Fontanaman
Robin Trower
I used to ride year round with out much regard for the the weather but a couple of years ago I quit day riding in the rain on local day rides. A working stiff I anxiously watched the forecast with great interest and it was good and remained good. Yes! Last weekend I road around Hood Canal so this weekend I decided to ride to Long Beach Washington. RedPorcheKilla and I kept in touch during the week - neither of us ride in the rain on purpose. His ride report is here.
I choose Long Beach because it is a scenic lowland ride suitable for last winter and early spring. In the summer everybody heads to the beach and the roads get crowed and some of these are very good roads.
I left home about 7:45am. It was clear and cold, the temp about 36F. With heated grips, winter gloves and a Gerbing heated jacket I was warm. Here is the route less the slab.
I meet RPK at Hawks Prairie restaurant near Lacy and we have breakfast with a side of bullshit and lots of coffee.
It is a slog down I-5 and along the way we encountered fog on and off. With the sun out it starts to warm up to about 50 or so but in the fog the temp drops to 40 or so. Dwn I-5 to Olympia and head west to Montesano. The route begins along Hwy 107 a twisty little bit of a road along slough's of the Chehalis River. Each slough has it own name and there are many of them. It is a scenic bit of road with some twisty sections. Hwy 107 ends soon and I head down Hwy 101 to Raymond Washington a lumber town along the coast.
RPK made it perfectly clear he needed to stop at the McDonald's in Raymond to get rid of coffee where I buy more coffee as any good veteran aerospace employee would.
I don't get my camera out until south of South Bend Washington where a take a few photos. It was high tide or near high tide improving the look for at low tide it turns into a mud flat in some places. I imagine Ms. Tyler could take a photo of a mud flat and make it look good but not me.
The fog cleared just before we arrived but puffy clouds remained.
Without a beach picture I was not a the beach so here it is. The beaches here were formed by the sediment of the Columbia River over the last 5000 years.
Along the Willipa Bay National Wildlife refuge Hwy 101 is very twisty for 8 miles. This bit of road is a scenic and captivating highlight along 101.
Here are some photos.
My route takes me back to Raymond and State Hwy 6 - not a terribly interesting roads but it leads to good county roads near Adna.
Mt Rainier makes a appearance.
We leave Hwy 6 at Adna and pickup in succession, Bunker Creek, Ingalls, Lincoln Creek and Michigan Hill and Independence roads on my way to Littlerock. I love the inspirational names of these rural county roads. I can't help but think somebody ripped the pages out of an Elementary school history book to name the roads.
I took this photos a couple of years ago with a healthy sense of humor. They have since upgraded the structure and it does not look the same today. Damn shame.
Here are some shots long these county roads - actually taken yesterday. I say taken yesterday cause often Fontanaman will use photos taken in prior years.
Mt. Rainier again near Independence road.
About 5:00pm I pull over in Littlerock tell RPK is it I am heading to I-5 to get home before dark.
On a closing note it was a good day to do the speed limit and I am very happy I did because there sure was a lot of law enforcement out yesterday. Washington State Patrol on Hwy 101, County Sheriff's patrolling their turf and city police with radar before every dinky town all just to make sure I am safe. Gosh I felt so special!
It was a nice day for a ride. Thanks RPK.
I choose Long Beach because it is a scenic lowland ride suitable for last winter and early spring. In the summer everybody heads to the beach and the roads get crowed and some of these are very good roads.
I left home about 7:45am. It was clear and cold, the temp about 36F. With heated grips, winter gloves and a Gerbing heated jacket I was warm. Here is the route less the slab.
I meet RPK at Hawks Prairie restaurant near Lacy and we have breakfast with a side of bullshit and lots of coffee.
It is a slog down I-5 and along the way we encountered fog on and off. With the sun out it starts to warm up to about 50 or so but in the fog the temp drops to 40 or so. Dwn I-5 to Olympia and head west to Montesano. The route begins along Hwy 107 a twisty little bit of a road along slough's of the Chehalis River. Each slough has it own name and there are many of them. It is a scenic bit of road with some twisty sections. Hwy 107 ends soon and I head down Hwy 101 to Raymond Washington a lumber town along the coast.
RPK made it perfectly clear he needed to stop at the McDonald's in Raymond to get rid of coffee where I buy more coffee as any good veteran aerospace employee would.
I don't get my camera out until south of South Bend Washington where a take a few photos. It was high tide or near high tide improving the look for at low tide it turns into a mud flat in some places. I imagine Ms. Tyler could take a photo of a mud flat and make it look good but not me.
The fog cleared just before we arrived but puffy clouds remained.
Without a beach picture I was not a the beach so here it is. The beaches here were formed by the sediment of the Columbia River over the last 5000 years.
Along the Willipa Bay National Wildlife refuge Hwy 101 is very twisty for 8 miles. This bit of road is a scenic and captivating highlight along 101.
Here are some photos.
My route takes me back to Raymond and State Hwy 6 - not a terribly interesting roads but it leads to good county roads near Adna.
Mt Rainier makes a appearance.
We leave Hwy 6 at Adna and pickup in succession, Bunker Creek, Ingalls, Lincoln Creek and Michigan Hill and Independence roads on my way to Littlerock. I love the inspirational names of these rural county roads. I can't help but think somebody ripped the pages out of an Elementary school history book to name the roads.
I took this photos a couple of years ago with a healthy sense of humor. They have since upgraded the structure and it does not look the same today. Damn shame.
Here are some shots long these county roads - actually taken yesterday. I say taken yesterday cause often Fontanaman will use photos taken in prior years.
Mt. Rainier again near Independence road.
About 5:00pm I pull over in Littlerock tell RPK is it I am heading to I-5 to get home before dark.
On a closing note it was a good day to do the speed limit and I am very happy I did because there sure was a lot of law enforcement out yesterday. Washington State Patrol on Hwy 101, County Sheriff's patrolling their turf and city police with radar before every dinky town all just to make sure I am safe. Gosh I felt so special!
It was a nice day for a ride. Thanks RPK.
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