Archives for the 'motorcycles' Category
The Greenest Park Ever
My original plan for Saturday morning was diverted, so I decided to go for a morning ride.
My usual route from Maple Valley is to head south on the Issaquah Hobart Rd (there known as 276th Ave SE), which eventually turns into Landsburg Rd NE and comes to a four-way stop next to a small convenience store. From there I either continue straight onto SE Ravendsdale Wy or take a right onto SE Kent-Kangley Rd. This time I decided to go left, towards Kanaskat, and as soon as I saw a sign to a state park, my destination was no longer unknown.
I began to think to myself that I had never been so excited about parks until I started exploring areas on my motorcycle. They were now little gems amongst the vast miles of pavement and throngs of housing developments I was so accustomed to seeing every day. Having just recently been to the Green River Gorge Bridge (which was not far away), I was hoping for something as soothing.
It is difficult to tell what a park is going to be like until you are actually in it, and in I went, going 25 MPH … and then 15 MPH. I passed the campground entrance, some signs featuring a kayaker, and a large covered picnic structure where some people were setting up for what looked it was going to be a large BBQ. When I got to the end of the road, I parked and walked down an unmarked trail.
Shortly, the trail came to a “T” and I could see the river peeking through the branches of trees. I walked out onto the rocky dry edges of the riverbed and found one other soul, standing in the water fly casting. It was a refreshingly beautiful sight, and I hoped that as I went around to get closer to the river I was not intruding on his solitude.
All I could hear was water rushing over stones and the sounds of small boulders and rocks shifting as I walked across them. Bright sunlight played through the trees and bounced off the water, and what was green appeared as green as just about anything could possibly be.
Kanaskat-Palmer State Park
32101 Kanaskat-Cumberland Rd
Ravensdale WA 98051
360.902.8844“Kanaskat-Palmer State Park is a 320-acre camping park on a small, low plateau in a natural forest setting. The park has two miles of shorelines on the Green River. Boat and raft launching is by hand only. River rafting and kayaking down the Green River Gorge is for expert-level enthusiasts only. Shoreline activities include nature appreciation, trout fishing and picnicking.”
Over the Green River Gorge
Late Labor Day afternoon I decided it was finally warm enough to go for a motorcycle ride. I wanted to head towards the sun shining in the east, but I did not want to end up driving through the holiday traffic I would likely find around Issaquah … so west I went.
I headed out to Black Diamond and decided to check out the Green Valley Gorge. I had seen the sign to turn left on the way to Enumclaw many a time, but I had yet to venture out there. As I started down the road, the large yellow sign that warned, “MOTORCYCLES USE EXTREME CAUTION” was a little disconcerting, so I proceeded warily. The “rough road” promised was almost disappointing. I did hit a couple of dips camouflaged by the shade of trees that launched me (half-intentionally) off of my seat, but I did not come across anything that really could not be avoided. It was a pretty cold ride, though - even at 45 MPH, and I was very happy to have worn my “new” chaps.
At some point the road began to slow and curve … and I noticed a smile growing on my face. Then I came to a stoplight in front of a one-lane bridge. While stopped, I “admired” the closed Resort building to my right that looked like it had been shut down for years. Then my eyes drew downward, and sitting not 10 feet away from me was a peacock. He stood perfectly still with his feathers down, and I wondered if he hoped I could not see him. It was then that I realized I had forgotten to grab my little camera before I left.
The light turned green and I drove slowly across the Franklin Bridge over the breathtaking Green River Gorge. I vowed to return soon to stop and enjoy it on foot … with my camera, of course. On the way back, I went all the way down US 169 to Renton, where I turned around before hitting I-405 and headed back to Maple Valley via Cedar Grove Rd.
I kept my promise on Wednesday after work, heading out to Enumclaw to gas up and back through the Green River Gorge again. This time I stopped to take photos and enjoy the solace of hearing nothing but water running far beneath the bridge. It is an incredibly green and inspiring place with only a few cars passing through every so often, and it is definitely worth a side trip if you are ever in the area.
The Franklin or Green River Gorge Bridge is about 4 miles off of US 169. A loop starting and ending at US 169 at Lawson St in Black Diamond is 12.4 miles. The loop as I did it heads south on US 169 and exits left/east onto Enumclaw-Franklin Rd SE, follows the road over the bridge , and continues back to the highway (via the SE Green River Gorge Rd and Lawson St). It is any easy loop with little traffic … and little chance to get lost.
Motorcycle mileage (as precisely as possible on Google Maps):
09/03/08: _34.3 mi - Maple Valley; Green River Gorge
09/01/08: _51.5 mi - Maple Valley; Green River Gorge; Renton
08/23/08: 132.0 mi - Maple Valley; Sunrise Point (Mount Rainier)
08/17/08: _45.8 mi - Maple Valley; Mud Mountain Dam
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