Well the first spring report from me. So Friday after work heading home, the sky was blue and the temps were above 50, and all of the sudden I was like dude you gotta go for a ride on the green machine. So I suited up, grabbed a first aid kit and my 357, a bottle of water and off I went. I hit the logging roads I usually go on, but then I decided to go farther this time, and before I knew it I was quite a ways out in the middle of no where, no extra gas, and the sun was going down which all of the sudden made it colder that I expected.

Ended the day with 60 miles. Good stuff, ran across a cedar shake bolt sale, nobody was around, which surprised me since this stuff is worth like $800.00 a cord. Then on my way out I ran into a truck load of cedar rats as they are called, probably spending the night out there guarding their product. Anyway here are the ride pics.

At a drift boat launch on the Solduc River.









Steel bridge up the Gunderson on the Bogachiel River. I used to float that river when I had my drift boat.







Shake bolts





Also ran into an active logging site.





Well that's it, it sure was nice to get back on the bike. It ran flawlessly. I made it home just at dark.

 

Wow Deej,
Congratulations and hats off to you for getting out an early report! Cedar Rats huh? You live in some interesting country. I like that last pic.

 

Shovelling snow for a while yet here, but thanks for the news that some are able to ride already.

 

Few more from the ride.

So they have been replacing more of the smaller bridges around here in the last few years, which makes me hopeful that these areas will stay open. Most of the land is either Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or private like Rayonier or Green Crow, and Crown Zellerbach.

I was surprised to see that this bridge was replaced. Just 2 years ago the old bridge was removed and old logs were placed to get the appearance of a road removed long ago. I don't know why they put it back in but I'm glad they did.





Love the large Sitka Spruce trees around here. These are actually smaller ones, I've seen them as large as 8-10 feet across. We cut a 6 ft spruce down like 15 years ago and the growth rings were over an inch apart.



Some of the smaller creeks are pretty dark in color because of the cedar trees and the oil that comes off them. We call these cedar swamps.



This is me after I heard a noise in the brush and then realized it was a heard of elk. They were too far away to get a picture.

 

Awesome man! Seeing everyone's fun rides makes me jealous. I need to find some time damnit! Any close calls?

 

Wish I could leave the house and find riding like that...


I'm leaving Fri to do an IronButt1000 to Bikeweek and then on down to Key West. Camping in Everglades NP and Long Key. Not on the KLX though...

Sick of snow I can tell ya. Going to feel good to be riding.




.

 

Sounds like you had a blast, I always enjoy reading your reports.
wish I could get out myself.

 

Great stuff Deej, thanks for the inspiration. Don't ever forget that you live in some great country there. Interesting story on the cedar.
Really makes me jealous to see some of the pics people post up.

Dan

 

Yeah can't wait to explore all the areas South now, its like a whole new world right in my own back yard. Somehow that just sounded wrong.

 

+1^ on the report and pics, Deejer. Beautiful country you live in.