Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

Okay...here we go. I am putting together a group ride up to Mt. St. Helens. This came about in another thread with the idea to meet and ride with fellow KawaNOW member Wandering Nomad, who is visiting our great state for work purposes. This should be a fun day if the weather cooperates.

The tentative date is Sunday May 3, with an alternate date of Sunday May 10 if the weather sucks on the 3rd.

We will meet off of I-5 at Castle Rock and ride Hwy 504 all the way up to the Visitors Center at Johnstone Ridge. Whether we actually will be able to see the mountain depends on many things....good weather being a must.

There appears to be what looks like a restaurant just east off of I-5 that is marked on the photo below. Let's plan to meet there about 10:00am, Sunday May 3. Maybe we can stretch the legs, get a cup of coffee and chat a bit before heading up the road!

Chime in on this thread if you would like to participate! Hope as many of you as possible can make it...this sould be fun!

Cheers....Kris

PS If you want to invite a friend along please do so. This doesn't have to be just a Nomad ride!


http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...etingPlace.jpg

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

I like this idea.What could be better than meeting fellow Nomad riders and seeing some fantastic scenery.
I should be able to make this ride. I'll check the distance from here to the meeting place to see how long it will take to get there,but I don't see a problem making it by 10 am.

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

I'm in for either day or both. I can meet Kris in Tacoma and ride down together. We need to double check access. They closed the visitor center on the ridge last year, I'm pretty sure. But we can still head up to the mountain.

And Wandering Nomad wanted to come over Saturday, I could probably squeeze up a place to crash for the night. You would have to leave awfully early to get over by 10. You are about 220 miles from my place in Orting, And its about 90 miles to the turnoff for St Helens from here. So you come over Saturday and you can enjoy the ride and see some sights on the way.

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

10:00am is a tad early and we could make it later....but that leaves all day to ride up the mountain and back, then home again, so the earlier the better.

Charlie, I would love to meet you for the ride down, but I also might ride a scenic route down on Saturday and stay the night in Castle Rock. Wandering Nomad, you would also benefit by coming over on Saturday and stay at either Charlie's as he so graciously offered, or in Castle Rock.

Although he has yet to chime in here, Greg (schoeney) lives in Vancouver, WA....so if he has a place for you to crash Saturday night, that would even be better for you. You guys would have a short ride up I-5 to our meeting place Sunday morning.

It's not so much the ride over if you got an early start...but to ride up and down the mountain then home again would be kind of a ball buster. Better to start somewhat fresh. I'm in the same boat, although doable.....down and back from Everett in one day is not so bad, but toss in a ride up and down the mountain the same day and it can get to be a long one.

This should be fun and I wish Rich could join us....but Sunday is probably not gonna work for him....

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

After looking at the distance,I was thinking about riding over the day before because I would be looking at about 500-550 miles for the day making a round trip so I could make it to work on Monday.

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

Hi Guys,

Count me in for the ride! I need to check with some family that was coming to town that weekend...if they are not coming I will have room available but give me a couple days to check it out. I would much rather sit around talking to Nomad Nation about bikes than Aunt Ethel about Uncle Bert's bad hip!

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

i wish i could join in on the fun with you boys but after carefull
consideration i have decided that it would just be too much
for a day ride.

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

I think we all understand Landman.....you can ride with us in spirit. We might even take a few photos to share! Wandering Nomad trailered his bike up here from (I think...) South Carolina and is working up here until June. Thought the least we could do is show a little love to a visiting member... ;)!

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

How long is the ride from Sumas WA to where you're meeting Kris? Is this a private Northwest grp.
ride?

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

Rickey,

It is about 230 miles from Sumas to Castle Rock. Not sure what that is in kilometers?

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

RickyBoy,

PM sent.....

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

In researching some more info about this trip, I learned from the Public Works Director in Castle Rock that the road (SR 504) is usually clear by the first week of May (thereby suitable for motorcycle travel), but WSDOT (Washington Dept. of Transportation) may not have the road open all the way to Johnston Ridge Visitors Center and to check with them prior to our trip. There is still a ton to see even if we can't get all the way up there as the main Mt St Helens visitor center is down lower anyways.

In visiting the web site for Johnston Ridge VC, they show that they are open from May through October. They may or may not be open by May 3rd.

Given that the weather is always a question mark that time of year, I say we plan to go if the weather looks favorable and try again on May 10 if it is not.

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

Guys,
I'll have to see if I can catch you on your way down. I'll leave Clackamas after services but would at least like to see if I could meet a couple of you at the end of the ride.
Rich

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

Rich,
Good to hear from you again. Hope all is going well for you in your new digs. It would be great if you could meet us on our return trip back to I-5. We could just stop back in at our original meeting place, but setting a time would be difficult.

I think RickyBoy might make this ride with us as well. If so....he will meet me Saturday morning in Everett and we will take a scenic ride down through SW Washington and spend the might in Longview before meeting up Sunday morning. (Sorry Charlie, but I can't let a perfectly good Saturday slip by with no ridin'...haha).

Mt. St. Helens Group Ride
 

I may have to call in that day...I think I feel a fever coming on, do I look kind of pale?