September 23, 2011
I’ve had a number of people tell me, “I don’t know how you can ride any more after going over 9000 miles”. Truth is, if I don’t ride, I go nuts. (OK, some will say I’m nuts anyway, but whatever.)
Since getting back from the Mother of all Road Trips, I haven’t done any overnighters or long trips, except for one weekend trip to Canada. I have been doing day rides and generally running around. With the nice weather we’ve been having here at the end of September, and some extra time on my hands, the other day I decided to just go. Only a few clouds in the sky, nice mild temperatures and a full tank of gas! No destination, no real route in mind, just twist the throttle and go.
I’ve had a number of people tell me, “I don’t know how you can ride any more after going over 9000 miles”. Truth is, if I don’t ride, I go nuts. (OK, some will say I’m nuts anyway, but whatever.)
Since getting back from the Mother of all Road Trips, I haven’t done any overnighters or long trips, except for one weekend trip to Canada. I have been doing day rides and generally running around. With the nice weather we’ve been having here at the end of September, and some extra time on my hands, the other day I decided to just go. Only a few clouds in the sky, nice mild temperatures and a full tank of gas! No destination, no real route in mind, just twist the throttle and go.
MT RAINIER, ENTERING ORTING, WA
I headed out of Bonney Lake and turned onto Highway 162, which leads through the valley into Orting. Orting is a cool little town (just under 3 square miles) with a population of 6750 or so, and was settled in 1889. A huge growth spurt in the early 2000s means you ride into town between large subdivisions of houses and playgrounds, but the city planners have done well to make sure there are a lot of walking paths, public areas, and parks. Just on the other side of town, Orville Road heads south through farms and countryside, then along Lake Kapowsin. A quick right at the stop sign kept me on Orville Road and along the shores of Ohop Lake toward the town of Eatonville.
ORVILLE ROAD, BETWEEN ORTING AND EATONVILLE, WA
LAKE KAPOWSIN
OHOP LAKE
END OF OHOP LAKE
Easing my way through Eatonville, I hooked up with Highway 7 (the Mountain Highway) and headed back toward Tacoma, winding through the lazy turns and curves of the Ohop Valley. About 10 miles down Highway 7, I turned onto Highway 702 and headed west toward Yelm, joining up with SR507. This road goes through downtown Yelm (don’t get excited, Yelm is not that big!), then heads southwest through Rainer and Tenino. Just past Tenino, 507 makes a turn to continue south toward Centralia; however I kept heading west and toward Interstate 5, crossing over the freeway about 8 miles or so later. Just over the freeway, the road becomes Highway 12 and rolls through farmland and small towns (Rochester, Oakville, Elma) and is a great road for riding!
OHOP VALLEY, HIGHWAY 7 IN PIERCE COUNTY
ALONG HIGHWAY 7
I wasn’t ready to head home just yet, and really did not want to hit I-5 for the trip north again, so I headed east until I got to the turnoff for the town of McLeary and SR108. This road is pretty desolate in places, lots of formerly logged land and no population, until the junction with Highway 101. I caught 101 and headed into the town of Shelton, primarily a mill town of just under 10,000 people on Oakland Bay in Puget Sound.
Highway 3 heads north along the Hood Canal out of Shelton, and is one of my favorite roads for riding. After a quick bathroom break I kicked the bike into gear and headed northeast along this winding two-lane road, through the community of Allyn and into Belfair. Belfair sits at the headwaters of the Hood Canal and on the Union River, and while it is home to only about 750 people, it is considered to be the commercial center of North Mason County.
Highway 3 heads north along the Hood Canal out of Shelton, and is one of my favorite roads for riding. After a quick bathroom break I kicked the bike into gear and headed northeast along this winding two-lane road, through the community of Allyn and into Belfair. Belfair sits at the headwaters of the Hood Canal and on the Union River, and while it is home to only about 750 people, it is considered to be the commercial center of North Mason County.
ENTERING SHELTON
HOOD CANAL
A short jaunt from Belfair hooked me up with Highway 16, and I sailed east toward Gig Harbor and Tacoma, crossing the Narrows Bridge over Puget Sound between the two cities. From here it was mostly freeway all the way back to Bonney Lake, finishing off a beautiful late summer ride…an easy 200 mile day.
ENTERING BELFAIR ON HIGHWAY 3
SINCLAIR INLET, ALONG HIGHWAY 16
CROSSING THE TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE