This morning it was good-bye to my brother in law and my two friends. As they were readying to go to the airport, I packed the bike and turned it Southeast. I left Vancouver, BC via Hwy-99 and made my way to Peace Arch to cross the border into the US. Crossing the border was not as quick as two weeks ago, it took me about one hour in the line of cars to get through. Once clear, I went onto I-5 South and about 30 miles later turned onto WA-20 to enter the Northern Cascades. Finally, I was planning of doing this road since eight years, and today it presented itself in the best possible way. Warm temperatures, no wind, good road conditions, and a clear sky, I could not have asked for a better day. Up to Hamilton, WA it was the usual Sunday traffic, but then it all cleared and I had WA-20 for myself for many, many miles, until I ran onto some RV's or cars enjoying the scenery as well. I stop, soak in the landscape, the mountains, the lakes and dams, the rivers, and continue, having another stretch on my own again. I climb up to 5477 ft at Washington Pass, with some fantastic views. Dropping down from the Cascades I come into the Okanogan Range and being greeted by wineries and apple, plums, and peach orchards. After Winthrop, WA, a little town which tries to keep the Wild West alive, I pick up WA-153 to Hwy-97 to bring me South along the Columbia River, before I turn onto Hwy-2 to Leavensworth, WA, the final destination for today.
This was an exiting day. I travelled through many Indian Reservations. like those of the Lummi, Samish, the Sauk Suiattle tribe, the Skagit, and some others, explored the Cascade Dam system of Gorge Lake, Diablo Lake, and Ross Lake, admired the peaks of Crater Mountain, McKay Ridge, Majestic Mountain, Mt. Ballard, Azurite Peak, Whistler Mountain, Cutthroat peak, and so many others which I most probably mix up altogether. WA-20 has escaped me for so many years, but today it certainly manifested its place for me to one of the top ten roads here in the US.
Impressions of the day:
"I was born to ride, born to survive; I do whatever it takes to get by. Yeah, I love to live, I'm not afraid to die. 'Cause I was born, born, born to ride." - William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody - 1846 - 1917
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