007700-oak-harbor-22-year-old-dies-in-motorcycle-accident-on-north-cascades-highway/

Unfortunate for sure! Sad news for rider's mom on Mother's Day.

Traffic was stopped in both directions for a considerable time while the incident was investigated. I was returning home from a day on the bike and got caught up in the closure.

Keep Going!

 

[allrider]

Great day for a ride over the mountains. A little chilly to start but it was warm in Winthrop as usual. I went through Darrington to Marblemount and had breakfast at what used to be Clark's Cabins. The restaurant and cabins have changed hands about a year and a half ago i am told. Foods still OK. I pushed on to the gate where i found several bikes parked off to the side as i went up to the gate as i was shown in the past. There was enough room for more bikes but i found out that many have not done this before so they were not inclined to just go there. I was wondering if its no longer allowed or if i was going to get told to move it. I didn't know what to think so i waited for someone to say something. Nothing came of it, except the other riders now wanted to know if it's OK. As i pulled up I shut off the bike and my Sena and i heard angelic music coming from somewhere. As I pulled off my lid I see two women playing this beautiful music. One keyboard and a violin. With the forest for a backdrop it was surreal and wonderfully calming. I woke up 3 hours earlier to get on the road and flew the entire way only stopping for a bite. Now i am here and it is sooo relaxing and quite unexpected and i am loving it. There was the usual coffee and cinnamon rolls but i just ate and it's only 15 min until they open the gate so i wanted to see if there was anyone i knew there. I wandered around for a while and didn't see anyone i knew except Tootsies Grand Daughter and Son. They are keeping up the tradition of coffee and cinn rolls, and opening the gate. The one thing they did differently is they let a large group push the gate open. Anyone that wanted to could participate which was kind of nice. And while all this is happening i forgot to saddle up and be ready. THE DAMN GATES OPEN and I'm standing there putting my helmet and gloves on and they are waiting on me. Shit... I finally got it together and took off. The road was OK but not to be trusted. You never know on this (or any) road, even when its been regularly traveled but there has been no traffic for 6 months and its dirty. Still somehow I got to Liberty Bell in no time. I only stopped to take a few pics and went on to Winthrop were i met another rider and had lunch. 46 degrees at the gate, almost 80 in Winthrop. Couldn't wait to shed a few layers and walk around town. Looks like most, if not all of the businesses survived the Winter. I wondered around and stopped in various shops. Got Sheila something at the French Quail. A very girly store that she loves. Nice thing about this store is i can walk around it once and find that one thing she will love and get out, in 10 min. I can never do that with her in that store.

On the way back i stopped at a cabin 7 mi out of town owned by a cousin of my friend Ted who passed back in Sept. I wanted to check on the place and spread some of his ashes up there. We used to go up there and stay overnight when doing a north cascades loop back in the day. Outhouse is in better shape than the trailer.

Road back home was fun. Going west is the best views of the mountains. I never saw the construction/traffic issues i was warned about. The only thing i saw was an automatic signal light on Rockport road. There was no traffic at it and i was able to fly through it. Looking forward to staying a few days in Winthrop this Summer. They have a new river guide tour company with aluminum boats with heated seats (if needed). Kinda pricey but very civilized. I am happy with the cheap and easy tubing down the river.

 

[allrider]

Here's the final posting from WSDOT on the opening. Lots of links below to pics and articles of it all.

Hi all,

The initial surge of traffic over the North Cascades is over, but for those who want to stretch the emotional charge that comes with it, I'm copying this list of media articles on the event (plus the links to our flickR albums for the season and for Friday's opening.)

Below that, I'm going to share Bob Spiwak's car count for opening day. It's a feature he put in his commentary column for years at the Methow Valley News, but as he has retired, the annual count is posted on a local community bulletin board and I thought you might find it entertaining, too.

[email protected]

Our WSDOT Friday westside reopening pictures - Andrea

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/albums/72157668860224678

Our 7 week WSDOT flickr album – Also Andrea

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/albums/72157693009046381

North Cascades Highway now open for the season. KING https://www.king5.com/article/traffic/traffic-news/north-cascades-highway-now-open-for-the-season/281-549700004

Loved ones continue Tootsie Clark's tradition, bring cinnamon rolls to North Cascades Highway. KIRO https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/loved-ones-continue-tootsie-clarks-tradition-bring-cinnamon-rolls-to-north-cascades-highway/748316288

North Cascades Highway reopens for the season. KOMO https://komonews.com/news/local/north-cascades-highway-reopens-for-the-season

A sweet legacy lives on as the North Cascades Highway reopens. KOMO https://komonews.com/news/local/a-sweet-legacy-lives-on-as-the-north-cascades-highway-reopens

SR 20 North Cascades Highway is open for 2018. Anacortes Now https://www.anacortesnow.com/news/community-news/3804-sr-20-north-cascades-highway-is-open-for-2018

Friends and family honor ‘Cinnamon Roll Lady’ at reopening of North Cascades Highway. Seattle Times

May 11, 2018

We have extended our car counts from holidays to include other events that draw and shoo motorists to the Upper Methow. "We" being my favorite accomplice, Ms. Gloria and my own self.

The car count's first public view was with a Labor Day exodus of people leaving the valley years ago.

To coincide with the gate opening this year, we chose 10:00 Friday for a one hour stint counting vehicles going east and west - Gloria noting trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles. There were ZERO bicycles; 9 Eastbound motorcycles and 5 headed West. We extended our review a half hour to 11:30 because things were rather slow in both directions at the beginning. The final car only count showed 98 Eastward and 76 West.

The total of all vehicles was 171 West to East and 112 East to West. Those counts do not include motorcycles or the 2 airplanes overhead.

We did have a quarrel about whether SUVs be counted as cars or trucks. I won the bet, based on GM and Ford already cutting down or out of conventional cars because people want more trucks, half of which are cars.

Thus endeth the the saga of highway 20's gate openings.

Bob Spiwak