2019-06-01_Motorcycle_Mojo_Magazine

(Darren Dugan) #1
MAY 2019 MOTORCYCLE MOJO 31

NPKZLQGV7KHORZSURÀOH


FRQFUHWHEXLOGLQJSDUWLDOO\HPEHGGHG


LQWKHKLOOVLGHIDFLQJWKHQRUWKÁDQN


of the mountain, has myriad displays,


DVZHOODVYDULRXVWUDLOVWRDEVRUEWKH


GHVWUXFWLYHPDJQLWXGHRIWKHHUXSWLRQ


7RWKHHDVW6SLULW/DNHLVYLVLEOHD


ZDWHUERG\IRUHYHUFKDQJHGE\RQHRI


WKHZRUOG·VODUJHVWNQRZQODQGVOLGHV


ZKLFKFRQVXPHGQRWRQO\WKHOXVK


IRUHVWVXUURXQGLQJWKHODNHEXWDOVR


DPHQLWLHVDQGDFKDUPLQJROGFDUHWDNHU


WKHHDUO\PRUQLQJ-DNHEUDNHVIURPD


QHDUE\ORJJLQJURDGQHVWOHGFDUHIXOO\


EHORZWKHFDPSJURXQGVHUHQDGHGXVDW


VL[LQWKHPRUQLQJ%HVWWRFKHFNRXWWKH


(FR3DUN5HVRUW XQIRUWXQDWHO\FORVHG


WKLVSDUWLFXODUZHHN ZKLFKLVDERXW


PLQXWHVZHVWRI.LG9DOOH\UHSOHWHZLWK


FR]\FDELQVDQGSULYDWHWHQWVLWHVLQDQ


́RIIWKHJULGμVHWWLQJ


There is an equally scenic, albeit


PRUHPRXQWDLQRXVDSSURDFKWR0RXQW


6W+HOHQVDQGWKDWLV)RUHVW5RDG


ZKLFKWUDYHOVWKURXJKWKH*LIIRUG


3LQFKRW1DWLRQDO)RUHVWWRWKH:LQG\


5LGJH9LHZSRLQW:HKDGDWWHPSWHG


WKLVDSSURDFKÀUVWEHIRUHKHDGLQJRQ


WKH6SLULW/DNH+LJKZD\EXWWKLVSDYHG


ubiquitously potholed route seems


SODJXHGE\VSULQJZDVKRXWVDQGRQJR






LQJUHSDLUVDQGWKHYLVLWWRWKH5DQJHU


6WDWLRQRXWVLGHRI3DFNZRRGFRQÀUPHG


WKDWDFFHVVZDVRQFHDJDLQFORVHGGXHWR


DEULGJHUHFRQVWUXFWLRQ$QRWKHUERQXV


DERXWWKLVOHVVWUDYHOOHGURXWHLVYLHZLQJ


0RXQW$GDPVDQRWKHUSRWHQWLDOO\


DFWLYHYROFDQRZKLFKULVHVRXWRIWKH


ZHVWDQGEHFNRQVIXUWKHUH[SORUDWLRQ


DOEHLWLQDPRUHZLOGHUQHVVVHWWLQJ


Columbia Plateau – A Rider’s Dream


7KHOHHZDUGVLGHRIWKH&DVFDGH


0RXQWDLQVSUHVHQWVDYDULHW\RIRSWLRQV


for north and south travel to and from


the volcanic destinations described


here. I must admit, this farther-inland


URXWHKDVDJUHDWPDQ\EHQHÀWV1RW


RQO\LVWUDIÀFOLJKWHUDQGPRUHVSRUDGLF


but the landscape here is primordial,


DVPRVWRILWUHVLGHVRQWKH&ROXPELD


Plateau, or scablands, as the laymen


JHRORJLVWVFDOOLW6KDSHGE\SUHKLVWRULF


JODFLDOPRYHPHQWVDQGPHJDÁRRGV


it’s a rider’s dream both visually


DQGWHFKQLFDOO\9LFDQG,WRRNLQWKH


<DNLPD5LYHU&DQ\RQYLD6WDWH5RXWH


ZKLFKLVDEOLVVIXODOWHUQDWLYH


WR,QWHUVWDWHDV\RXKHDGQRUWKWR


(OOHQVEXUJ


$QRWKHUPXVWULGHZKLFK,FRQ-


YLQFHG9LFWRH[SHULHQFHLVWKHVKRUW


VHFWLRQRI2OG%OHZHWW3DVV7KLVYHU\


WZLVW\DQGQDUURZSDYHGVHFRQGDU\


WKDWRIWKH0RXQW6W+HOHQV·/RGJH


KRPHRI+HQU\57UXPDQ7UXPDQ


DORQJZLWKRWKHUVRXOVZDVORVWLQ


the aftermath of the eruption.


&DPSLQJQHDUWKHYROFDQRLV


QRWUHDOO\DQRSWLRQDVRYHUQLJKW


accommodations are offered only on the


periphery of the national monument.


9LFDQG,WULHGRXUOXFNDWWKH.LG


5LYHU&DPSJURXQGMXVWRII5RXWH


$OWKRXJKWKHIRUHVWHGVLWHKDGWKHEDVLF


Where trees once stood, there is

now only charred vestiges- a stark

reminder of the forces of nature

that transformed the surroundings

of Mount St. Helens.

A road closure at the top of Old Blewett Pass

didn’t discourage our curiosity from exploring

the other side, and we lived to tell the tale.
Free download pdf