| July 18th Stay At Home Ride 7-18-2009 |
July 18th Stay At Home Ride - Ride Synopsis |
| It is a cool, low overcast/almost foggy morning as Sugar and I cleared Anacortes on the way to Bob's Burger and Beers. There to meet up with Jon, Laurie, Robert, and Perry for breakfast and a ride. (photo #1). Ours was the group that, while others were off to STARDAYS 2009 in Billings MT, remained at home. This was to be, as it turned out, one of the best rides for the year and was called the "STAY-AT-HOME 100". For a day that weather-wise, started out rather iffy, it became the ideal of all riding weather days. With Jon leading and myself bring up the rear, we cleared the bridge over the Skagit on Hwy 9, turned right by the parking lot, and completed a 270 degree turn onto the South Skagit Hwy. heading East. There was no traffic, Jon signaled us into single file, and...... spread... out...... the..... interval, so each could enjoy the ride/scenery without violating the primary directive. The road was dry and curvey, the Skagit was close aboard on the port side, and the sun was making dappled shadows through the trees. A Saturday morning Nirvana. All too soon we left the dappled ways of the river highway and turned South on Hwy 530 for Darrington, Arlington and beyond. By now the sun was out and warming up nicely. After crossing I-5 at Arlington we continued on to Stanwood via Silvan and a beautiful ride up the valley. Stopped for a liesurly lunch at Maximes in Stanwood. Afterward we continued North to the Conway bridge , out the valley , past Sno-Goose market and stopped at the Berry Farm, which is about a half mile from Hwy 20, South of the Farm House Restuarant. I gotta tell ya folks, their icecream cones are better than the Sno-Goose's. Jon bought four flats of raspberries to take home for his wife to make jam. Leaving the Berry Farm heading North we did a modified Blue Angel break-up at the FarmHouse, me for Anacortes, Jon for Bellingham and Robert and Laurie headed North to where-ever. It was a great ride with good friends. We all agreed that at the end of the day,we were so happy we had to sit on our hands to keep from waving at people. By - Jimdawg |
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