My Long-Ride The Alaskan Prologue

[augidog]

a short opener to let you all know i and MB are thriving...when i decide on the right device, i'll be able to add more content in the future, it's become clear that borrowed internet & a cel-phone can't do this adventure justice. i have a few pics i will try to get transferred tomorrow to spice this up

starting at the beginning, may 6, 3:30am: a little over 60 miles into raymond, rt 101...i got lucky...$10/nite for a great tent-site overlooking some wetlands draining into the willapa river/bay. deer grazing thru at nite, all sorts of waterfowl flocking in during the morning...and the sawmill buzzing at all hours from across the water. i did not expect it would, but that mill's workings became a soothing din, i learned later that many locals feel the same way.

made some friends and had some great times...was given a daylong tour of the logging roads to the north, including a stop-off at the "brooklyn tavern", home of the "saginaw days" logging event. fantastic views of the olympic mountains and mt rainier...thank you don & les

also made friends during breakfast at mc'd's with a woman & granddaughter who visited the rv-park to invite me on a hike up to "the waterfall" which was amazing. we watched elk and caught salamanders...thank you clare & sonia

and i enjoyed some home-cooking courtesy of don (a different one) and sandy.

also thank you to the timberland rv-park, the american-legion, the corner cafe, the top-notch tavern, the visitor's center...and a major high-five to lou for being a stand-up guy.

this first stop was like boot-camp for me...i had to perfect making & breaking camp, arranging the load between pack and trunk, resealed some tent seams, repaired some pannier-stress, etc...

then on may 12, 70 miles from raymond along rt 105 to aberdeen (that drawbridge is quite the challenge) then rt 12 to monteseno and sylvia lake state park...i'm using rif's notebook and i've never been very good with them, but with a little luck i'll be able to get the next "episode" (elma and fresh-caught trout) posted tomorrow along with those pics i'm chasing from cel to email to usb drive to forum...argh!

anyways, here's a mapquest of the total ride so far, as i said i'll fill in the gaps soon as i can: http://www.mapquest.com/mq/10-QzxIKg4SM5X5kmTD

 

[graucho]

A big thumbs up! Thanks

 

[augidog]

Raymond WA

hi graucho...hope you and proteges are doing well & having fun

tarp-tech 101

my view

the waterfall

my new friends

the brooklyn weather station


Elma WA preview

 

[vegaspaddy]

goodwork augi, all that techii stuff can be a nightmare, but i bet in a couple of months you will have it down to a science,

Have fun and look forward to your next post....

keep safe VP

 

[augidog]

test...without attachment...ok.

 

[augidog]

test...with attachment...OK!!

 

[augidog]

hey VP, that was the new device...straight from phone to forum...i'd say i'm good to go. so is the new lighting system keeping the cops happy?

 

[ibdennyak]

Hey Augi

Missed your call. Reason was I am building a *new and improved* trailer with some ideas I shamelessly stole from yours. Should be running by the time you get here.

See if you can get one of them *weather station rocks* in your trailer. Much more accurate than the weathermen here.

Denny

 

[Esteban]

Sounds like a GREAT trip ! That is a pretty part of this country !

 

[augidog]

Elma & Fresh Trout

rolling into montesano i followed the signs to sylvia lake state park...with every turn the grade got steeper, and steeper...it seems the lake is hidden in a valley on the other side of the north ridge overlooking the town. half-mile of 8% up, another on the other side down. well! i was pretty tired & sweaty by the time i saw the lake, and i smelled clutch too.

so i snag a site on the lake and make camp...then i go chat up some fishermen and get directions (back up and over of course) to some overnite supplies...this time i was prepared and the ridge din't seem near as bad. back at camp i make friends with the guys who helped me, local retirees with lots of fish-tales, real ones...seems sylvia lake is one fine place for steelhead and rainbow.

next morning, i get a surprise visit from Ken (from last nite) who is bearing gifts of hot coffee and an invitation to a morning of fishing with him and Jim. i hadn't been fishin' in several years, trust me when i say angling is the same as bicycling, AND almost as much fun.

some discussion led me to a decision to stick around for a few days, so i followed directions east about 12 miles into Elma...nice road, great scenery, was paced by a hawk for about a mile...oncoming traffic musta thunk i was completely nuts i was grinnin' so wide.

luckily i found the Elma RV-Parkand was treated to a nicely groomed site with a generous veterans' discount...the Elma RV-Park has posted a neat gallery on their Facebook page for those interested, and the office window now sports a clear MBc sticker.

i made a couple more friends in the park, bought a 2-day fishin license, and 4 of us spent saturday morning and afternoon at the lake catching trout, and saturday evening eatin' them.

thank you to Ken, Jim, CJ (one cool cat), Stacy, and all the residents of the park who made me feel mucho welcome. a BIG thank you to Rea, Jerry, and John who really know how to run a park and make an MB-Traveler feel right at home..."yoda" and "bowstrokes", welcome to MBc...Cecil, join up buddy, lotsa E-riders would love to hear about your solar and recharging ideas.

then, i did an easy 50 miles into McKenna, home of our own "uncle_punk13" and his new family...today i replaced the front tubes with some nice colormatched ones compliments of a fellow long-rider, and tomorrow i split for a 1-week marathon sprint to Bellingham and the fishing boat Mabman's going to spend the season aboard...i suspect i'm gonna get pretty wet this coming week, and gonna be pretty tired, but getting there is the only goal for this leg of the journey...if i miss the boat (literally) i will not get to go to Alaska.

i figure, i survive this next round of rides ain't nothing can bother me after that...so off i go rain or shine (wishful thinking).

i'm gonna try to make use of my new device with a daily pic and short blurb instead of trying whole stories...that outta work