Newb to the Washington area

[Squijummonkey]

Hello all!

I just wanted to put in a brief hello and introduce myself as much as I can, seeing as this is going to be my new region now  .

I'm from Michigan, and have probably ridden almost every road there is to be ridden there (but if you've been to the area, you know how flat most of those roads can be!). I'm still learning the area, and I believe the best place to describe where I'm now near, is Covington, Wa. I've only been here since May but I was working 7 days a week for a few months in the beginning, so I haven't had a lot of chances to go out to explore. /sad face

I love meeting up for rides, partifularly if they're long, and sad to say, especially if it involes riding to a good joint to grab some grub! But my downfall is, I don't know a single road here! So, if you see a girl riding around on a Blackbird aimlessly, no doubt, that is me!

With that said, does anybody have any suggestions for a "must see/ride" list? I'd love to get one going and start on it!
I was scoping out the 101 loop near Port Angeles for an easy start.

Another thing I'm curious about is, what are the riding seasons like? Seeing as winter is coming up soon, should I expect to put my bike away for the winter? Or is it just wet, but manageable for rides?

Thanks a bunch for any advice! And hopefully I'll get to meet a lot of you and have a great time too.

With warm regards,
Amber

[Mrs. DantesDame]

With that said, does anybody have any suggestions for a "must see/ride" list? I'd love to get one going and start on it!

   If I didn't know any better I'd say that you were trolling  

Ok, short list:
- Hwy 20 (North Cascades Hwy) - lunch in Winthrop
- FS 99 (Mt St Helens/Windy Ridge
- FS 25 (to get to Mt St Helens) bumpy as hell, but a fun time. Continue south to Carson to get the full effect
- Alder Lake (Rt 7) - short but damn fun if there's no traffic
- Hurricane Ridge (Olympic Peninsula/Port Angeles
- "Three Pass Blast" - Snoqualmie, Blewett and Stevens Pass
- Good burgers in North Bend at the North Bend Bar & Grill

If you want some more ideas, check out my website under "PNW rides". I tried to post up maps when I could.

Really, you can't go wrong.

And with that said, while 101 is beautiful and should be done, it isn't "all that" in terms of great motorcycling. Long, straight sections surrounded by trees is a common theme. HOWEVER - if you do go to the peninsula, be sure to check out 112 west of Port Angles. Wheeeeee! (watch your corners though   )

[Squijummonkey]

I did some trolling, I won't lie  

Wow, I like your start off list! It sounds like it would be a lot of fun, and a lot to choose from =D

I'll check out your website also; until I get my bearings down, maps and general areas are a great start  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I'm bring a Very Large Pile of maps, etc, with me when I visit Seattle this Thanksgiving. I planned on leaving them with katego, but you're more than welcome to them if you think they'd help.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I was scoping out the 101 loop near Port Angeles for an easy start.

http://goo.gl/maps/VjdxG

If you can follow that route to Quilcene, you'll really enjoy it. No traffic, good pavement, well-marked corners and a perfect route to hold "the pace" as you blast through. Just watch for moss  

The Hood Canal follow-up is interesting, but very easy to get caught behind traffic, and there are a couple of towns to slow down for. Overall, a nice leg to ride  

[Squijummonkey]

I'm bring a Very Large Pile of maps, etc, with me when I visit Seattle this Thanksgiving. I planned on leaving them with katego, but you're more than welcome to them if you think they'd help.

If Katego doesn't want them, then I'd be extremely happy and grateful  to use them!

[UHOH]

I love meeting up for rides, partifularly if they're long, and sad to say, especially if it involes riding to a good joint to grab some grub!
 But my downfall is, I don't know a single road here! So,
...
until I get my bearings down, maps and general areas are a great start  Lol

Don't know where your home Covington, WA is, but good general target areas are:
north - Route 20 to Republic, WA
central - loop around Mt Ranier (Whistling Jacks is good lunch, fuel stop), or Mt St Helens area
south - central or eastern Oregon.

Right now east of the mtns we are having an amazingly warm late summer.  Better ride while it lasts.

[katego]

seriously... get the hwy 20 ride in before the road closes. you won't regret it.

ooooooh maps! yay! though I won't be greedy, promise!

-k

[1Arm]

Don't forget to check out your southern neighbor   Central Oregon has all kinds of yummy flavors, just sampled some Rajneeshpuram yesterday, delightful

[stefrrr]

Come to the first (and possibly last) annual "Ride for Pie!"  

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,74187.0.html

[Mrs. DantesDame]

seriously... get the hwy 20 ride in before the road closes. you won't regret it.

But watch your speeds near Rockport/Marblemount!  

[Squijummonkey]

Oregon and California on my list for next riding season when I'm brave enough to venture out of the state   I don't even have the bike licensed in Washington yet, it's still waving the plates 'o blue from Michigan   I'm really pressing my luck with that, I'm being told!

The ride for pie very well may be doable though!

[Lone-ZG-Rider]

Oregon and California on my list for next riding season when I'm brave enough to venture out of the state   I don't even have the bike licensed in Washington yet, it's still waving the plates 'o blue from Michigan   I'm really pressing my luck with that, I'm being told!

