I'd been wanting to visit Hurricane Ridge for a while now, and the weather finally was good enough to do so!
Photos from past rides in the area:
My partner was along for this one, which was the first time in quite a while! Riding felt a bit awkward at first, but it didn't take me long to adjust.
More after the break…
Part 1: To Ferry
We started at a little before 7 AM, as we were targeting the 7:55 AM ferry. My route had us going along SR-99, but the on-ramp was closed for sewer work, so I had to head over to I-5 and hope that we'd still make it. Once downtown, we had to also go around a detour on Second Avenue. In the end, we still got to the ferry terminal at the same time my GPS said we would've on my original route, just as the boat we wanted was unloading its inbound passengers..
There was so much construction! The ramp to Aurora was closed, as was Second Avenue downtown.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
Got here right before they started unloading the boat! (@ Bainbridge Island Ferry in Bainbridge Island, WA) https://t.co/jXhhCaJ6eq
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
When we got there, there was a guy with a BMW R nineT, who was soon met with a guy on a Triumph Thruxton. The Triumph rider and I admired each other's bikes. He even said he really wanted the "peashooter" exhausts like mine.
There was a pair of guys on motorcycles (one BMW RnineT and one Triumph Thruxton) on the ferry. Once on the island, they proved to be cruiser-type riders, going below the speed limit.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
While we were relaxing in the ferry's passenger cabin, I asked my partner if she still hated the ferry, and she said she did.
Part 2: To Hurricane Ridge
As we disembarked the ferry, the two other riders were riding up the hill well below the speed limit in the left lane, so the car traffic and I passed them on the right. They were behind me for much of the length of the highway on Bainbridge Island, but I lost them once on the Kitsap Peninsula.
Our first stop was in Poulsbo for breakfast and coffee.
I'm at City of Poulsbo in WA https://t.co/4a0XLh5YfJ
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
We first visited the Green Light Diner, but had to join the waiting list for a half-hour because of a staffing shortage. To kill time, we went to the nearby Hot Shots Java for coffee.
I'm at Hot Shots Java in Poulsbo, WA https://t.co/iuiX42xjTY
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
It wasn't long until we were paged that our table was ready, so my partner ended up finishing her coffee with breakfast. Breakfast, by the way, was the "Hungry Viking" split between us, which was quite a lot of food!
I'm at The Green Light Diner in Poulsbo, WA https://t.co/S3bC555Ydb pic.twitter.com/8wya6fXauB
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
I noted that we'd need to get gas soon, and remembered that there was a gas station at the other end of Big Valley Road, so we didn't have to stick around in town any longer.
Our next stop was in Port Angeles, mainly for the restroom. I thought that the visitor center would have one, so I parked in the 15 minute spot in front of it.
I'm at Port Angeles Wharf in Port Angeles, WA https://t.co/HpTjfeXdda
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
My partner noticed a sign in the window that said there were restrooms in The Wharf behind it, so we went in there and found them to have key code entries on them. We found a cafe in the building and ordered a lemon blueberry muffin so we could get the code…only to see that there were likely-free restrooms in the arcade also in The Wharf. Oh well.
Thinking I could use a minor caffeine boost, but since the vending machine in The Wharf was unplugged, I grabbed a Diet Coke from the bar across the street and quickly drank it before we headed out to Hurricane Ridge.
The road from Port Townsend to the Olympic National Forest toll gate entrance was a quick and smooth climb with broad curves. When I told my mom that I was thinking about heading up to Hurricane Ridge, she said the road was scary, so I was surprised that it was so easy here. I'd learn what she meant further up the climb.
On the other side of the entrance, the road quickly became narrow, windier, and slower, following the edge of cliffs in several places. There were also a number of foggy spots where everyone slowed down a bit more. I hope the cyclists we saw climbing and descending weren't dealing with any false calls! Oh, and at several points along the way, my partner and I saw deer
It was cool seeing bicyclists making the climb up to Hurricane Ridge.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
The further we climbed, the more it seemed like we were both climbing to the heavens and entering an alien world! The trees became sparser and sparser, with snow patches on fields covered merely with thin grass.
When we arrived to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, we found the parking lot well occupied and the inside of the center packed with tourists. We browsed inside the visitor center for a while, and ended up with a couple of nice shirts. There was also a restaurant on the lower level, but we decided to eat back in Port Angeles.
Much to my surprise, Clallam Transit actually ran a shuttle service up there! From the site:
Hurricane Ridge Shuttle Service
Shuttle will be fare free the entire month of June
3 trips daily, 7 days a week, including holidays
Must provide proof of paid park pass (All America the Beautiful passes, lifetime or annual accepted as well as the Olympic National Park pass)
Youth 18 and Younger Ride Free (Ages 15 and younger do not need a park pass)
Part 3: Return via Bainbridge Island
Our descent went smoothly, as I was more used to the curves. I really felt like it was great motorcycle riding practice, especially since the roads back home are mostly straight.
We made a few stops here and there, with one very atmospheric one being in a foggy patch. My partner really liked the ambiance, and I liked how absolutely nobody wanted to stop at the overlook there since the visibility was so short.
Once we passed through the tunnels, came across the beautiful views from the Morse Creek overlook, on par with those from our San Juan trip. Finally!
Once back in town, I parked on the street and we sought out food.
I'm at City of Port Angeles in WA https://t.co/keCMrBAuuD
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
We ended up at the the New Day Eatery, where I got a banh mi and my partner got a burger.
I'm at New Day Eatery in Port Angeles, WA https://t.co/nyTneWpcnk pic.twitter.com/CTMygTmPec
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 19, 2022
Once done eating, we headed straight home along US 101, and had to deal with quite a bit of traffic. I made use of every passing lane to leap ahead of slower traffic, but wasn't able to pass on the two-lane sections because oncoming traffic was too frequently.
As we approached the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal on SR-305, I saw a long line of cars waiting for the ferry. Since motorcycles don't normally need to wait for cars, I went all the way to the start of the line, then pulled off on a side street to look up info about it with my partner. The info we found said to go down to the dock, past the ticket booth, and pay down there. That proved to be incorrect, as a couple of staff shouted at us to stop, because we had to pay at the booth, albeit not behind the line of cars. I ran over, paid, and we rushed down to the motorcycle waiting area as the boat was about to leave, where the kind staff member directing traffic let us on as the very last vehicle. Wow!
The WSF crews are too nice! (@ Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal in Bainbridge Island, WA) https://t.co/lqF6qzoWlq
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) June 20, 2022
We were both pretty worn out, so we were looking forward to relaxing at home.
Part 4: Return Home
Once the ferry docked, we ended up being among the first vehicles to leave, as the center lanes of the ferry disembark first. There was a long line of cars waiting to make left left out of Colman Dock, but we were among the only to make the right so we didn't have to wait long. A quick jaunt through the SR-99 tunnel and we were back in Fremont to head home the normal way.
We ended up getting home at about 5 PM or so. Early on in the ride, I kept telling my partner that we'd get home at 2 PM based on a past ride of mine, but because my time didn't take into account the ferries nor restaurants, it ended up being, well, bunk. She wouldn't let me hear the end of it, either, though only as a joke.
Just like my previous time riding my Triumph, my hands started hurting at the edges. Thankfully, it wasn't long until my handlebar swap!
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