Where to Meet ADV Riders - South Sound

Saturday 4/21


Steven led us on a ride out to Lake Wynoochee, from Shelton, Saturday. FR23 was still blocked by snow forcing us to ride via Matlock and the 2260rd. Finally, the weather was quite warm, actually forcing some of the dozen riders to seek shade at the stops.
Once at the lake we tried to run up 2374 to gain a vista or two for the riders whom had never been to the area. Not to be...


This forest aristocrat had fallen across the road and while this one could easily be ridden under...




The smaller trees beyond could not




From 2374 here are the hills North of the lake


and West across the lake


The pleasant temperatures created lots of snowmelt cascades along the roads


The bikes lined up at the dam overlook


At the campground, the “Where Too Now?” committee meets




It was decided to ride Donkey Crk Rd (FR22) out to 101 with some of us returning by the same route and others continuing on to Copalis Beach and points beyond.


West Fork of the Humptulips










West Fork of the Satsop










The Canyon River near the East end of 2260



Thanks Steven!

Steven led us on a ride out to Lake Wynoochee, from Shelton, Saturday. FR23 was still blocked by snow forcing us to ride via Matlock and the 2260rd. Finally, the weather was quite warm, actually forcing some of the dozen riders to seek shade at the stops.
Once at the lake we tried to run up 2374 to gain a vista or two for the riders whom had never been to the area. Not to be...

Thanks for the report, DD. It looks like you guys had fun. Keep us posted, and we will join you next time.

PD

Great ride, thanks Steve !

Blackboots and I will be riding from the Longhouse, near Seven Cedars casino, in Blyn tomorrow. Meet there at 9:30 for coffee then check snow levels whilst riding South and East toward Quilcene and Brinnon. Dave

Doing a major service on the Bimmer today, I cut the foil top out of the gear oil bottle and set it on the bench for later disposal. Hours later I picked up a rag to wipe the dipstick before filling with oil and the foil flipped across the walkway and into the oil fill hole. Here's what it looked like when the pan was dropped...


'Got a good look at how clean the engine is inside, but let's not do that again! DD

Sounds good.

So how were those snow levels? DId you put your quality photographing skills to use?

We took LoFlow on all the branches of 2840 between Woods road and FR28. Lots of limbs and tree litter on top of slicker than pig snot mud. It was really fun fishtailing up Bear Mt. The landing on the North side of Mt Zion was blocked by <1 foot of snow for a hundred yards or so. FR28 has been cleared and widened just East of Bon Jon Pass. FR27 was blocked by snow an 1/8 of a mile below where the Little Quil goes under the road. There was 2 feet on the road at the river and old clumps of snow still hanging on the trees at 3000'. It hasn't been that warm up there yet. Pictures this evening....dd

Last Sunday, the 6th, Blackboot, LoFlow and I headed up Howard Heights Rd off of Chicken Coop Rd near Blyn. Wound up on coffee from the Longhouse I took a wrong turn when the main road was camoflauged by a huge gravel pile. We got over that by the time we had passed several more gravel piles and bundles of plastic culvert to arrive at a new gate. Our express ride turned into a slip and slide puddle glide up the powerline access road to the view on top.


Blackboots and LoFlow at the top



Sequim Bay from the powerlines above Blyn



From there we rode down to Woods Rd and its intersection with 2840. Exploring side roads off of 2840 we were stopped by snow at the landing at the top of 2805. Here as elsewhere rapidly growing hemlocks have begun to block the view.




Lots of small cascades and seasonal creeks










Most of the roads were littered with limbs hiding in the winter moss and melt water running down the tracks.




LoFlow on 210 from FR28




Looking up the Dungeoness drainage




Bon Jon had been cleared courtesy of a big road project but we got stopped on 27 just below the Little Quil crossing




The river running full but not yet raging with runoff






Couple of feet of snow there and several feet just up the steep slope




There were clumps of sodden snow still crying “Winter” from the boughs of trees at the 3000' level




Backtracking to 2850 we snorkeled down Penny Crk Road to the Double LL for burgers before taking Snow Crk and Woods Rd back to Blyn.


Thanks Ken and Red for coming along we'll check the snow level somewhere out of Quilcene this Sunday. dd

If anyone is interested in going, I am planning on taking a 3 or 4 day ride around the Olympics this weekend. My plan so far is to head up the Skok.

I'm working on the bimmer and entertaining guests this weekend but if that falls through I might ride West on an intercept. Post up some photos of snow levels and road conditions as you can. Dave

If it does, and you decide to, shoot me an email. Not sure what cell coverage is like up the Clearwater, I will make sure to check when I am in the land of the vampires.

Took a loop from 101 to Wynoochee Lake on Sunday 6/4 (Tom Mehren's "Dualsport Rides throught Western WA, route #9 Wynoochee East Loop). FS roads in great shape, but ran into snow at 3000 feet on FS 2364 near Dusk Point. We trudged our way through a couple of drifts, then got a look at the road ahead and just saw more. Road seems to climb another 300 feet or so before cresting so we back tracked to FS23 to the lake. FAST, FAST, FAST with nobody out there.

Is this the spot? This was saturday and no way was I going to make it over the top.

Spider Lake view from above.



Now this guy seems well fed.

Is this the obligatory food photo?!!

Well, it definitely was fresh, and they were bite size morsels, but it didn't smell very good. So what the hell... two out of three ain't bad.

Checking out snow levels Sun compared to last month, now up to 3300-3600 ft on Fr's 8440/84/47 above Skate Cr and Packwood, nearlly 1000 ft diff. Last weeks cool spell slowed the melt!

Finally got a day off to go riding. Anyone up for a poke around the southern section of the Olympic National Forest?