End of Winter Rider/2008 - Ducati.ms

Bill_Anderson · Mar 23rd, 2008, 11:12 am

For the third year, my buddy Randy the X Man has organized the End of Winter Ride from Castle Rock to the Coldwater and and Johnson Ridge observatories of Mt. St. Helens. How far we get depends on how much snow there has been, which determines where the road has closed. The event draws riders along the I-5 corridor from the Puget Sound area of Washington south to the Willamette Valley of Oregon. This year about 90 bikes attended.

The format is to meet up at the Shell station on Hwy. 504 just off I-5. At noon Randy gives a pre-ride briefing, then starts the sports bikes first, followed by the sport tourers, with the cruisers bringing up the rear. The group usually stops somewhere up the road for a photo with Mt. St. Helens in the background.

When I got up Saturday morning, it was about 30F on the back deck with frost on the roofs. End of Winter Ride or Ice-Cycle Run? My son Daren did not want to come, which meant I would be able to ride the twisties a little faster :>)

I had encountered some electrical glitches with my bike after spending Thursday and Friday installing a lead from the battery for Daren's electric gear. The bike started as we left our group's rendezvous point for the ride to Castle Rock, but it began to cut out as we rode towards Seattle. *&**^%*%$^&!!!! This ride may be a short one and the weather looks so good!!!

I rode directly to Ducati Seattle, which would not open for another 45 minutes. Marty, one of the mechanics, was there early. After listening to my description of the symptoms, he gave me a prompt diagnosis: loose battery terminal. I pulled the fairing off (a major operation on a Ducati) and guess what: loose battery terminal. If only physicians could be so quick and accurate. I tightened the terminal and after Marty checked it and helped me tighten a loose ground, I left to rejoin the group.

I got to Castle Rock about a half hour after the group left. The pre-ride gathering has become part of the total EOW experience and I was sorry I had missed it. I noticed an emergency aid vehicle on scene. A couple from our Far North End group had a minor mishap, but fortunately no one was seriously hurt.

Bill_Anderson · Mar 23rd, 2008, 11:18 am

Randy had stuck around due to the accident, so he and I left about an hour after the main group. This made for a nice run up to the Forest Learning Center, where most of the group stopped for photos. I walked up to a view point to take some photos of the mountain and the resident elk herd in the valley below.

Bill_Anderson · Mar 23rd, 2008, 11:24 am

A sign announced that road was closed at milemarker 43, which is the entrance to the Coldwater Observatory. This was far sooner than last year, and the ride on up the road told the story. There was a lot of snow. The banks created by the snow plows were up to 15 feet high in places and the road down to one lane.

We rode a bit further up the road and stopped to take some snow shots. Mt. St. Helens has settled down, as there was no steam cloud or ash plume visible.

Bill_Anderson · Mar 23rd, 2008, 11:30 am

We mounted up and rode up to where the road was closed at the entrance to the Coldwater observatory, took some more photos, then turned around. The road was wet in places from melting snow, but no ice. The few times we thought we were slipping on ice turned out to be strong wind gusts catching our bikes side ways.

On the way down I noticed the couple who had experienced the minor mishap was riding up, so I guess they were OK. Five of us took Hwy. 505 to Toledo, then took the Jackson Hwy. to Centralia and the Olympic Club.

A few more riders joined us and after a nice "lupper", three of us slabbed it back north on I-5 to the Seattle area. My bike was not done with the electrical glitches, as one of my buddies called me after I got home to tell me that my brake light had been on much of the trip back. I checked it out. The micro swith housing had pulled loose, which left an open circuit. It looks like some DUCt tape will fix it.

Randy posted some better photos on his website and will have some video there later today.
http://www.motonorthwest.com/RDRW_EOW2008.html

**John** · Mar 23rd, 2008, 5:32 pm

Thanks Bill,

I go into hibernation during Winter, just so it doesn't feel like a long time before the Ride Tales start poping up in late Winter, early Spring. I love the ride tale threads here, its almost like I'm there on the ride. Great way to explore in absentia.

Keep the threads flowing ladies and gentlemen.

Heres a couple shots I took a few years ago while on my way up to Seattle.

stimacsays · Mar 24th, 2008, 8:39 am

Bill,
thanks for taking us on your trip. It was almost like I was there. Only I did not have to buy any $3.50 gas.

Bill_Anderson · Mar 30th, 2008, 1:19 am

Here is Randy's video of the ride back down from where the road was closed. I make a cameo appearance at the very beginning.
http://www.motonorthwest.com/VID_EOW08Top.html

Bill_Anderson · Jan 30th, 2009, 2:14 am

Randy taped the uphill portion of the EoW 2008 ride. He just took his time posting it up. [Actually, I think he completely forgot about it until I mentioned something.]

The large gathering of bikes you see around the -2:00 mark is where many riders stopped and turned around. Five of us manly types from the PNW Roadriders went all the up way to where the road was closed just outside the parking lot of Coldwater Lake Observatory. That is what you are looking at when you see the "View from the Top" subtitle.

My bright red 04-ST4s (with the fastest color top box) and I make cameo appearances throughout the video. Look for us.
http://www.nwbikers.com/VID_EOW08Full.html

If you have not seen the complete video of the ride back down, here it is:
http://www.nwbikers.com/VID_EOW08Top.html

If any of you in NoCal are bored with your typical winter of constant sunshine and dry roads, come join us March 21st for Randy's fourth rendition of what has become a PNW tradition. It is always an adventure to see how close to the end of the highway at the Johnson Ridge Observatory the weather and the Washington State Department of Transportation will permit us to get. Check Randy's NW Bikers website for details: http://www.nwbikers.com/RP_EndOfWinter.html

A (long) ride up I-5 on Friday from NoCal will get you to PDX (what we call Portland, OR-Vancouver, WA). Spend Friday night there. Castle Rock, the rendez-vous site for the EoW rides, is on I-5 and only about an hour's ride north. Ride with us Saturday to view the most active volcano in the continuous 48 states, then return home on Sunday. Think how warm NoCal will feel when you get back.

rvancil · Feb 2nd, 2009, 1:46 pm

Nice pics...thanks for sharing!

nyburner · Feb 18th, 2009, 3:23 pm

looks like a nice ride