Summer Riding

This is the time of year that many things work-wise just get in the way, but when work is hampered with mechanical difficulties then it just downright sucks.

Mistress went down again with finaldrivitus after 14k miles after the last rebuild and it was another routine of pulling the drive, running it to Ride West BMW for service, waiting for the cause to be determined and if warranty coverage would apply, getting it rebuilt and picking up to put back on.

In the meantime, Mystique was there to fill the void left with one bike down so I took my friend John on a little adventure ride:












 The old Blewett Highway is still an improved USFS semi-paved road that even though you see the fallen trees and rockslides here and there is a ride to be savored... mainly because going fast and not knowing the conditions of the sharp corner ahead of you will leave you down a sharp ravine somewhere.

Tucked off the approach of Hwy 97, it is a neat backroad bypass around the summit of Blewett Pass.







It was breathtaking!

So I also got my final drive in the last week and Joan and I did a North Cascade Highway run to make sure I did it all right... nothing like a quick 400 miles to verify good assembly!

While coming down out of Twisp we saw smoke filling the Methow Valley and upon hitting the 97 South out of Pateros we saw the cause:

They were busy the entire week trying to contain, but the smoke didn't come South so we were relatively smoke free for the duration. We had as good a solid day riding than all the good pieces of our whole trip to No. California... Washington is a great State to ride in, you get it all!