Chasing Corvettes Tail of the Dragon October 9 2014

Anyone else? I got the message from Limited and I will be thinking of nothing else next time I ride through the Dragon. And I know I will be because it's a favorite destination. Tourist trap notwithstanding, I love hanging around Deals Gap and watching the bikes arriving and leaving. I've been through it with my 550 Nighthawk and with my 1200 Bandit. I hope to make many trips through with my VFR.

 

Molly brown was maybe unsinkable but Leonardo froze, sank and got to be fishfood.

 

I have never ridden the Dragon and don't intend to. If it were a little less travelled, and close, well then who knows. But ofr us out here on the Best Coast, there are incredible back roads of every kind you can think of, most in great shape, throughout Oregon and Washington. There are four of us who go out every second weekend in September after all the kiddies are back in school. Far fewer people on the road. I have never been let down. This was about the fifth year running now. And I am sure there will be yet a few more.

 

There are hundreds of miles of great roads close to the Dragon that are just as much fun with much less traffic. With that being said I still feel the Dragon should is a bucket list destination for all motorcycle riders. Watching videos of it is nothing like being on it and believe me when I say it is much more challenging and mind blowing than any video portrays it to be. It is both mentally and physically challenging and I've talked to plenty of very experienced and seasoned riders who are absolutely speechless when they get done making their first run on it.

 

Hurricaine Ridge. Going up is great. Down at speed,can be a little puckering.

Come to think of it. going through Seattle or Portland on I-5 during drive time is puckering.

 

That's when I try to take most of my trips or in May just before school lets out. A lot less people. aka idiots, on the roads and motels are cheaper too!


Actually my ride down the Dragon, came off Foothills Parkway up north, was nice because no one was on the road to speak of. I passed a couple of bikes and got passed by a few. Basically had the road to myself. Can't even imagine riding it with a bunch of crazies on a weekend. Though I was taking one tight 80* corner and a Harley was going the other way. We past about on the apex and I heard grinding of metal, so I nailed the gas. Thought the guy was going to hit me or something. He made it thru with a little less Harley metal someplace off his bike. Kind of scart me at first.

 

We did Hurricane Ridge Sept 2013 I think. Was a nice road for sure but Washington and Oregon has even better to offer than that. This was taken just north of the Information Centre there:

 

Love the look. Is that a graphic kit or paint?

 

Thank you. Its a one off graphic kit. Long story short, I got the idea from a Canadian Media logo from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Did a mock up and hung it in my office over my desk. A guy from the company who did the graphics for our company cars spotted it and told me they had the original graphics. They modified them to fit the bike, and added the 3M reflective material. Now if I need them, I just go back to this company and they print off what I need because they now have my template. Kinda cool. But a little pricey.

 

The actual ride up to the ridge and down is not all that long as compared to The Dragon or Lolo Pass. A longer day trip is around the entire peninsula adding the ridge to the entire ride. Some of the lesser known or traveled roads on the peninsula have a few 10 MPH curves.

Vids of "The Ridge" on Utube..

Short story.. Oot one fine day coming down off the ridge where there are several blind corners and puckering drop-offs, Thankee Jesus I was in cruise mode. Right there in the middle of the lane was a small van and several touristas feeding the chipmunks. I just kept going. There is no amount of cure for that.

 

Bucket list road:

 

Any gas stations there?

 

At either end. That's CA 36 between Red Bluff and Fortuna. There are 2 or 3 places along the route that sell gas, but they are more general stores than anything and wouldn't count on their fuel availability. (Prices were like 50 cents higher). Would be no problem on the VFR, on that small bike I had a 2 MSR fuel bottles with me.

 

BB was just being his normal facetious & sarcastic self. He knows where that is at ya silly. Sweet road...

 

Msybe on the mach 1 91 but not on the 1200. Ya know what they say aboot small tanks. The next question has to do with those damned yellow lines.

 

More West Coast rides:

Concrete, WA to Winthrop, WA. Wait till next Summer. Sometimes snowed in until June.


Stevens Pass to Blewitt Pass to Snoqualmie pass. Start in Monroe, WA , end in Seattle. Watch for hider smokies at the top of Stevens pass. If ya get nailed make certain the court is in your area or county and not in the county of choice (Chelan) where you can't win. It's like playing against a stacked deck and if ya don't ask ya don't get.

 

According to the polls and current legislation ya got two choices today and maybe three come November for a legal toke or two.

My thoughts today are leaning toward some planters, some potting soil and a shot of Miracle Grow. God Bless Walmart!

 

You did not give your usual, and very valuable I will add, warning of that town cop in Concrete. He is vicious.

 

If it's the same guy, he also has a big thing aboot bikes in general. He nailed three of my guys on a ride over to Winthop one day putting on the citation that he had clocked them on radar. They took him to court and the magistrate threw it out. The cop chose the wrong bunch of guys. A highschool computer science teacher, a supervisor for the Washington State Patrol who takes care of the maintenance and calibration of the Patrol's radar stuff. Fuzzy on the third guy.

Best to cool it for the first few miles out of Concrete. After that it's clear.

One other thing... Little or no gas between Concrete and Winthrop. Spirited riding kinda messes with those MPG claims that appear here sometimes..