My Oct ride in words and pictures (Dial up beware)

[pmackie]

So, just before my insurance expired for the year, I got in one good last ride. I am always grateful for the area I get to ride in, so I hope that this doesn't sound like I'm bragging (too much ). I ended up going alone, as everyone else was busy, but made for a good trip nevertheless.

The weather was pretty cold -1 to -4 C (25-30F) in the morning, warming up to + 4 to 10 (40-50 F) afternoons, before cooling off again.

So leaving Cranbrook at 9:30 AM, bike still pretty shiny...


The weather to the west looks pretty good, but the snow on the mountains looks dicy...


A short blast down Hwy 3 to Creston for gas and then up and over BCDH 52 Kootenay Pass. also know as the Salmo-Creston Summit. A nice shot of Stagleap Park Lake from the summit, the good news NO SNOW (but @ 5800 ft it's friggin  cold!!)


A left turn down Hwy 6 to the US Border at Nelway, then on down US 31 (DH 54) to Metaline Falls, Wa, a historic old town that serves the Boundary Dam on the Pend Oreille River.


A great set of curves on the way down the hill into Metaline, so I went back up to take the turn off to DH 12, Sullivan Lake Road, and a shot looking North up Sullivan Lake



Then a nice ride down the Pend Oreille valley and pick up DH73 near Cusick, Wa. A nice little goat path, but the jewel is the undocumented DH road (IE: NOT in the DH book) Flowery Trail Rd. This is one of the best roads in NE Washington IMHO. Pick it up about 1/2 way through DH73, it goes all the way to Chewelah. A decent shot of the bike, I just stopped to warm up a bit.


After a nice lunch in Chewelah, it was straight west through the mountains on the Addy Gifford Rd, which was new to me. Nice little run through farmers fields, with some great views on the west side as you head down into the Columbia River Valley


Then up the Columbia Valley and west on Hwy 20 west of Kettle Falls, over DH13 - Sherman Pass a great road, but I lost the sun all the way up the East side, and the temperature was dropping. (Another 5500 ft pass). Chasing the sun now, so a quick right turn North at Republic and then a quick blast up Hwy 21 to Curlew then a left turn West onto DH 11. Here's a nice shot looking west down the stagnant Kettle River in the late sun


So, a rip along DH11 through Chesaw and on to Oroville, in the US Okanagon. Looking for a hotel, the only one in Oroville is full, so North across the border to overnight in Osoyoos.

[pmackie]

Next morning, back across the border and back to Oroville. Here is a view of Osoyoos Lake, looking North, back to Canada:


Then a nice circle from Oroville to Nighthawk and south to Tonasket. If you're following the DH book, skip the TE-B Toats Coulee Rd. Except for the first 5 km (3 m) the asphault has completely fallen apart, and there are long stretches (1-3 km) of loose gravel. I made a little side trip up DH69-TE-B Tunk Cr Rd, which is pretty terrific normally,...surprise...that fresh seal coat is NOT stuck in this cold weather...a little moment there  , normally a great little in and out, you can see some the road in this picture:


and a great shot up looking North up the Okanagon Valley from the bottom


Then down Hwy 97 until Hwy 20 takes off west again at Okanagon headed for Twisp, DH29. Again normally a great road, but this time the whole west side if covered in fresh cow shit, I'm not kidding, the cattle liners must have been running overtime. THere is a FSR at the top that I followed for miles...until it finally intersects a gravel logging road, and with snow in the air, I decided I really shouldn't be there. This is looking West from Loup Loup Pass:


Then a run down the West side to Twisp and up DH39-TE-B, Eastside Winthrop Rd and my only close deer encounter on the trip. Winthrop is one end of the renowned DH-1 - Hwy 20 through the North Cascades, another great road, but no time this trip. The corner at Winthrop:


A shot overlooking Winthrop from up at the Sun Mountain Lodge, which looks like a great place to take my wife...looks pricey too...


And looking SE over Patterson Lake. You can see the road twisting along:


With snow in the air again, and light fading, I picked up the pace down Hwy 153, DH39 and overnighted in Pateros.

[pmackie]

Starting out from Pateros the next morning. Bright sunshine, but pretty cold...a view looking North up the Columbia River, the direction I'm headed:


At Omak, I turned East on Hwy 155, DH69 to Nespelem. Pretty flat and straight at the west end, but slowly builds to a nice crescendo of curves at the east end. Not much in Nespelem, so turn left onto DH26 Cache Creek Rd, one of my favourites in the area. Not much for scenery, but the road is awsome. Here is a look west from part way, you can see the road below:


Then up DH23 Bridge Creek Rd towards Inchellium. A really great, twisty. 1-1/2 lane, that is excellent in spots where the asphault is good, and a little less so when doging broken road and potholes. Here is a shot on each side:



At Inchellium, I took the Gifford Ferry across the Columbia river, here is a shot from the ferry looking North:

and South


The South on Hwy 25 until Hunters and west towards Springdale on DH45. I REALLY liked this road, which is not rated that high in the DH book, but it MUCH higher in my list. Exellent pavment, great scenery, very twisty in parts and curvy most of the way. Here are a couple of shots:



From Springdale, pretty much straight up Hwy 395, with a couple of TE's until DH14, Colville to Tiger, and then back up DH54 towards Canada. Here is a couple of shots of the Box Canyon Dam overlook



and the Boundary Reservoir at Metaline:


Back across the border and over Kootenay Pass, looking East:


And a final shot of the Mountains at Canyon/Lister:


The sun was setting as I came East past Moyie, but it was too dark to get a shot, and completely black as I pulled into Cranbrook. So...about 1800 kms (1150 miles) in 3 days. It seemed pretty cold at the time, but sitting here in the snow and -30C (-22F), I still want to get out and ride now...but March is coming.

[mwheat308]

Great pics, much envy here.

[ippo]

Hey,beautiful landscapes on your way.
I know what it is like to ride in gold weather...
We have only two inches snow in my area and temperature is between +3c...-5c.
Now I work and play rinkball.
If somebody do not know what is rinkball--here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPujaoxZkwY

[willo]

You have some real pretty country over ther, my little sister is over there somewhere, over the crissy + new year hols, she and her hubby (a yank )are travelling all over the place visiting his rellys. They are scattered all over the place. Thanks for the piccys and report its good to see places that I probably will never get to visit  Willo

[LowRyter]

wow..........I want to ride Canada

 

[klondike]

Nice road report!    And good pics too.

I miss the Pacific Northwest.