My maps got real sketchy around where the wind turbines were. The reality didn't seem to agree with what I had on paper, and no two maps showed the same roads hooking up. And I couldn't find the roads they showed...
I stayed on what appeared to be the main road and it became a freshly graded road in a pretty canyon with glimpses of the Columbia Gorge in the distance. I asked a road worker where the connection to Rock Creek Road was. He tried to send me clear down to SR14, but eventually admitted there was a connection sooner, but it was "pretty rough" I said that was Ok with me, and then he tried to tell me he didn't want me on it because they had been working on it. I promised not to tear up his road and he grudgingly gave me permission to try it...

  I found the junction and went around a parked grader, entering another canyon, smaller and more closed in than the first. The surface was pit run, but graded and rolled, so not too bad. Nice tight corners going down towards the creek bottom. I kinda regretted my promise to take it easy and not tear up the road, but I behaved myself. What the guy didn't tell me was the road was closed. There were no signs from my direction, but I had to go around a barricade at the other end...

  As near as I can tell, this is where we went riding Saturday. My GPS and map don't agree for the the start/finish position, but that is where this map shows the road, so it is probably close...

  This is another pic I took Friday on my ride over to Richland. I headed North out of the Goodnoe Hills on Rock Creek Rd, then took Newell Grade Road out of the canyon up to Dot Road. Dot Road runs North towards Bickleton. Just South of Dot I came across a boy and his dog driving a huge black bull up the middle of the road. The Bull had half a chubby and a goofy look on his face; obviously he had jumped the fence and got his nut before being driven home. I didn't get a photo cause, the bull was huge and I was on a bright red motorcycle in his path...

Dot is just a row of mailboxes by the roadside. Bickleton has a cafe and atavern but no gas. My low fuel light was on so I took the main road to Mabton to gas up. Mabton is a sad little shithole, with signs along the main drag admonishing that public urination IS an criminal offense and will be prosecuted.
I took the slab to Richland, arriving at Horn Rapids around 6:30

 As I was setting up my tent these guys buzzed the campground...

  Friday night we traded stories whilst standing 'round the potential campfire...

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All photos and articles Copyright^© Vernon Wade 2005 unless otherwise noted