Motorcyle Monday: 3 Days of Motorcycle Rides Beginning in the Yakima Valley

A view of Mt. Hood from Maryhill Museum

Columbia River Gorge, vineyards, and Mt. Hood

Last weekend we celebrated our 30th anniversary with three local motorcycle rides. It was good practice to find out how long we could stay on the bike and how we would feel after a few days of travel.

Columbia River Gorge overview

What we found out:

~ early morning rides are our favorite (unless it is early spring or late fall when the weather tends to be too brisk)

~ wild animals surprise you when least expected, especially in the early morning or late afternoon

~ an hour is about as long as my backside can go without becoming totally numb, and therefore putting me at risk of falling off, as I think I am holding on, but I can't really feel the seat to tell if I am actually gripping the seat

~ my favorite part of the rides are the rest breaks

~ snack time is necessary when out riding

~ scenery is a requirement; it's a good thing the northwest is overflowing with beautiful sights

~ bugs hurt when they hit you as the bike is traveling at anything over 50 mph

~ I keep my face shield down to avoid bees in my helmet; Kevin learned this the hard way

~ sunblock is a necessity

~ helmet hair is not so great, but what can you do?

~ it's great fun meeting other motorcycle fans

~ the fresh air (both fragrant and smelly) takes experiencing the outdoors to a new level; involving the sense of smell enhances nature

~ it's hard to take photos with my helmet on, but possible

~ once we've had a good night's sleep, we are ready to hop on the bike and head out again

Ride 1 - Maryhill Museum and the Columbia River Gorge

We left from home early in the morning after enjoying a breakfast out. I had packed lunch and snacks and picked up a free pass from the library for the Maryhill Museum south of Goldendale. Maryhill Museum overlooks the Columbia River Gorge. The grounds and displays are wonderful. We stopped here first, had a snack, and toured the museum. After the museum, we hit the Maryhill Winery where a patio concert was in progress. We sat and enjoyed Columbia River Gorge views as we ate our lunch. It was so nice in the shade. The music was a great treat. On the way home, we stopped at the Centerville Cemetery to search for some of Kevin's relatives. We found one Brown. It was hot and windy but very peaceful (being out in the middle of nowhere, things tend to be quiet). The ride home over Satus Pass brought plenty of wild horses and birds of prey sightings.

"You've got to be kidding me!" was the response I got when, a) I made Kevin play chess at Maryhill Museum, and b) we tried to remember the rules for chess.

Centerville Cemetery with Mt. Adams in the background

Riding through the Yakima River Canyon

Ride 2 - Coffee in Ellensburg via the Yakima River Canyon

Our day 2 ride was a last minute idea. We were up early and out the door, headed to Ellensburg for coffee. Yes, a long way for coffee, but a great reason to go for a ride. We saw many types of wildlife while touring through the Yakima River Canyon. It was beautiful and slightly cool. Traffic was light, which was a side benefit for going so early. Mountain goats, deer, birds, eagles, and even several pelicans were spotted as we rode. It's never a mistake to tour the canyon on a bike. Just watch for deer trying to cross the road to get to the river.

Old homestead along Highway 24

Ride 3 - Anniversary Lunch in Kennewick via Hanford and Highway 24

The ride to Kennewick for an anniversary lunch was the hottest and windiest ride. We drove east on Highway 24, which heads to Hanford. After many miles of ranches and farms, the views changed to grasslands and sagebrush. The closer we got to Hanford, the more we felt heat and wind. When we turned south towards Kennewick, we really had to hang on, as wind gusts came and went. But still, it was fun to enter the Tri-Cities area from a different direction. After lunch, we headed home on I-82 as far as Granger, then jumped on the old Yakima Valley Highway, which is a beautiful ride through orchards, farms, ranches, and small communities. We had a construction-induced detour over Konnowac Pass, but we love that ride just as much as Yakima Valley Highway.

Rusted out vehicles in the grass

All in all, three days of getting out on the motorcycle with my honey was refreshing. Who cares about helmet hair anyway, right?

A photo taken in the wind and while I was wearing my helmet. Not too shabby.

Cinnamon Roll Gone Wild

Would you look at this blueberry pecan cinnamon roll?

A bit frozen from the cold early morning motorcycle ride up Chinook Pass, we decided to stop at Whistlin' Jack Lodge and have a cup of coffee to warm up . . . where we were tempted by warm cinnamon rolls.

Oh. My. We saw that death bomb of sugar and calories covering the plate, actually oozing off the sides, and wondered what we had gotten ourselves into.

We managed only small portion of the treat as we savored the fragrance and flavor. This is truly a minimum of 4-person dessert. Or maybe 2 hungry Taylor's (a rating scale based on our son who adores cinnamon rolls). Definitely worth a coffee break pause or breakfast. But you better bring a few friends.

