Every ride report, however brief, needs to start with pictures of the bikes, in this case, a BMW K1200GT and a K1200S, as fine a pair of long distance sports touring rigs as you’ll find (it’s my ride report, so no dissenting views required).
The S rider, Hal, and I have put in some good miles together, both on road and track, but this was the first long distance strafing run for this particular set of bikes.
Like so many good rides, this one began with only a wisp of a plan: get up, ride over the Northern Cascade Highway towards, to, and through Winthrop and then figure it out from there.
The weather on the western side of the Cascades wasn’t hugely cooperative, but then, this is the Pacific northwest after all. Spitting rain, grubby mist, and a county mounty who was kind enough to merely warn us set an early tone. Happily, the route over the big spine was mostly unmolested by four wheel traffic and Mr. Valentine kept us out of further mischief for the fun that followed.
Lunch in Winthrop, sort of a rite of passage on this ride, and then we hightailed it east across Coville lands via Nespelum, gritting teeth through miles of unwelcome gravel on Cache Creek Road. Bridge Creek was much better . . . lumpy but clear. But for the gravel, this is great riding, the road finally depositing us at the Inchelium / Gifford ferry, a crossing from nowhere to nowhere.
On a tip from a wing rider, we headed north to Kettle Falls thinking we might spend the night there. Tip gone bad. Nothing even close to inviting. So we gassed the beasts and headed south to Spokane, there to sleep like sated conquerors at the most excellent Davenport Hotel.
Coffee the next moring at Brews Brothers and much peering at maps (the most excellent Desitnation Highways guide) got us headed in a winding route in the general direction of Palouse, Pullman, and Clarkston.
Making the turn at Clarkston, we pulled up in Pataha for gas and directions on how to take the most out of the way routing to Walla Walla.
A couple of grizzled locals directed us north (after making sure we really, really didn’t want to go south) to the top of Lyman Ferry road. Find it and ride it. It’s not the twistiest road in the world, but it goes through the heart of the Palouse which twinges the heart strings this time of year.
The flight down Lyman was uneventful and we rolled into Walla2 with a proper appetite and looking for a place to sleep. Who knew that everyone else in the world had the same idea? The only beds to be had were the Eisenhower suite at the Marcus Whitman hotel. If someone puts a Glock to my head I’ll stay there again, but only after I ask to confirm that the magazine is full. I thought they meant to sell me the hotel, not rent me a room.
Dinner was a much more agreeable affair. Tom Maccarone has established a very fine restaurant in the charming section of town. Nearly worth going there for the food and certainly worth eating there if you’re in town (not staying at the M Whitman).
The roll home was mostly pounding dumb roads with the exception of the run up Alderdale road from Rt. 14. I went through there four years ago and wondered at the vast expanses of nothing. Now, the same wondering is reserved for the sea of vineyards that spread beyond the horizon in every direction. What an amazing country this is, that we can devote so much land to the production of wine. I won’t mention our terminal speed, but the guy driving the Nissan at 90 was pretty surprised when we blew by.
Tags: NorthCascade Highway, Inchelium, Gifford, Bridge Creek Road, Cache Creek Road, Davenport Hotel, Marcus Whitman, T Maccarone’s
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sweet report. Careful about those seemingly lonely roads coming out of the gorge. I saw 2 po-lice up there with cars pulled over. I’ll bet there’s no warnings from them after sitting all day waiting.
Any idea on when the road from Randle to the Ape Caves will be resurfaced and street worthy?
cheers