#3 - Wyoming
Beartooth Highway
Washington state is one of the world's wallflowers--a hushed beauty held fast in a remote corner. The state's engaging charms, voluptuous mountains and provocative coastline are regularly cloaked in thick, unflattering gray, inviting further ignorance. Washington state is a princess wearing wool.
Extending from Northern California to Canada, the Cascade Range is the continent's sleeping dragon. It has a belly full of fire, but it hasn't taken a breath since Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980. The Cascades are a fragment of the infamous Ring of Fire that also torments Japan and the Hawaiian Islands.
We began our loop on U.S. Highway 2 east from Everett, a contemporary and colorful fishing village scattered about the shore of the beautiful Puget Sound. In the western shadow of the looming Cascades we discovered Snohomish and Monroe, towns born to lumber and farming in the 18th century and later adopted by America's premier foster parents--nostalgia and tourism. You can follow the trail of antique shops until you ascend skyward and all that's left to connect are those glorious green dots on a map.
We crested Stevens Pass midmorning and took a deep breath of cold, cedar-scented air. The world we left at the coast seemed denser, more lush and humid. We swirled down the eastern slope on U.S. Highway 2 in locked step with the swift Wenatchee River.
Leavenworth was a bit of a surprise. I mean, you just don't expect a Bavarian village to suddenly materialize out of the North American wilderness. But strudel is strudel, and certainly the indigenous apples are handy. The German fantasy works great as a buoy for towns such as Leavenworth that were sunk by the Great Depression. Ironically, this is the fourth American schnitzel haven I've stumbled into this year, but Leavenworth was by far the best. After all, those 8000-foot snowcapped props do go with the get-up.
A few tarts later we jumped back on U.S. Highway 2 and completed our first descent of the day. The landscape tumbled and then began to roll in gentle arcs, seemingly in deference to the thousands of apple trees feeding from its rich soil. By the time we reached the Wenatchee Confluence and turned north on Alternate U.S. 97, we felt a little parched by this new, more arid atmosphere. And flanking the wide, ponderous Columbia River felt distinctly dull after such an invigorating morning.
Midway up this straight, flat section of the loop is the Rocky Reach Dam. This is a nice, shady place to take a nap, or--if you're not sleeping off a sugar high--you can be wowed by the visitor's center and its underwater viewing windows that offer a fish-eye view of the salmon swimming upstream. Outside, the fish ladders are also a fascinating way to watch the spawning madness. After another 17 miles north on Alternate U.S. 97 you can cut back up over the mountains on State Highway 153. As this narrow road begins to twist and pulse, you realize the bleak valley below was simply a necessary evil on the way to elation.
Once again on high ground, you'll ride through the vintage western town of Winthrop. This authentic, albeit exaggerated, cattle town is a favorite stop of bikers and the climax of many organized rides in the area. Winthrop cowboys still herd their cattle right down the main street on a biannual migration to greener pastures. Before leaving we stopped in Sheri's Sweet Shoppe to watch owner Doug Mohre cultivate a batch of sea foam candy.
By the time we headed out the sun was making a hasty retreat toward the Pacific Ocean, and we needed to follow suit. (You'll want to fill up your gas tank here since it's 90 miles to the next fueling station.) Squinting, we jumped on State Highway 20 heading west and were quickly swept up by the granite channels leading to Washington Pass.
The tourism board recommends this counterclockwise execution of the state's Cascade Loop Scenic Highway so the most impressive scenery will face you--but I beg to differ. The counterclockwise route puts the sun in your eyes both morning and evening, which pretty much kills your chance of seeing anything. It's better to ride west in the morning and east at dusk when the sun works in your favor by boosting coloration on the road.
Once again on the western slant of the Cascades we slowed our pace to draw out the end of a great ride. The Skagit River was a ghostlike fury that raced us through the darkness, back onto the coastal plain and across the channel on State Highway 20 and Whidbey Island.
In a single day we'd risen from the mossy shoreline, soared over granite peaks and dragged our heels across the desert. From Bavaria to Boomtown, apple orchard to glacier, Washington sure has many tricks up her woolen sleeve.
Cold-Weather Riding Tips
The only way to really combat brutally cold weather is to invest in gear designed for defense. The ideal arsenal is a many-layered affair. First you need decent insulation against your skin. Long underwear is sold in many mediums these days, but the best we've found is simple polypropylene or a poly-fleece blend if you want a thicker layer. Top-of-the-line treated and insulated suits made from synthetic Cordura and lined with a breathable membrane such as Gore-Tex are probably going to offer the best cold-weather protection. Some of these jacket/pant combos do a decent job as rainsuits, too. It's possible to find a lined leather suit that keeps you as warm, at least when teamed with a good rainsuit, but you won't have much money left to line your pockets. Leather, however, will do more to protect you from abrasion.
An electric vest or long-sleeved jacket liner is your big gun. When your core temperature drops, your body decreases its blood supply to the extremities in an effort to maintain heat in the heart and lungs. This is one reason why your hands and feet suffer so much. By using an outside heat source to warm vital organs and the blood circulating there, you'll be doing your entire body a favor. Electric apparel uses power from your bike's battery to heat wires within the garment, making it possible to ride comfortably in temperatures well below freezing.
You should have at least one pair of socks that are thick, warm and can wick away perspiration. Ideally you'll line these high-tech socks with an ultra-thin poly-blend pair. The best place to find good winter socks is a mountain-sport outfitter like REI. Keeping your hands warm is a greater challenge. Don't skimp on winter gloves. It's always a good idea to have several pairs of gloves on hand, two that are insulated so you can switch off if your primary pair becomes wet or damp from perspiration. If your hands become just too cold to ride, locate one of those electronic bathroom hand dryers. They don't work after you wash your hands, but they will warm aching fingers. You can even warm your gloves nicely by letting the air blow in for a few minutes.
A full-face helmet is always warmer than a lesser style, though fogging is a common problem. Before a cold-weather tour, add a clear fog-retardant liner to your shield or a fabric breath guard to your helmet liner. Keep your neck covered so cold air doesn't sneak into your jacket. The best thing we've found are poly-blend head gaitors that begin coverage below the collar and can be extended up over the nose or entire head. These work better than any triangular designs.
Stop often when it's cold, but move slowly when you're off the bike or you'll get too sweaty in all that gear. Drink warm fluids, but don't take on big meals that will require a lot of energy to digest. If you get too cold or start feeling lethargic, stop right away. Sometimes doing a few jumping jacks on the roadside can get your body temperature up long enough to find shelter. And keep in mind that although you feel alert, your muscles are tight and won't always react smoothly.
Don't Miss:
Steak at Bear Creek Saloon (406/446-3481), and the pig races on weekends. A stay at the Irma Hotel in Cody, Wyoming (www.irmahotel.com), is a must.
Season:
Beartooth Pass is closed in winter. Spring and fall are ideal since summer brings tourists aplenty to neighboring Yellowstone.
Road Notes:
Be careful of ice, even in midsummer.
More Info:
Visit www.redlodge.com for general stuff. For details on the annual bike rally and Iron Horse Rodeo in July see www.beartoothrally.com.