Killer Fall, 2006
As much as I enjoy teaching the S/TEP classes, it is a real relief when the season ends and I can do a little riding of my own. I love the fall in the Northwest. The leaves turn color, the air is crisp and clean. The weather starts to change and the first rains bring out the chantarelles. The fire season ends and the back country is open for exploration. Yesterday my friend, Red Dog came up from Portland to do a little mushroom hunting. I invited Jim Harris to come as well and he brought his son, Graham.
We took the KLRs up the ridge behind my place and poked around a bit. We didn't find any sign of mushrooms, so it turned into a fun ride in the woods. Here are a few pics:
We could see Mt.St.Helens, Mt. Rainer, and Mount Adams from up on top.
Mt. Hood was also visible but I couldn't fit it into this panorama.
Here I am
demonstrating just how easy it is to get sideways in a steep creekbottom
One of the many deep mudholes that makes this road so
interesting!
The driver
finds these obstacles a challenge for his sidecar driving skills. It is
interesting on a somewhat more personal level for the passenger...
Did I mention when the front wheel hits water, it all ends
up on the monkey? The sidecar wheel will also give the passenger a power wash!
We saw a flock of wild turkeys up here in the scrub. Also
hawks and ravens hunting along the plateau up on Lubbing Flat
We looped back through Mosier and took
Huskey road home. We came across a rally car staging area at the junction of
Fir Mt and Huskey. I didn't get any photos but here is one from a previous
rally in Hood River:
Fortunately the hot stage was above the junction so we were able to continue down Fir Mountain and home, arriving just at sunset
Click here to see the KLR sidecars at the 15th annual Black Dog Dualsport Rally
All photos and articles Copyright© Vernon Wade 2005 unless otherwise noted