A couple of days ago I decided to take a ride from Bellingham, WA down to Seattle and visit the Seattle Ducati Shop. Round trip was about 200 miles give or take.
I set out around 0830 or so with partially cloudy skies and cool temps. I used my phone as a gps and just clicked the "Avoid Highway" option. The first part of the trip was down Chuckunut Drive, a beautiful short trip along the coast. I had every intention of taking some breathtaking pictures since I got dinged for having too few on my Idaho Ride Report
Unfortunately since this is WA there was a really heavy fog, if you really need some visuals at this point stand about 6 inches from a wall and you'll get an idea of what a picture would have looked like.
However, I can be taught and will now insert the obligatory Ducati at a Starbucks picture I took the morning before...and yes I sat where I could see it
This is one of my favorite Starbucks as it is a stand alone, yet 100 yards away in almost the same parking lot a grocery store has one inside as well:)
I eventually connected with SR 9 on my way south traveling through some farm country that is butted right up against the mountains and is extremely picturesque
There are any number of spots that look just as cool as this, it was just a matter of forcing myself to stop and take a picture.
Further along I came around a corner and passed this:
I forget what the official name of this thing is, but it's something like "The Big Red Barn" go figure. I actually took a picture of the parks department sign, or thought I did...I'm sure if I wasn't so lazy I could google it and come up with the official name, but then you'd have no reason to check it for yourselves
Another closer shot
As you can see the outside is covered with blown up photos of milling activity from the areas heyday. It looks like it is set up as a scenic trail system or some such, silly people, why walk when you can
Not much else else to see on the way down unless you count probably 60 miles of two lane road winding through scenic Washington:) I got to Seattle and was reminded why I hate cities..especially the ones in WA where as any PNWerner knows there are two seasons, winter and construction. At this point I made google maps earn it's money since apparently every single planned turn was foiled by construction. What a pain in the ass! Not too mention your generally HUA cagers, and hipsters generally wandering around the streets aimlessly. There were a fair number of motorcyclists out though, and most gave a wave if the situation permitted which was kind of nice.
Finally found Ducati Seattle, what a really cool place! If you're in the area and haven't been it's worth a stop by to check out some really nice bikes (they have a test fleet of one of each model) and talk with a great staff. Props to Oscar and Sky for listening to me ramble and ask stupid questions. While I was there I asked if they could do a suspension set up for me since I recently installed a new Penske shock and had Racetech internals put in a week or so ago. They fit me right in as it was a slow day and a couple times hopping on and off the bike and some clicking here and there and they were done. On the way back the bike rode much better so I am happy I thought to ask.
While I was down in the service area I saw a couple bikes I had to have pics of
One of the race bikes
and beautiful baby here
They also had a 999R
which I guess is a fairly rare model?
By this time it was around 1330 or so and I wanted to start the trip back up to Bellingham. I was going to meet my brother, so I decided to slab it heading up 405 N to connect with I-5 N to Vancouver. Perfect planning, since traffic on a Friday out of Seattle probably wouldn't start until 1600 or so right?
Silly me, the exit from 405 to I-5 was stop and go, no problem, using the magical google machine I could surely find a route home that would get me away from the masses. It only took about 15 minutes of constant clutch activation and barely idle speeds to limp off an exit and activate the aforementioned google, clicking the trusty "Avoid Highways" option I was routed once again to SR 9 this time heading north where I encountered clear sailing and had a traffic free 90 miles or so along beautiful roads! At least that's what I would have written, but apparently something along the lines of 1.2 million people also use google maps and once again I was stuck in stop and go traffic. However the novelty this time was that the fun rolling hills on the way down were now an exercise in slow and slower hell. Very few opportunities to stop and rest the left hand. No shit an hour or more of sub 10MPH..I was seriously considering utilizing the completely clean and open shoulder..I could hear it whispering to me seductively.."C'mon, you deserve it, after all you are riding a Ducati, none of these thousands of people will mind, and surely none of them who are just as pissed off as you are would think of trying to knock you off when they see you passing . In fact they will more than likely be happy to see at least one person be able to travel unmolested"..by this time I had obviously come close to insanity, however I resisted the urge to commit suicide by shoulder travel and carried on. During one lull in forward motion I remembered that I had recently figured out how to put music on my phone. AHA! I thought, I never listen to music while I ride since I like to be aware of traffic, but in this situation it would be ideal
So I frantically took off my glove and started trying to find my music player, swipe, swipe open candy crush, shit, close, close close. dammit! No I don't want to continue, I want to close and play some fing music. of course by this time traffic started to move again, so I shoved my glove in front of me and moved on. Next stop I was able to locate the "play app" and then try and figure out the menu..Play All from list? Yes Please:) except for the fact that apparently that means play one song from the library....Now I like the Gin and Juice cover by the Gourds as much as the next man, I mean that's why it's on my phone right? In the next half hour or hour we didn't come to a complete stop once so I could turn off the stupid song that played over and over and over
Eventually I got far enough north that things cleared out and I was once again on the beloved Chuckunut Drive. Even though at this point I wanted nothing more than to get home and eat (it's now 1730, for those that are paying attention that' 4 hours to travel 90 miles) I remembered that if I am going to subject people to my ramblings there should be some photographic payoff, so without further rambling:
Hope this was better than my previous effort, just trying to practice for when I take a 4 day trip or so at the end of the month. Suggestions, comments and helpful tips appreciated. Thanks for reading my drivel
