I have mentioned before that I feel lucky to live in one of the best areas in the country for riding…anything from city riding in traffic to lonely country roads, are literally within minutes of my house.
After a last-minute change of plans last week, I decided to follow one of my favorite paths on a lunch run. I headed out of Bonney Lake on the old Sumner-Buckley highway, which winds past farms and fields and, more importantly, avoids Highway 410 through town. A left turn onto 410 led me into the town of Enumclaw, and another left onto Farman St (pay attention, it can get confusing here…) which becomes 264th Ave, then becomes the Veazie-Cumberland Road ---and all I had to do was go straight. Anyway, the road cruises on past Nolte State Park, Deep Lake, and past the “town” of Cumberland. (If you are thirsty, take a right at the little store, go a block and take a left, and there sits the City Hall Saloon….one of the all-time greatest biker bars!)
After a last-minute change of plans last week, I decided to follow one of my favorite paths on a lunch run. I headed out of Bonney Lake on the old Sumner-Buckley highway, which winds past farms and fields and, more importantly, avoids Highway 410 through town. A left turn onto 410 led me into the town of Enumclaw, and another left onto Farman St (pay attention, it can get confusing here…) which becomes 264th Ave, then becomes the Veazie-Cumberland Road ---and all I had to do was go straight. Anyway, the road cruises on past Nolte State Park, Deep Lake, and past the “town” of Cumberland. (If you are thirsty, take a right at the little store, go a block and take a left, and there sits the City Hall Saloon….one of the all-time greatest biker bars!)
A little way past Cumberland, I stopped at Kanaskat-Palmer State Park and went all the way in. There’s a parking lot at the end of the road, with pathways leading a very short way to the Green River. Beautiful stretch of the river, very peaceful. I got back out on the road and took a left at Retreat-Kanaskat Road, and another onto the Kent-Kangley Road. A right turn at the traffic light put me on Highway 169 and led me up to the junction with Highway 18.
I blasted up Highway 18 and over Tiger Mountain, past the junction with I-90, and into the town of Snoqualmie, then up to Snoqualmie Falls on Highway 202. This is consistently one of the state’s most popular scenic attractions, drawing over 1.5 million visitors per year. There is a short walk to the observation deck where you can see the 270-foot waterfall. Just past the Falls, the road has some nice twisting turns and leads to the junction at Fall City. I kept right at the junction, which turned into Highway 203, and cruised into the town of Carnation. Time for lunch.
On the right, just across from City Hall, is Pete’s Club Bar and Grill. Nice open bar, with a huge fenced yard off to the side, where they have tables set up. The sun was out and warming up nicely, so I grabbed a cold one and ordered a burger, then wandered outside to sit at one of the tables. I have been here a few times, and the food is always great, and plenty of it for the price!
After lunch, I headed back down to the turn at Fall City and took Highway 202 into the town, then down the Preston-Fall City Road onto I-90, and west into Issaquah. A quick jaunt down Front Street and onto Issaquah Hobart Road, then a right turn onto Cedar Grove Road took me back to Highway 169. On 169, I rolled through Maple Valley and Black Diamond into Enumclaw, where I jumped back onto Highway 410 and headed home.
Overall, a little over 3 hours actual travelling time, not including my stops. Mileage-wise, it worked out to about 115 miles or so.
Overall, a little over 3 hours actual travelling time, not including my stops. Mileage-wise, it worked out to about 115 miles or so.
