Ride up Mt Rainier on the RX-3

[Weldangrind]

Did you come up highway 97 through WA, or the WABDR?

When you rode west on Highway 3 (called the Crowsnest), did you ride to exit 92 and cross the border into Sumas?

[jjn]

Nice photos in this thread! I was born in Seattle, and lived in the Seattle/Tacoma area for 58 years. Then we moved to the big island of Hawaii near hilo, just over 4 years ago. I'll be 62 on Sunday. Been to Sunrise (and Paradise too) many times. Have ridden up there quite a few times too. Did some hiking up there, leaving from Sunrise. hiked i to Lake Elenor, and camper there for several days. Before any over nighter, I would go up to Sunrise, and, due to the thin air, go on a few short hikes too get better acclimated before going on the multi day hikes.

We used to camp near Mount Hood too. We took our kids to Ski Bowl in the summer. They have two side by side bob sled tracks there, and you ride up on the ski lift. In summer, they run carts on these tracks, and it's quite a blast.

My parents (both since have passed) were drive home from Portland to Seattle right when Mount Saint Helens blew her top. It was quite a mess. We were living on Lake Tapps in Bonney Lake when it blew, and got quite a dusting of ash. When I swept off our deck, it left the wood as if I had just sanded the whole thing. Very abbrasive stuff.

I think the RX-3 would be a good ride.

[superdude]

Originally Posted by jjn

Nice photos in this thread! I was born in Seattle, and lived in the Seattle/Tacoma area for 58 years. Then we moved to the big island of Hawaii near hilo, just over 4 years ago. I'll be 62 on Sunday. Been to Sunrise (and Paradise too) many times. Have ridden up there quite a few times too. Did some hiking up there, leaving from Sunrise. hiked i to Lake Elenor, and camper there for several days. Before any over nighter, I would go up to Sunrise, and, due to the thin air, go on a few short hikes too get better acclimated before going on the multi day hikes.

We used to camp near Mount Hood too. We took our kids to Ski Bowl in the summer. They have two side by side bob sled tracks there, and you ride up on the ski lift. In summer, they run carts on these tracks, and it's quite a blast.

My parents (both since have passed) were drive home from Portland to Seattle right when Mount Saint Helens blew her top. It was quite a mess. We were living on Lake Tapps in Bonney Lake when it blew, and got quite a dusting of ash. When I swept off our deck, it left the wood as if I had just sanded the whole thing. Very abbrasive stuff.

I think the RX-3 would be a good ride.

Sounds like you've enjoyed Washington as much as I have!! I'm from Puyallup but actually grew up on Lake Tapps. Small world. That was a fun place to grow up as a kid. Hiking is definitely amazing from Sunrise and I imagine I'll use the RX-3 to do a few park and hikes at various spots around here especially at trailheads accessed by FS or dirt roads. Hawaii sounds like a pretty amazing place for an RX-3 too though. I'm going next month with my wife to Kauai it'll be my first time to Hawaii and I'm really looking forward to it.

[superdude]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Did you come up highway 97 through WA, or the WABDR?

When you rode west on Highway 3 (called the Crowsnest), did you ride to exit 92 and cross the border into Sumas?

Had to check Google Maps to see which route we took exactly. From Seattle we went across the North Cascades HWY (my favorite road in Washington) and stayed in Winthrop for the night, and then from there we messed around on some roads heading up to Nighthawk, WA (where apparently the WABDR ends I had no idea though at the time). One of my buddies and I started out riding Nighthawks so it was only fitting to stop and get a picture. We encountered a lot of dirt roads which on my triumph was not as fun as it could of been had I been on an RX-3, but was actually one of the reasons I started looking for a dual sport and bought the RX-3. Then we cut back down to 97 and crossed at the Osoyoos/Oroville crossing and then like mentioned cut over on highway 3 (is that a well known road for motorcycles/scenic drive?) Headed up 5A and stayed near Kamloops for the night. Unfortunately the last day we were in B.C. it decided to rain cats and dogs so instead of taking the scenic routes we blasted down the 5 through Merritt connected with the Trans Canada Hwy and took that to Sumas which was a really easy border crossing, at least compared to all the others I've seen for getting back in to the U.S. This summer I want to do a similar trip, except explore more dirt roads and scenic roads, and make sure the weather will be good for the whole week.

I gotta say I left very impressed with Canadians and how nice and genuine they were. Definitely true what everyone says. All the Hortons we stopped in we ended up talking and making friends, including with one guy on a Kawasaki Ninja from Toronto who rode with us for a bit. Also, the drivers in B.C. were awesome too, almost every single one of them would move right to let us pass and then waved at us as WE rode by. ha on other side of the border in the U.S. we'd get a wave but sometimes it'd be with one single finger located in the middle of ones left hand.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by superdude

...in the U.S. we'd get a wave but sometimes it'd be with one single finger located in the middle of ones left hand. ...

Those drivers were just telling you motorcyclists are number 1.

[jjn]

Originally Posted by superdude

Sounds like you've enjoyed Washington as much as I have!! I'm from Puyallup but actually grew up on Lake Tapps. Small world. That was a fun place to grow up as a kid. Hiking is definitely amazing from Sunrise and I imagine I'll use the RX-3 to do a few park and hikes at various spots around here especially at trailheads accessed by FS or dirt roads. Hawaii sounds like a pretty amazing place for an RX-3 too though. I'm going next month with my wife to Kauai it'll be my first time to Hawaii and I'm really looking forward to it.

