Today was our first day back doing real motorcycle riding in about a week, and it was great to be back riding! Today we were tackling Mt Rainier National Park. After viewing the top of the mountain from Seattle all last week, and getting a closer look from our hotel in Enumclaw last night, it was time to get a much closer look. We did get a little bit of a late start this morning, trying to get back on that early morning schedule. It didn't help that the hotel did not have a free breakfast, so we had to go to a real restaurant and get served. So we ended up hitting the road about 9:00.
     We started out heading south on WA-410E until we reached the Northeast Entrance, the White River Entrance to Mt Rainier National Park . This entrance boasts an 11 mile ride up to the highest point you can drive to in the park at 6400 ft. Since Enumclaw is below 1000 ft, that's a pretty steep climb in a short span. The ride to the Sunrise Visitors Center was exactly what we needed to get the adrenaline going this morning. There were many twists and turns, several 15 mph 180 degree switchbacks, and of course most of the road was on the side of the mountain peering down into the steep valley below with little or no guardrail. It was awesome! There wasn't too much in the Visitors Center, but we did manage to get our passports stamped. The views were spectacular, and the entire top of Mt rainier is covered in snow as it rises to over 14,000 ft at the top. The ride down was just as spectacular as the ride up, and set the tone for the entire day.
     Returning to WA-410E, the views were beautiful, and we were headed to the top of Cayuse Pass, when we changed roads to WA-123S and here's where everything got much better. WA-123S is just a beautiful road . It is narrow, and twisty, has a tunnel, and is basically just a fun ride. We went back into the park at the Stevens Canyon Entrance, and made our first hiking stop at the Grove of the Patriarchs. Most of the forest surrounding Mt Rainier is very old growth forest. It is extremely dense in spots to the point that sunlight does not reach the floor of the forest and it is pretty dark. The Grove of the Patriarchs is some of the oldest trees in this part of the forest, and in fact some of these trees are over 1000 years old. the hike was a little over a mile, and the path was wonderful. There was even a suspension bridge over the river along the path.
   We left the Grove of the Patriarchs and kept going west on Stevens Canyon Road until our next hiking stop at the Box Canyon where we hiked down to see Cougar Falls. There was a second tunnel at the Box Canyon, as we continued along Stevens Canyon Road, across Stevens Ridge with its spectacular view, until we reached a turn to head up to the Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitors Center in Paradise . Not all roads lead to Paradise, but the Stevens Canyon Road certainly does. At the Paradise Visitors Center, there is also the Paradise Inn and a restaurant and gift shop. We were getting a little hungry from all that hiking, but rather than spoil our appetite for dinner, we decided on ice cream and coffee.
     We also did some hiking in Paradise, but the main hike to the Panoramic Point was just too long, so we settled for a hike to the waterfall instead The views from up here were spectacular, and we took a bunch of pictures. There was this really nice young Asian guy there with his family that offered to take our picture in front of the waterfall. He ended up taking three pictures, the final one with the flash enabled until he got just the shot he wanted. It came out great! As we left Paradise, there is a one-way loop road to exit that has some wonderful views of the valley below.
    By now it was getting toe be about 3:30, and we had a couple of hour ride to the hotel to go, so we thought we were done with the hiking, and we would just ride through the rest of the park . That lasted for about 10 minutes, until we noticed a parking lot marked Narada Falls. So we had to stop, and at least take a couple of pictures. But you couldn't get a good picture from the top of the falls and it was only a half-mile hike to the falls viewing area. So, of course we hiked it. Falls viewing hikes are always the worst. We like to hike uphill, until you get tired. Then the return walk is downhill and easy. Falls viewing hikes are always to a spot below the falls. They are easy hikes down, you get your gratification, and then comes the daunting task of hiking up to the top.
    We got back on the bike, determined that Narada was the final stop. And it was, until Christine Falls appeared at the side of the road. So, of course, we had to stop just one more time before we reached the Nisqually Entrance at the southwest corner of the park and we were finally out.We headed out of the park on WA-706W which eventually turned into WA-7N and was mostly just a wonderful ride through the forest. Into the forest darkness, and then out to the sunlight of a clearing, a lot of the road was below the forest canopy .
     The rest of the ride to Tumwater, Washington was typical suburban and rural Washington. Tumwater is just a suburb of Olympia, the capitol of Washington State. The hotel was an Extended Stay American, and the room is nice, even comes with a little mini-kitchen and full-sized refrigerator. And, of course, a free breakfast. The only place close by for dinner was a Jack-in-the-Box next door, and we weren't quite up for that. So we found a local place called the Office Bar & Grille just down the street. So it was a burger for me and a ham & cheese sandwich for Jody tonight. Cheap dinner.
     Tomorrow we will try for an earlier start. We are off to tour the Washington peninsula and the Olympic National Park. It should make for some more great riding!

193.0 miles today
8769.8 miles total

0.0 gallons today
206.73 gallons total