| Initially I was blind sided by Alpine daisies | | | | into the mountains. They do what they do |
| and Digitalis (foxglove) passing themselves | | | | for more than exercise and health. Funding |
| off as wildflowers, much less the other | | | | good causes comes into play.Covered with |
| fabulous scenery on the North Cascades | | | | Douglas fir, many of the surrounding peaks, |
| Highway, and then they showed up again. I | | | | such as Liberty Bell Mountain, Ruby Mountain, |
| turned the tables on them though and made a | | | | and Early Winters Spires tower in the high |
| pass. I don't commonly make passes at | | | | 7,000 elevation range. My first time in |
| bikers, but in this case, it was a must. I | | | | northwestern Washington and writings stating |
| went around them. Bikers. The non-motorized | | | | European images came to light. It is truly |
| kind.I hit the brake often for resting | | | | awesome. Bicyclists benefit from |
| bicyclers and continued searching, as I | | | | unobstructed views and find safety quickly |
| drove, for the perfect shot of wildflowers. | | | | even from wild drivers like myself.The humid |
| My "kill two birds with one stone" mentality | | | | side of Washington was about to end when Dry |
| needed Ross Lake as a backdrop.I ducked out | | | | Falls appeared. The eastern leg of northern |
| of traffic last spring when I got off the | | | | Washington is dry, flat, agricultural land |
| ferry and dipped onto South Chuckanut Drive. | | | | stirred up by high winds that creates "dust |
| For approximately twenty-five miles I was in | | | | devils". They are ultra-mini tornadoes that |
| another world with narrow, winding roads | | | | whip the land into some sort of shape. The |
| under a canopy of trees and there I wanted to | | | | foreboding look of three or more can be seen |
| stay. I passed under Highway 5 near exit | | | | at any given time throwing a fit on the |
| 231, hung a right onto Burlington Boulevard | | | | horizon blending yellow, brown dust with |
| and left on Avon Avenue (Highway 20), headed | | | | cerulean blue sky.According to Washington |
| east, back to Colorado. No traffic, feeling | | | | State Parks, Dry Falls is one of North |
| a bit lost even with a map, another sixty | | | | America's geological wonders. Dry Falls is a |
| miles and I slowed down even more. I was in | | | | cliff over three miles long and 400 foot high |
| the Cascades.My mind filled with a flash of | | | | and was once ten times larger than Niagara. |
| Concretia from the Flintstones movie along | | | | The Colombia River used to rush through |
| the way, when I passed through the town of | | | | here.On one free-fall, in neutral down a |
| Concrete. There is not much to it but | | | | steep, winding grade on the North Cascades |
| history, folklore and a garish cement stack | | | | Highway, there they were. And again, when I |
| with bold lettering no one can miss. | | | | rounded a corner at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State |
| Concrete sits below Baker Dam and the base of | | | | Park, and once again before I crossed into |
| Lake Shannon. The bikers were beginning to | | | | Idaho. Still headed eastbound on Highway 20 |
| add up as I passed more and drove another | | | | just leaving Coulee City headed to Spokane, |
| twenty-six miles, through Marblemount, | | | | on the flat, dry plains, faces of the bikers |
| climbing, climbing. Gorge Dam and its long, | | | | were becoming recognizable. I filled up |
| narrow Gorge Lake, then Diablo Dam created | | | | every two hundred miles or so from Washington |
| more than fifty-years ago, and Diablo Lake, | | | | to Colorado and began to think my speedometer |
| and further on and above, Ross Lake, all a | | | | was broken because the same bikers were |
| sparkle of deep blue.A labor of love goes | | | | everywhere I was. Were they following me? |
| into building our roadways so travelers like | | | | My curiosity was piqued, because I just |
| me can see the grandeur of our country. | | | | couldn't shake them all the way through |
| North Cascades Highway was completed in1972 | | | | Washington.I began to hallucinate seeing |
| after twelve years. Down one particularly | | | | bikers in Montana, thinking, they were still |
| steep grade around a switchback the view of | | | | following me. So, here it was ten o'clock at |
| Ross Lake takes your breath away. It spans | | | | night, I pulled off at a state campground, |
| into Canada for a mile and a half. Access is | | | | plopped ten dollars in an envelope, pitched |
| only available on the U.S. side.Six passes on | | | | my tent, and dreamed of bikers.This link |
| and around this route reach elevations | | | | covers a bike tour that lasted 71 days and |
| between 4,000 to 5,500 feet. Sherman Pass is | | | | 4,224 miles starting at Anacortes, Washington |
| the highest, followed by North Cascade, Loup | | | | and ending in Bar Harbor, Maine. |
| Loup, Wauconda, Rainy, and Washington. | | | | |
| Passes are monitored for weather changes, but | | | | account of one of the bikers who took the |
| expect Loup Loup Pass to remain open year | | | | Washington route. |
| round. Like Ross Lake, Loup Loup Pass goes | | | | |
| into Canada. From Marblemount to the end of | | | | in biking across the entire United States |
| the Cascades on this highway fifty-six more | | | | contact: |
| miles awaited as I continued to dodge | | | | |
| bikers.I recommend springtime travel, more | | | | |
| tourists and travelers flock here in the | | | | |
| summer. Mid-April through late June is the | | | | State only: |
| time to reduce distractions, catch craggy | | | | |
| peaks, and glimpses of passing wildflowers, | | | | |
| but watch the road, too. Bicycling is a | | | | |
| springtime fancy that brings hoards of them | | | | to Mt. St. Helens? |