I was actually born in Seattle, but grew up in Burien. We moved to the Church Lake area in 1978 and lived there for 24 years. Then, we bought an old house in Puyallup on 16th just off Pioneer and about a mile from the fairgrounds. Really liked it there a lot, and lived there for 5-6 years. Worked at Destination Harle-Davidson for the last 5 years of my working (full time) life. Then sold that old house and moved to the big island.

North Cascades Highway is a great ride!! I also rode down Highway 101 all the way down the beautiful Oregon coast many times over the years. One trip we rode all the way to Santa Cruz, Ca., camping all the way. The wife and I on a 1975 Honda CB750K model. Spent a lot of time at a lot my parents used to own in Norfh Cove, just south of Westport also. Very near the infamous washaway area on the coast.

[superdude]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

Those drivers were just telling you motorcyclists are number 1.

ha THAT is a great way to look at it.

[superdude]

Originally Posted by jjn

I was actually born in Seattle, but grew up in Burien. We moved to the Church Lake area in 1978 and lived there for 24 years. Then, we bought an old house in Puyallup on 16th just off Pioneer and about a mile from the fairgrounds. Really liked it there a lot, and lived there for 5-6 years. Worked at Destination Harle-Davidson for the last 5 years of my working (full time) life. Then sold that old house and moved to the big island.

North Cascades Highway is a great ride!! I also rode down Highway 101 all the way down the beautiful Oregon coast many times over the years. One trip we rode all the way to Santa Cruz, Ca., camping all the way. The wife and I on a 1975 Honda CB750K model. Spent a lot of time at a lot my parents used to own in Norfh Cove, just south of Westport also. Very near the infamous washaway area on the coast.

Wow very small world indeed. Love those old cb750's. I've got one on my bucket list for a build hopefully will start on it this winter. 101 is a great ride I've only made it down into Oregon havent done it through California yet but hope to this summer for sure.

[jjn]

Originally Posted by superdude

Wow very small world indeed. Love those old cb750's. I've got one on my bucket list for a build hopefully will start on it this winter. 101 is a great ride I've only made it down into Oregon havent done it through California yet but hope to this summer for sure.

I should have stated that we moved to the Church Lake area on Lake Tapps.

We did our trip down the Wa., Or, Ca. coasts in October, as I had a block of time off. Sounds scary, but, actually it was a good time to go. Left on Oct. 21st. All the leaves were already turning red/gold. There were no Winnabago's, hardly on the coast highways. I admit, that first morning getting up in our tent in Lincoln City, Oregon, it was a might foggy and cool, but, the rest of the trip was great!

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by superdude

...we went across the North Cascades HWY (my favorite road in Washington)

Right? I love that area! Mrs. Weldangrind and I camped at Rasar State Park in August, which is not far from Concrete, WA. It's right on the Skagit river.

Originally Posted by superdude

Then we cut back down to 97 and crossed at the Osoyoos/Oroville crossing and then like mentioned cut over on highway 3 (is that a well known road for motorcycles/scenic drive?)

It is an awesome highway for bikes, but one should try to ride it in June, before it's littered with RV's. It's brutal to try and pass on that road sometimes.

Originally Posted by superdude

...connected with the Trans Canada Hwy and took that to Sumas which was a really easy border crossing, at least compared to all the others I've seen for getting back in to the U.S.

That border crossing is 35 blocks from my house; I cross it nearly every week, to pick up some trinket I bought online. Shipping within continental US is often free, so I have stuff shipped to Sumas. I've built almost entire bikes that way.

Originally Posted by superdude

...This summer I want to do a similar trip, except explore more dirt roads and scenic roads, and make sure the weather will be good for the whole week.

There is an awesome ride (so I've read) that is a forestry service road which runs up the west side of Harrison Lake. It will take you all the way to Duffy Lake Road, at which point you have two options. You can either head east and then ride down the fabulous Fraser Canyon, or head west and ride through Whistler and Vancouver. Both are amazing options.

Originally Posted by superdude

...I gotta say I left very impressed with Canadians and how nice and genuine they were.

I'm very glad to hear that! [/QUOTE]

[FastDoc]

Rainier is amazing. Truely breathtaking.

The Sierras are a tiny bit higher (Mt. Whitney) but not as dramatic as all the surrounding mountains are similar.

The Cascade volcanoes are more visually striking in the way they tower over and dominate the environment.

Tammy and I go to Mt. Rainier National Park quite a bit, either as a day trip/hike or part of a longer multiday loop.























Last picture is not mine.

[FastDoc]

I bet the RX3 was a great way to handle the bumpy roads. How does it pull at altitude?

[Weldangrind]

Doc, I've missed your pics. That last one is just stunning.

[superdude]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

I bet the RX3 was a great way to handle the bumpy roads. How does it pull at altitude?

Great pics indeed. Never get sick of seeing those. RX3 at altitude did really well didnt notice much of a difference really. Went from 0-6500+ so wasnt as extreme as some guys on here are doing. Plus mine is still breaking in only 400 on the odo so far and still getting better with every mile and then I'll be able to more accurately judge how it does in all conditions.

[Jay In Milpitas]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

I bet the RX3 was a great way to handle the bumpy roads. How does it pull at altitude?

I know members 3Banger and Detours both live & ride in the Colorado Rocky mountains and are pleased with the bike. Maybe you can check their posts.