Mt. Rainier

[Netnorske]

With both of us having the Friday off before the 4th of July ,Tricia and I decided to take a nice long ride up and around Mt. Rainier. It had been awhile since I've been up there and she had never really seen it up close. We see it on a daily basis in our everyday lives....but it is off in the distance and it takes a dedicated day to make the run down and back. Mt. Rainier National Park came into existence in 1899.....so it is one of America's older NP's.

There are two major tourist spots that can be readily driven to. One is on the south side of the mountain called Paradise. The other is on the east side and is called Sunrise. These roads are only open in the summer months and the road to Sunrise Ridge just recently opened to vehicles a week or so ago. It is a spectacular 14 mile ride from the main road up to Sunrise Visitors Center. There is a fee station and it's $10 for a motorcycle...but well worth it. Sunrise was our destination so up we went!

It starts off easy enough but in no time flat you are seriously climbing as the road switches back and forth. The Visitors Center is at 6400'....so it's a climb! The road edge is straight down....so don't go off or you are a dead person.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif!


The vistas are incredible.....

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/HPIM1640.jpg



Keep your eyes on the road.....

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/HPIM1658.jpg



Don't go over the edge.....they will never, ever find you.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif!

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/HPIM1648.jpg



I told you......keep your eyes on the road.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif!

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/HPIM1655.jpg



Ain't she pretty..... ;) :) http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif!

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/HPIM1635.jpg


And if you are lucky enough to survive the ride up.....you get a photo op like this... http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif!

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/Rainier.jpg


At the Visitors Center there is a powerful spyglass that is free to use. It is pointed in the direction of one of the more popular routes for climbers who every summer flock to Mt. Rainier. It only took me a couple seconds to find three climbers on Emmons Glacier working their way to the top, but they had a serious long ways to go to get there! That was pretty cool, even if I do say so myself.... :)!

The whole day I was on the lookout for a sixpack of Rainbeers (see link) to cross the road.....but alas...they were not to be found....!

Rainier Rainbeers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIGVcgDVdBI

It was a great ride on a blue-chip 90 degree day. Riding doesn't get any better than here in the NW in the summertime....seriously....nowhere else even compares.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif!

[pirate]

Awesome Kris, just awesome! That looks absolutely beautiful!

[ballast]

http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gifMan I wish I had today off so I could have gone with you. I am sitting in my backyard with a beer looking at the mountain as I type. I have ridden to Paradise but have never, been in Seattle area since '83, been to Sunrise. I think it just moved up my list. And it looks like Trish is getting pretty good at the on the go photography.

[cantridenuf]

Great pictures, Kris.

[audiogooroo]

Looks great!

[cactusjack]

Raaaainieeeeeer Beeeeeeeeer!

[lw]

Great post Kris. Thanks for sharing those awesome shots.

Brought back some good memories. I grew up in Kirkland and slept in an igloo on Rainier one night as a boy scout. It truely is a magnificent place. The NW is AWESOME!!

[landman]

sounds and looks like a great trip kris.i am a bit jealous as all i
have planned this summer besides local day trips is a run through
kansas,oklahoma and on into texas.pretty flat and boring but i
aim to pick up those states for my visited states map.

[dhomoney]

I get up to Seattle a few times every year as the company I work for is up there. I love Rainer. It is a great sight. Now how do I sneak over to Kris' house and "borrow" his Nomad so I can take a trip. :)

[Netnorske]

I get up to Seattle a few times every year as the company I work for is up there. I love Rainer. It is a great sight. Now how do I sneak over to Kris' house and "borrow" his Nomad so I can take a trip. :)

LOL.....well David....next time you get up here....I know you can rent an HD for a day (or a weekend). I know it's not a Nomad, but still, I could show you some pretty cool rides up here for sure!!

[Netnorske]

sounds and looks like a great trip kris.i am a bit jealous as all i
have planned this summer besides local day trips is a run through
kansas,oklahoma and on into texas.pretty flat and boring but i
aim to pick up those states for my visited states map.

Landman,
Take a scoot up this way and I'll have you sweating bullets and flossing your ass with your underwear on rides such as the one up to Mt. Baker! You will move up here after that....I'm can almost guarantee it... http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif!



Mt. Baker Highway

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/Motorcycle_Ride_35.jpg



http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/Motorcycle_Ride_22.jpg

[dhomoney]

Kris,

So what you are saying is you will not give me your Nomad for use while in the Pac Northwest? Man, and I always thought people in that area were friendly. Man. Wait, I know, see when I am up there I am less fortunate than you. So the state, in the name of fairness and equality, requires that you give up your bike for 50% of the time I am there. That way things are fair. It is about equality not the inequity. Obama and your state government demand it. Give in or they will take in in the name of fairness. :)

[Netnorske]

Kris,

So what you are saying is you will not give me your Nomad for use while in the Pac Northwest? Man, and I always thought people in that area were friendly. Man. Wait, I know, see when I am up there I am less fortunate than you. So the state, in the name of fairness and equality, requires that you give up your bike for 50% of the time I am there. That way things are fair. It is about equality not the inequity. Obama and your state government demand it. Give in or they will take in in the name of fairness. :)

I live just north of liberal-loving, voter-fraud friendly King County (Seattle), where if your Democratic candidate for Governor loses in two consecutive electronic vote counts....you just manufacture a few more votes for the hand re-count.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/angry.gif:(" title=">:(" border="0"/>.

I am a firm believer that you reap what you sew in this country. That policy is about as fair for everyone as the rising and setting of the sun. The policies being propagated by the current administration are demoralizing and will do nothing but curtail innovation, competition and the drive to succeed in this country. What a shame Obama is completely and totally blowing the wonderful opportunity the American public gave him.... :(.

As for the Nomad....what would I ride when we go up into the mountains?

[dhomoney]

You could be like BD and ride bitch!!!!! :)

[dhomoney]

Oh and glad you are one of the mindless zombies that live in the Queen Anne district of Seattle. :)

[Netnorske]

Oh and glad you are one of the mindless zombies that live in the Queen Anne district of Seattle. :)

Actually I live in Everett....about 20 miles north of Seattle in Snohomish County. I could never live on one of those "Hills" in Seattle. BD rides "bitch"...?? Even my son won't do that... ;).

[trip]

Very...Very nice pics, Kris. Maybe I can drop ship my Nomad up there by helicopter??????

[dhomoney]

Trip,

So that is what you do with all that membership due money? Buying helicopters and filling out the map???? :)

[Netnorske]

Very...Very nice pics, Kris. Maybe I can drop ship my Nomad up there by helicopter??????

Trip,
I see you still need to color in Washington in your visited states map. Find a way to get up here and I'll show you some really cool stuff... ;)!

[davidjones1]

Netnoske those are great pic's its been many years scents I have been in that neck of the woods but that right there makes me want to ride that way. thanks for posting.
ride safe.

[b2]

I agree, Mt Rainier is a great ride.. but on my recent trip (about 10 days ago) we got rain and a little snow on us. At one point it stopped raining and snowing and I was able to catch this shot, but you can see the cloud.. this shot was about 2pm I think... so much for the Pac NW in summer !!

On the same trip we went over Route 20 thru the Cascades... probably the highlight of the trip, and no rain http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd354/bhorton01/P1070210.jpg

[Netnorske]

b2,
Wish I had known you were coming! Next time let me know...we can do a ride someplace!