Category Archives: photography

Motorcycles, photography, Ride Reports

Looks like spring is finally here!!

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It’s about time.  Sunny skies all weekend, temps broke into the 70’s (pretty good for us on most any day!).   For me, it was a weekend of busy work around the house, husting kids around too and fro….  but.. I did mange to squeeze in a nice ride before the weekend was out.  An BOY was it worth it!

Bremerton 7:00PM

Rolled out of the garage, topped off the tank (1.9 gallons of high-test) and pointed west.  At this time of year, the sun is starting to say up well into the evening, leaving decent enough light for riding, even with a motorcycle headlamp, until at least 9:00PM.  This left me 2 hours of fun.

About 1/3 of the way into my ride, I was pleased to discover that Bear Creak – Dewatto Road was once again open.  The storms of 2007/2008 knocked it out (along with a number of other roads), and it had been closed all summer.  It’s a fine little ribbon with little to no traffic.   It’s also provides some very nice views of the Olympic Mountains as you meander along the ridge, once you get there.

Looking West towards Olympic National Park
Looking West towards Olympic National Park

There are not many places along the road to stop, and some of the best vistas are simply too dangerous to stop and photograph (unless you like being run down by a random pickup truck).   I was able to stop and snap this photo at the intersection of Bear Creek and Tahuya-Blacksmith.

Olympics at sunset.
Olympics at sunset.

One last photo, from the same location.   That neat little ribbon of road, and at least to me, a bit of the isolating sense of being out in this part of the county.

27 miles West of town.
27 miles West of town.

It’s days like these that I’m happy to live out here, on the edge of the ‘civilization’ as some would call it.  Great pieces of road, hardly offended by slow movers or Sherriff’s sniping with RADAR for tickets.   Just a man, a machine and some free time.   This is one of those incredible joys that makes my life so special to me.

I can feel the darkness of winter finally melting away.

Motorcycles, photography, Ride Reports

Ride to Dewatto.

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It seems like forever since I had the Ducati out for a real ride. Sure, a few bike nights here an there since the last big ride to SportBike Northwest, but nothing that any truthful person could call a ‘ride’. Despite the forecast of rain, I just had to go out and ride today.

At 6:00PM, under moody skies and hardly anything resembling Spring weather, the Ducati fired up and was pointed West. It was not long until I had clear roads before me and I could ride at exactly the pace I desired. Only one pass was required all day long. After that quick dispatch I saw hardly a soul the entire evening.

Over the years riding in Kitsap, I’ve passed a wrecked building out by the little hamlet of Dewatto. Until today I’d only briefly passed it by, thinking some day I’ll scope it out as a possible spot for some on-location photography. Today seemed like a great day to do this.

The building is located on a salt water inlet named ‘The Hood Canal‘.  Technically the body of water is a fjord. In fact it was originally named “Hood’s Channel” but Vancouver (whom named it) marked it as “Hood’s Canal” on his charts in the late 1700’s.  In 1932 the US Geological Board offically name it “Hood Canal“. 799px-hood_canal_07771

The area itself is approximately 2/3 of the way south along the Eastern short of the canal, located near the headwater of the Dewatto River.

Photo from Washington D.N.R.
Photo from Washington D.N.R.

Years ago the building itself was in far better condition.  Looking around it was clear that it’s used as a party spot for people.  There is evidence of make-shift fire pits, beer bottles and other trash litter the interior of the building.

ride_1232

The view from inside building is quite striking on a clear day.  Sadly today was not clear.   Behind the coulds seen in this photo, is the snow covered mountain range of the Olympic National Park.  With this year’s long winter the snow pack is quite deep and low along the sides of these rugged mountains.

ride_1241

It was good to get out on the road, blow the cobwebs out of my riding skills and enjoy some of the best local riding I’ve ever lived near.

2 hours and 70 miles later I rolled into home with a smile on my face and the feeling of a little rejuvination after what seems like the longest winter I’ve every experience in the short 44 years I’d inhabited this world.