1st '13 PNW ride

[RBMann]

Yesterday was going to be a good day for my first real ride this year. High around 67F. and sunny. Planned to do the 400 mile North Cascade Loop. Only ended up going to Mt Vernon to see the tulips and did 160 miles. One of those days where I was just not into the long miles. Just poked around little roads that matched my mood.

[John Lyon]

Very nice. I presume that is Mt. Baker in the background?

[RBMann]

Originally Posted by John Lyon

Very nice. I presume that is Mt. Baker in the background?

Yes.

[signit98]

The irony of being on "Mann" road with your wife's bike...

[Droptarotter]

RB;
Yesterday was my first real ride also........got the HP2 out for quite a few hours on the north side of the border.
It sure was nice to be out with all that power once again!!

I was trying to get a shot of the bike with Mt Cheam in view, but never did find a good shot.

I did my good deed by stopping to see if a girl on a hardtail Davidson needed some help, but she already had it under control!
Said she lost a cylinder???

Cheers

[RBMann]

Originally Posted by signit98

The irony of being on "Mann" road with your wife's bike...

Sadly my life is now full of overwhelming shame.

[poldar12s]

Nice pics!
Yeah, we all need a good long ride to be happy. My excitement level seems down these days. With your pics, I would want to explore somewhere new.
BTW, did you use a point-&-shoot camera? If so, very good quality.

[RBMann]

Originally Posted by poldar12s

Nice pics!
Yeah, we all need a good long ride to be happy. My excitement level seems down these days. With your pics, I would want to explore somewhere new.
BTW, did you use a point-&-shoot camera? If so, very good quality.

Nikon D5000 w/18-200 lens, fills the tank bag.

[WandererR11S]

Originally Posted by RBMann

Nikon D5000 w/18-200 lens, fills the tank bag.

I was just going to ask what camera you used, nice pics and those Tulips look so Rich...

Also got to ride yesterday, late autumn here, and 2 weeks rain kept me off the roads, but a break and i got to ride 300k, just loving my new bike, and the more i ride it the more Im appreciating it...

[WandererR11S]

RBMann,

Looking at lenses, is this what your using in the 18-200 unit..?
NIKON AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR 11... $1273 NZD for that here...

Cheers Jeremy

[RBMann]

Originally Posted by WandererR11S

RBMann,

Looking at lenses, is this what your using in the 18-200 unit..?
NIKON AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR 11... $1273 NZD for that here...

Cheers Jeremy

Yes. Lens and camera are about the equal in weight.

Amazon.com: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Nikkor Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DX-Format Digital SLR Cameras: NIKON: Camera & Photo

[chewie]

nice one Rick, how do you like the battlewings? they came with my bike and seem ok, contrary to what some say

[RBMann]

Originally Posted by chewie

nice one Rick, how do you like the battlewings? they came with my bike and seem ok, contrary to what some say

Didn't like them much in the dirt but they seemed fine on pavement. Probable a 10k mile tire for me with the front and back wearing about equal. Battlewing rear is wearing faster in one spot as if the casing is not true to the bead. Replaced with Shinko 706 that will get a little less mileage in the rear but about double in front very weird. Better dirt tire but worst on wet pavement. Bikefish gave me the Shinko suggestion. Hard to beat at half the price of Heidenaus. Made a raid on my brother-in-law's collection of tires and now have a new set of nobby Contis and set of Heidenaus. He switched to running car tires and rims on his sidecar. When added to the new set of Shinkos I already had it should be good for 30-40k without any $s for tires.

[Droptarotter]

Fresh snow on Golden Ears..........




Cheers

[chewie]

Originally Posted by RBMann

Didn't like them much in the dirt but they seemed fine on pavement. Probable a 10k mile tire for me with the front and back wearing about equal. Battlewing rear is wearing faster in one spot as if the casing is not true to the bead. Replaced with Shinko 706 that will get a little less mileage in the rear but about double in front very weird. Better dirt tire but worst on wet pavement. Bikefish gave me the Shinko suggestion. Hard to beat at half the price of Heidenaus. Made a raid on my brother-in-law's collection of tires and now have a new set of nobby Contis and set of Heidenaus. He switched to running car tires and rims on his sidecar. When added to the new set of Shinkos I already had it should be good for 30-40k without any $s for tires.

Can't argue with the price! Cheers

[RBMann]

Originally Posted by Droptarotter

Fresh snow on Golden Ears..........




Cheers

Some days I miss my old R90/6 but not many.

[LeftCoast Peter]

Mann Road yummy. Dogde Valley Road, Beaver Lake Road, Lake Cavanagh, Park, Lake Louise, Mosquito Lake, so many around there. I'm riding to Winthrope on Thursday.

[ckcarr]

So much red & green in those pictures it's like Christmas!

[pocomike]

Hope you don't mind me hijacking this thread but I will be flying into Seattle this weekend and will be renting a motorcycle for 2 days. Any suggestions on an ultimate route would be appreciated. On my list of things to see is Olympic National Park, Mt St Helens, Mt. Rainer and North Cascades. Probably cant hit them all in the two days with out doing them justice but any help on a nice route would be great appreciated!

[RBMann]

Well Poco here is your problem, there is still snow in them thar hills. Access to Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens will only be in and back out ride using the same road. Olympic Nat. Park 's Hurrican Ridge will be a long day if you need to use the ferries.

So do the Cascade Loop ride. I-5 N to Hwy 530 through Arlington and Darrington to Rockport on Hwy20(North Cascade Hwy). Head E on 20 through Winthrop, I have lunch at the Duckbrand, to Twisp then S on Hwy 153. Take Hwy 97 S to Wenatchee and the Hwy 2 back to Seattle. Somewhere around 400 miles and eight hours of riding. Personally I find Mt. Rainier more impressive then the Olympic Nat. Park if you have to choose. The only way in right now is Hwy 7 to 706 through Ashford and then Longmire to reach Paradise. You could try and add Mt. St. Helens to that by heading farther S on Hwy 7 to Morton and W out to I-5 but it would be a long day.

It will be cold as you get up in the mountains. Hwys 410, 123 and the E approach to Rainier are all still closed. Today it was 37F and raining at 9:00AM on my way to work downtown. Your lucky because Sat and Sun are supposed to be around 70F and sunny.

Good luck, hope you enjoy the trip.