Bon appetit.

Motorcycle Monday - Satus Pass to Horse Heaven Hills Loop Ride

The perfect weather last Saturday (and enough time) gave us a much needed refreshment break on the Honda Shadow. Here are some photos from our 6-hour loop ride. Minimal stops, maximum fun.

We went south on Highway 97 over Satus Pass. We always stop at Brooks Memorial Park for a potty stop. It is just enough distance from home that our bums are numb. And we need the break.

One of our wildlife sightings of the day - blue jay. Loud and squawky but gorgeous. The list for the day: turkey vultures, hawks, osprey, blue jay, swallows, deer (almost hit), wild turkey (was next in line to be hit), ground squirrel, deer ribs, wild horses, pelicans, ducks, coyote, and many, many other birds. Great day for seeing the critters.

One of four mountains spotted during our loop trip. This is Mt. Adams. We also saw Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Hood. The sky was not totally clear, but beautiful none the less.

Wind machines. Cool in a mechanical sort of way. I'm fascinated with how LARGE they are in real life. The shadows and backlighting keep me taking photos, though I have many.

Columbia River Gorge, vineyards, and orchards seen from the Maryhill Winery, another of our favorite stretch stops. The warm weather drew a large crowd with children who ran up and down the amphitheater hills.

What's that? Mt. Hood, located in Oregon on the other side of the Columbia River.

We didn't stop, but Stonehenge is a great place. Wonderful views and intriguing rocks. The cows could care less. Heading east on Highway 14, we traveled towards Patterson, paralleling the Columbia River.

My new home. Seriously. I want to live in the barn.

Well away from Hood River, a lone para-sailer (para-glider?) circled above Highway 14. We had fun taking photos of each other.

The river was so calm, I couldn't stop snapping photos of the reflections. Beautiful.

Lots of train traffic for a Saturday afternoon. This swift railcar kept pace with us (we were doing about 65 mph). We watched trains on both sides of the river headed both east and west.

At Patterson, we turned left, and headed north, up and over the Horse Heaven Hills (Highway 221). I did not see ONE horse. Ok, there are three on the sign. What's wrong with that picture? (I thought God made the Horse Heave Hills, ages ago, not in 2005. ;)

That's me and my cowboy, riding our steel mustang. I'm reclining on the back, amusing myself with the camera.

Like I said, amusing myself with the camera. It is hard to get clear shots. Invariably, whenever I click the shutter, there is a wind sheer, a bump, a road sign, a vehicle, a tree, or a rock outcropping. Most of my photos are dumped in the trash.

And here we here we are, coming down from the Horse Heaven Hills into Prosser and the lower Yakima Valley. A beautiful sunset awaited our homeward drive. What a great day!

Motocycle Monday - Clear Lake Loop Ride (Washington State)

Welcome to Motorcycle Monday, a new feature for this blog. On Mondays after the weekends we are able to enjoy a ride, I will share the trails we followed and some photos from our motorcycle excursion.

We have so much fun, just the two of us, touring around central Washington on the Honda Shadow. We've met several very nice people who enjoy the same hobby we do. And if we don't talk in person, as least we wave as we pass each other. It's the brotherhood of two wheels.

Our ride began by heading west on Highway 12. In Naches, we hopped off the highway and took the back road (Old Naches Highway) behind Naches, where the beauty of blooming fruit trees danced past our visors.

Wildflowers were in bloom, covering the hillsides.

We did make a few short stops, mostly for me to take photos. Here is a close-up of lichen on a pine tree.

We traveled behind Clear Lake and Rimrock Lake through the Rimrock Recreation Area. The water was very calm and clear. Canada geese were nesting, honking, and generally making a noisy fuss. The road was paved the entire way and we saw few other vehicles on this loop around the lakes.

Just to prove that I was on the trip, here I am in the rear-view mirror. Sometimes, you just can't get fuzzy-free shot. Invariably, when I would click the shutter, we would hit a bump, go through a wind sheer, or my arm would just bounce around. Whenever we get home, it is always a surprise to see which photos turned out well.

The road behind Clear Lake is a loop and hooks back up to Highway 12 on the west side of Rimrock Lake. As you can tell by the gray water, skies, and general tone, it was a bit chilly for us. This is Rimrock Lake. We had just finished traveling behind it.

Can you see the rock climber? It was a wonderful day for the many we saw attempting the basalt columns along Highway 12.

What does not work? Camera + motorcycle + bumpy road does not equal quality photos. Out of four, this one is the only one that was even close to recognizable. You get what you get while shooting from the backside of the Honda.

Happy trails to you, 'til we meet again.