From Yakima, WA to Aberdeen, WA
From Yakima, WA to Aberdeen, WA
Ending Mileage: 
|
|
|
|
|
Day of Travel |
|
|
|
Departing From |
|
|
|
Destination |
|
|
|
Distance (in miles) |
|
|
|
Distance (in kilometers) |
|
|
|
Departure Time |
|
|
|
Arrival Time |
|
|
|
Total Travel Time |
|
|
|
Average Speed (in mph) |
|
|
|
Average Speed (in kph) |
|
|
Yesterday I made Yakima sound beautiful. To get to Washington 12, I take a trip through Yakima. Its a pretty grim city -- I don't see much to recommend this place for an extended visit. The first couple of miles of today's ride are the typical mix of city turning into suburbia strip malls and businesses. There are a lot of packing houses to support the apple and cherry industry.
My father's twin brother lives in Yakima but I don't make an attempt to visit him. Unfortunately, he has become afflicted with Alzheimer's disease -- a horrible disease that similarly took Ron's Mom several years ago. I've never been very connected to my extended family. I only met my mother's mother twice. My mother's father and Dad's mother died long before I was born. My dad's father passed away when I was eight. Due to geographic isolation, I didn't meet my mother's sisters until I was in my early teens. Other than my father's twin, I didn't meet any of my aunts and uncles until about five years ago. I have passed near to where a number of them live but I have contacted any of them. This is a big mistake as all of them have always been nice people. However, I just don't understand the nature of families -- to me this people are practically strangers and I can't imagine why they would want to see me. This is one challenge I have not met on this trip at all.
Within about ten miles, the road opens up and it feels like I'm headed out into the country. The road is in a canyon carved by the Tieton River. The canyon walls are a rusty red color that makes me think of lava flows. There is a sparse pine forest that covers the tops and walls of the canyon. The road heads to the west to cross over White Pass. The trip up to the pass gets increasingly steeper and steeper. The road is in good shape full of nice sweeping turns. There are great views of the river. Near the pass, I pull over to have a look at a scenic overlook. Just short of the pass there are a series of small waterfalls. Somehow I neglected to take pictures.
Back
on the road, I make a sharp right hand turn to begin the trip down
from the pass. Directly ahead of me is Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier
is an icon of Washington with the distinctive cone shape of a volcano
and permanent snowcap and glacier fields. On a clear day, this
mountain is a stunning backdrop to Seattle.
I decide to have lunch in Randle. Randle is a small town with a couple of likely restaurants. I turn around to come back to a pizza parlor that looks like a good candidate. The parking is behind the restaurant and I take the dirt drive to the back parking lot. About ten feet too late, I realize that the dirt is not packed down at all. I bog down badly and nearly tip over. It is a little frightening and I decide to save my honor by eating elsewhere.
As a result, lunch today is a cheap corn dog in a Chevron mini-mart gas station. Two other bikers have shown up and we having a nice chat that offsets the low quality of cuisine. They are both local hard core riders (and look it). They have a lot of tales to tell and it is fun bullshitting with them. They give me some tips on things to see in the Olympic Peninsula and strongly recommend all the time possible in Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Back on the road heading west, I turn off of Washington 12 at Morton to meet up with WA 508. This is a really small rural road that curves through homes, small farms and lumber mills. It connects with Interstate 5. I do a short stretch on I-5. WA 12 shares the road with I-5 until it cuts west again to Aberdeen.
There is a dense marine layer as I approach Aberdeen and it gets cold enough to put on the rain gear for wind protection. I get settled in at a Red Lion in the middle of town. I walk to a local bar that serves food. A nice local micro brew along with a big bowl of clam chowder and sourdough bread. I'm happy and head back to the hotel.
Tomorrow: Olympic Peninsula.
Depart Yakima heading west on Washington 12.
Cross White Pass.
At Morton, WA turn onto Washington 508 heading west.
At intersection with Interstate 5, transition onto I-5 heading north.
Exit I-5 onto Washington 12 heading west.
Arrive Aberdeen, WA
(c) 2001 Thomas N. Engler Revision Date: 06/28/2001
