Riding in the Pacific Northwest during the Spring requires patience and the ability to be flexible (and have good rain gear!). You need to be ready to change your plans when a few decent days appear on the forecast. This past weekend provided me an opportunity to ride east and visit the 4 remaining Washington memorial locations.
I am a planner. I try to have a good idea where I am going and how I am going to get there before I ever leave the house. Why? Safety. Having a plan ensures I don't bite off more than I can chew and ride within my limits. It has served me well.
This ride plan involved getting to eastern Washington, but Mother Nature wasn't cooperating and pass travel was going to be iffy on Friday, so I decided to ride south to Portland and then follow the Columbia River Gorge east. It was damp all the way to the Vancouver area, but once I turned east the weather quickly improved and my gear dried out.
First stop - a POW/MIA memorial near Goldendale, WA. Funny story - I had been here before and never noticed this memorial. This location is actually located next to one of my favorite Gorge places - the Stonehenge replica! I guess I was always distracted by the view from the replica site and never turned around. Nice stop.
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| The POW/MIA memorial near Goldendale, WA. |
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| A closer look. This would be a great place to take a few moments and reflect on the sacrifices of others. |
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| Turned around, looking towards the Columbia River - and there's the Stonehenge replica site. |
My next stop for TOH was in the southeast corner of the state near Clarkston. This bridge serves as a memorial to local area people who served in WWI. The 4 pillars of the bridge have a list of names. This part of the ride was a slog along I-84. I finally got off the freeway and followed US-12 though some beautiful areas of Washington from Richland to Clarkston.
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| Asotin Memorial Bridge. |
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| Each pillar has a similar plaque with names from WWI vets. |
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| Not a huge bridge, but huge meaning. |
Saturday started early. I mentioned planning, and my plan was to get to Snoqualmie Pass (I-90) during the peak afternoon hours to maximize my chances that weather would be cooperative. I didn't want to drive all the way back down to Portland again! Out of the hotel by 4am for a quick breakfast stop before I was headed north for Spokane. I encountered a red turn signal at 4am in sleepy Lewiston, ID. I stopped. I waited for what I thought was a reasonable amount of time and it didn't change. I looked, I went. The deputy didn't agree with my assessment of how long I waited, but did let me go with a warning :)
Spokane was not my next TOH site, but it was a stop on another rally I was riding. My next TOH stop was Tonasket - tucked pretty far north along the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains. What this really means is there is no easy way to the town this time of year since all the passes are still closed by snow, so I kind of looped down and back up to bypass highway 20 over Sherman Pass. Good weather was my riding partner Saturday so the extra miles really didn't matter that much.
Tonasket - a veteran's memorial in a nice setting.
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| The Armed Forces Legacy Project in Tonasket, WA. |
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| An idea for my lawn - maybe the HOA won't mind? |
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| Honoring veterans, both living and dead. |
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| A wider view of the sections of the memorial. |
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| I am not sure if this is the original location, but it is home now. |
Sometimes making a ride enjoyable means stopping for no real good reason other than scenery. This shot was a quick roadside stop on Lake Chelan. I seldom see this lake so calm - usually it is rough from wind or boat traffic. Very quiet today, it will be crazy this summer.
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| Lake Chelan. |
My last stop was an area I have spent a fair amount of time exploring - Cashmere, WA. This was another memorial that I have driven right by without glancing at it. Located in a riverfront park in Cashmere - the same park we have used to pull rafts out of the river with friends Ken and Karlene. I bet I have been within 25 feet several times and never took a moment to visit.
This is a 9/11 memorial site. The sculptures are made to allow someone to stand in and hold hands with the emergency responders. Also included is a piece of steel from one of the towers and a section of the pentagon. This is a relatively small site, but it is truly impressive and well done. I would say this one is one of my favorites so far.
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| Vistors are encouraged to stand in and hold hands. |
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| Steel from one of the towers, cement from the pentagon. |
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| Dedication for the memorial. |
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| One of the many plaques mounted, and my favorite one. |
Now I am done with Washington State. All 7 sites visited, and I was the second rider to do so for this state. I made good on my timeline to arrive at the pass, but the weather was so nice I decided to take a look at the higher (and usually snowier) Stevens Pass. The best way to check on pass conditions in my experience is to go the gas station at the end of town and wait for someone coming down the mountain to pull in. All looked good so up I went, and it was absolutely perfect all the way over the top. Road surfaces dry, no rain and sunny skies. There is still a LOT of snow on the side of the road.
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| I forgot my chains... |
Totals so far:
7 sites visited.
So far my riding has raised $700 for Mission22, and I have committed $70 to Operation Tango Mike.
The Mission22 donations are coming from my GoFundMe page (link at top), and the OTM donations are my plans based on how many sites I visit this year.
Thanks for following along.
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