Living in the South Puget Sound area of Washington State affords many options for great riding. We have two major mountain ranges within an hour, and the islands and waterways of the Salish Sea. The whole place was deeply scoured by glaciers that receded about 12,000 years ago, and it rains enough to be verdant. Today I did one of my standard tours, that includes many wonderful sites. You start by heading down Interstate 5 from Olympia, which though slab, is at least marked 70mph and everyone does 85. I passed several times somewhat exceeding even that
You then get on Hwy 12 going East, not West, and it takes you toward White Pass, another worthwhile destination. But for this trip, you turn north on Hwy 7 in the town of Morton and head through the foothills of Mt. Rainier National Park. Lovely rural country. Hwy 7 takes you up toward Tacoma, and depending on where you live, you can take any of many branch roads to get home. It's a 120 mile loop as I've described it, well known in these parts.
Unfortunately, like all but a few places in Western Washington, it is stripped bare by clear cut logging and any tree you see is only a few decades old, waiting it's turn soon to be chopped down. But at least there is little development. A twisty road with enough straight stretches to pass easily on an XR. There were A LOT of motorcycle out today, which is always good to see. Being the States, the vast majority are slow stink potters. How anyone rides those, I'll never know. At least they are easy to pass!
One guy was on his "Expensive way to turn fuel into smoke and noise", thinking he was so cool in his shiny chrome half helmet that will do nothing to prevent his face being ripped off when he slides. His bike was one of the low slung type, with loud exhaust and all the trimmings. I was behind him, and we were behind some slow pokes. A chance came to pass. I saw him shift down, and give her all she had with a full twist of the wrist! I was in maybe 4th gear. I pulled out with him, barely half throttle if that. Once he passed and got over, I just gave her a bit more twist, nothing like full throttle, and I passed him so quickly I probably was doing 30mph more than him at that moment. It's unremarkable and routine, but I love having a bike that has that ability to move when you want to move. And so damn smoothly and comfortably.
A magical little trip today. Spring has sprung, the land is abloom, the birds are singing.
