Friday Rufus and I did a reconnoiter of the roads east and north of Darrington. We drove up FS 26 and then over the bridge towards Rat Trap Pass. I had been over the pass several times on a bike but never in the truck. We saw several roads that needed some 'splorin. I've tried to 'splore the area before but have always been foiled to to locked gates. First stop was Birdsview Burgers on Hwy 20 just west of Concrete. My #1 burger joint.. This pic is from a prior dining experience.
You know, Kwisn, I was on that early ride to recon rat trap, but with so many eager attempts to get intel, I now wonder: do those guys have a still up there someplace? Maybe a placer claim in desperate need of panning out? A splitter's dream worth of prime shake bolts? wtf,,, Maybe Rufus is a secret truffle dog...
I turned on to Concrete Sauk Valley Rd for the final push to FS 26. I stopped to take a couple of pics of something I first spied a few years ago. It's holding the cable up in the middle of the decommissioned road. OK you vintage bike experts, which bike had the shock under the tank? It rings a bell in my memory but the tone doesn't tell me what it is.
I take the first left (north) road off of 26. My GPS says it's Suiattle mtn Rd. We found out friday that gate was closed but not locked. Holy crap, this road seems to lead to the Holy Grail. No tracks after a couple of miles but it's mostly clear. We kept going to the end and got to 3600 ft with no snow. Lookin south to Darrington. Looking SE to Rat Trap Pass. More roads to the east to 'spolre.
Ther were a couple of the old timber bridges still in use. Big Girl almost gets a bath, almost. She needs one. I came down to 26 and went east to the next road to the north. It's not on my GPS. After a mile or so it started to rain and being the tender flower that I am I turned towards home. I din't want to ride the 85 miles homes wet. It actually spit about 20 to 30 drops. I stopped for some water and a stretch on Hwy 20 at the widlife viewing spot. Those dark spots are elk, really. I made it home in time to mow, yea! haha . Damn near made the 20K
You honked when you passed me today, but you were honking at the 2 KLR's in the North Cascades 76 in Woolley. I could see them in my rearview. I was sitting in my Station Wagon listening to "Big Jugged Blondy" at the coffee stand bitching to her co-worker about another co-worker getting knocked up when I heard the honk. And Sure enough it was Big Girl screaming down the highway.
Cool, PM me the exact location of that bike, I'll go get it and study it more throughly . I was out that way today also, scrubbing in my new tires, 140 miles worth, they're ready. that FS26 looks interesting and the elevation of snow sounds like it's time to do some splorin' too.
That looks like an old Yamadog, IT or DT maybe 76 77 vintage? Not fer sure but the used that shock under the tank technology. I still have a couple rolling frames and a shitload of spare parts littering my shed, can't give that stuff away but i'm too stubborn/stupid to scrap it!