The ride for pie very well may be doable though!

Pretty cheap registration in this state, shouldn't be more than $50. If they tag you for not registering, it is a misdemeanor criminal charge.

I wouldn't delay it...

[UHOH]

Pretty cheap registration in this state, shouldn't be more than $50.
If they tag you for not registering, it is a misdemeanor criminal charge.

Wow, didn't know that.  Seems unfair for criminal charge
to result from administrative type omission / non-compliance...

[Squijummonkey]

Pretty cheap registration in this state, shouldn't be more than $50. If they tag you for not registering, it is a misdemeanor criminal charge.

I wouldn't delay it...

Yeah, that's a scarier prospect than trying to scrounge up the change to do something so 'simple'. I'll be sure to get right on it, so thanks for the warning! I didn't think the state would go so far for something so little =\

[brianhe]

Pick up a copy of Destination Highways:Washington.  Kind of pricey but worth it if you live here and own a motorcycle.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Pick up a copy of Destination Highways:Washington.  Kind of pricey but worth it if you live here and own a motorcycle.

I had one that I'd give her, but someone else borrowed it and never gave it back  

[Squidbuzz]

Amber, welcome. I moved to Wenatchee from the Milwaukee, WI area in February.  I have road quite a few roads this summer so I can help from a newbie perspective.

Todd

[bubba zanetti]

Welcome to the PNW !

And don't forget your neighbours to the north !!  We are frequented by Washington folk ...  

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,70095.0.html

[Stray Cat]

Since you are in Covington, a nice day ride is up over 410 to Rainier, down through south western WA to Windy Ridge and Mt St. Helens, back up through Paradise and Skate Creek. All on local maps. You will have to fork over a couple of bucks for the parks pass, but worth it. There are some decent roads in your area as well. The Green River gorge is scenic for a morning or afternoon ride. Up a little farther north is the Snoqualmie and Skykomish valleys that have some nice roads and good eateries along the way. Weather has been great all summer, but it'll change here soon. November is probably the worst riding month due to the winds and rains.

[knobnose]

I just got back from a burger and brews at Three Fingered Jack's in Winthrop after riding hwy 20 for the first time on my new Street triple. In spite of all of the glowing reviews I was kind of underwhelmed- by the road not the saloon.
It was certainly as beautiful scenery as you could hope to find but the road was mostly sweepers that needed to be taken at 20+ over thee speed limit to be fun - potentially very expensive and not much of a challenge. The NP visitor ctr is very interesting and worthy of a couple of hours.
A very nice ride but  ...

[Mrs. DantesDame]

A very nice ride but  ...

In that case, try Hurricane Ridge and Windy Ridge (if you haven't already). Those should fit the bill of twisty roads. For even more of a challenge, maybe go up to 112 west of Port Angeles. I've only been on it a couple of times, but it was uncomfortably tight for my liking

I agree that Hwy 20 is a mixed bag. I personally love the sweepers just east of the Dam (right after the tight stuff), and since I'm more of a scenic looky-loo than a ricky racer, I'm just fine with the beauty of the area vs the challenge of the road  

[bubba zanetti]

Highway 20 is a scenic ride and not an all out set of twisties.  Mid summer, with lots of snow still on the peaks it is a beautiful ride. One of the things I like most about it is the terrain and climate change. Riding from Omak to Annacortes you leave a northern desert and come out in a Pacific rainforest. Sagebrush to Sasquatches ...  I love routes like that.  

[Hambonee]

Welcome to the PNW!

Lots of great suggestions but understand if you do head over the mountians the seasons can change dramatically. It can be sunny and 75 in the flat lands but hit the mountians and it can REALLY change. Here is a picture from early June heading to Sun Mountian Lodge:



This was along Highway 2 if remember which we then hooked 97 to 20 to Winthrop then just took 20 back home to 530 down 9.

But man the views are worth it! on the way home


As for the riding season..not bad if you dont mind a bit of rain!

[Squijummonkey]

Thank you all! I can't wait to get started on all of the suggestions you've all given.

I went to a dealership to see about winterizing my bike or storing it...imagine the looks I got!  

[highside]

Thank you all! I can't wait to get started on all of the suggestions you've all given.

I went to a dealership to see about winterizing my bike or storing it...imagine the looks I got!  

We don't winterize bikes on this side of the mountains, just ride it a couple times a month, it never gets all THAT bad for more than a week or two at a time.

[Need For Speed]

We don't winterize bikes on this side of the mountains, just ride it a couple times a month, it never gets all THAT bad for more than a week or two at a time.

And today was one of the couple of times this month for me - awesome weather for December. Just couldn't get as far up the Mt. (St. Helens) as I would have liked, but I did have it to myself!

Thanks goodness for heated gear...

[stefrrr]

 

[Squijummonkey]

  I think I just swooned. Is that's where all the snow is?

[Stray Cat]

How about a blackbird in the snow?  

[Need For Speed]

How about a blackbird in the snow?  

How about 3 in the snow?  

[Stray Cat]

 

[Need For Speed]

Much better road conditions yesterday, didn't have to ride through any snow. Had the roads all to myself as well