Took the Iron Horse Trail up to the Snoqualmie Tunnel today. It's open :)

I didn't go through - had shorts and I really should've been wearing knickers. No super-duper light, either - and I'll never go through without a good light again!

After all the solo hiking and riding I've done over the years, today was the first time I ever encountered a bear. Two, actually. First, a small cub crossed from my right to left and went down the slope after clocking me. It was maybe 25 feet in front of me. I stopped for a couple minutes to listen for mom. I continued on, only to run into another, bigger bear barely a mile further down the path. I happened to have my camera out as I'd just snapped this photo:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4204/3...db66e310_b.jpg

I rounded the corner in that pic and the bear was crossing the road on all fours (from the right). It heard me, stopped, and turned once it got by this big rock by the side of the road (now on my left). Then it stood up. I took a pic, then picked up the bike and put it over my head. The bear immediately disappeared down the slope to my left.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4250/3...823b4d4f_b.jpg

Needless to say I kept my eyes peeled the remainder of the ride!

Shot of the tunnel - and yes, that white dot in the center of the blackness is indeed the exit at Hyak, 2.7 miles away:

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I really enjoy giving this old bike its first real use since it was built up in early 1980:

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DD

^ Dang, Jeff! That thing is looking like a gravel bike for sure. You running big fatt fatty 28's on that thing or something? Come out west and ride with me sometime! :thumb:

Joking aside, I know what you mean about that dark, damp tunnel. I went through that thing with just barely adequate lighting and about midway through, I really got a case of the willies. Kind of disorienting. The mind plays tricks on you...

No, just the 23s that came with it. I did, however, peruse the Gum Wall thread and have been thinking of getting a pair of the Panaracer Gravel Kings for it. 26mm since I don't believe 28s will fit.

And yeah, it does get a little weird in that tunnel. Couldn't see much about the trail surface, always concerned I was gonna smack a pothole before I could see it. Have to have good lights in there, for real.

I will get out to PA in the next month, I think. Probably for a long weekend. Just have to take care of a couple things here first. Oh, and is Hurricane Ridge open all the way to the top? Because I'm going to go all the way up this summer :)

DD

Yup, that road is ready to ride, and I'll be your domestique all the way up if you bring a bike with spinnier gearing this time. :p

Should still be some snow on the ground for a couple weeks at least, but the road itself will have wet patches at the very most.

Vacation in Wrightsville Beach NC this week, we had a few Ice cream and beer garden runs on the Rivendell.

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No ride today.....legs beat from skiing yesterday :)

Dang, V-, you were just 50 miles down the road from me. Wilmington is rich sightseeing on a bike. Did you stay at the beach or get to the river side?

Looks like a fun time!

The sun finally showed up around here. Nice day again for getting out. Down to the river again.

These shots are of the new public marina that is going up. Free and open use of the boardwalks, docks for fishing and places to let the kayaks and canoes put in. Back behind all this is the Enviromental center called Sturgeon city where school kids come to learn about caring for the aquatic environment. It was formerly the water treatment plant but was doing more harm to the river. The city woke up and realized that the river needed protection so shut the plant down, moved it away and higher up so less prone to flooding. Around the center are elevated walkways through the wetlands, along the tidal marshes and up The tributary.

Darn, I will need to look you up next year. My wife graduated from UNC Wilmington and we usually head down once a year. We stayed in Wrightsville, I never did make it downtown this time. I hope to retire there when the kids finish school.

Man, that row of beers sure looks good. Of course, I'm drinking a beer now too after riding home from work. Tomorrow I must clean a thoroughly dirty bike. 'Twas a bit wet around here.

Finally got out on the Peschi, riding out to the almost completed Arbutus Green Way, always pleasant going along a scenic path that is nice and smooth.


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Took the day off and worked in a metric this morning. A nice trip through western Wisconsin. Farmland, rollers, and trout streams on the Appel. Nice and quiet on the day before the weekend.

Lumina Ave and Wilson Bay Park....some of my old haunts :)

Stevens Canyon Road opened this morning for the Summer season. Had to go and check it out.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4201/3...b5f9853c_c.jpgRode up Stevens Canyon from Ohanacaposh by NBend, on Flickr

The sound of water was everywhere

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4204/3...d1ee681b_c.jpgWater everywhere by NBend, on Flickr

I love riding this road. Especially the section I am approaching here.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4250/3...92ae93d9_c.jpgStevens Canyon Road by NBend, on Flickr

You sweep around this switchback as you climb and the view smacks you in the face

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4268/3...148d34df_c.jpgMt Rainier by NBend, on Flickr

Inspiration Point looking over at the Tatoosh Range

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4226/3...64cf8468_c.jpgInspiration Point by NBend, on Flickr

Chili n Beer for lunch at Paradise Lodge

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4200/3...41a8d2d1_c.jpgP1110631Lunch at Paradise Lodge by NBend, on Flickr

The snow is still pretty deep up here

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4196/3...32178a7b_c.jpgThe Snow is still pretty deep at paradise by NBend, on Flickr

Descending Stevens canyon

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4221/3...3ca3ac66_c.jpgThe view you see while descending by NBend, on Flickr

The climb up Backbone Ridge is a bit of a grind. I take time out for a self portrait

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4228/3...4eb588c5_c.jpgSelf Portrait by NBend, on Flickr

After a fun curvy descent down the Backbone, I’m back at the car. I change clothes and go for a short walk thru the Grove of the Patriarchs. What a great day!

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4201/3...9a07c8a3_c.jpgRelaxing in the Grove of the Patriarchs by NBend, on Flickr

This thread is like a mini vacation. Great stuff.

Loving all of this! Again, wanting a like button. Commuted a couple times this week, got closed out yesterday by work, and rained/sleeted out today. It is not considered kosher here to go mountain biking in the rain. Unlike when I was lost in Tahuya and the like in Western WA.

I can't decide which of these two quotes wins the Understatement of the Day award :)

Great pics! I have to ask, though, how you got the self-portrait so clear? With nothing in the foreground, you'd think the camera would default to focusing in on the trees in the background. I'd sure like to figure it out and get a neat shot like this one day :)

DD

Thanks Jeff. I set the camera on my helmet, set the shot with the 10 sec timer on. I face twords the camera off to one side while mounted on the bike then press the shutter. I slowly pedal forward and slowly loop around with about 3 sec's to go and ride slowly twords the camera.

Give it a try sometime :-)

Neat technique @northbend, gives a nice pic. If I wasn't ugly as homemade sin I'd try it out. Too much chance of breaking a camera or my iPhone.

Bill

You're a funny guy, Bill!

Really nice morning. Took my 80 year old out for coffee this morning.Then chores today to make up for my play day yesterday..

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? Your 80 year old what? That bike doesn't look 80.

I took my ~35 year old Tommasini out for a spin today. When I got back homne I drank a bottle of Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. I think I went out for 414 miles. But that doesnt' seem right, does it? Or may be it was 14.1 miles. No, it took too loing for that. I think it may have been 41.4 miles.

A stop for lunch:
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On the way home, a photo op of the Tophet Marsh Control Station of the Interplanetary Defense Network. I know that's what it is because I saw one on Star Trek once.

http://www.theworld.com/~muller/pics...substation.jpg

Boy! that beer went right to your head, didn't it Jim?

Cheers!

Thanks DQ,

My pictures are all an accident one way or 'nother. With this one, the frosting on my grubby fingers from the scone I had at the coffee shop must have caught the corner of the lens on my cellphone as I pulled it out of my pocket. ;-)