A Fine Layer of Mud

The best looking KLR is a dirty KLR. Mine wasn't dirty enough, so today I endeavored to find some dirt roads and see how much I could bring home with me.

October 21, 2006
Total Miles: 156 miles, 1 day
Seattle, WA to Belfair, WA
Tickets: 0
Mishaps: 0
Puckers: 0

Click on map for larger image

Winter in the Pacific Northwest brings snow in the mountains and lots of rain in the lowlands. The snow means that the mountains are off limits and the rain means that anything that was dirt is now mud. So if I wanted to get some more time to play in the dirt it would have to be sooner than later. Sooner was today. I hopped on the oh-so-early 10:40 ferry and headed for the Kitsap Peninsula. There was one place that was guaranteed to have dirt roads and it was Tahuya State Forest, the land of a 1,000 ORV trails. A quick ride through Port Orchard and into Belfair led me to the curved end of the Hood Canal. Instead of staying on the south side and heading for the Olympic Peninsula I jogged north to ride into the lower corner of the Kitsap Peninsula, surrounded on three sides by the Hood Canal. I didn't know exactly where I was going, but I followed sign for the State Forest and then trolled along the road looking for an off-road "staging area". I knew there was one around here, as I had been in the area a couple of years ago. I reached the end of the road and turned back, this time stopping to ask a couple of poeple I saw near their quads in a small parking area. They pointed me in the direction I thought I wanted to go, and I was off!

A beautiful Saturday morning	This was a really small frog that wouldn't hold still

I didn't want to dive into the single track trails that I saw jutting off into the woods, so I was pleased to just meander down this lovely dirt road. I took a side road only to be turned back by a No Trepassing sign, so I kept going down the main drag. While in the sunshine I thought I'd show off my new top case (compliments of the US Army) and my tool tubes. I didn't take a lot of time to pack the tools in just like I want them, but at least the fixtures are there.

Early in my hunt for dirt riding	Check out the new topcase!

Small tool tube for spare parts	Tool tube (currently holding a newspaper from the ferry)

My comfortable dirt road ended at a gate. A small two track branched off to the side. Two track trails are wider than a single track - just wide enough for a quad to go through - but you'd never get anything the width of a 4x4 on it . Thinking that other riders were circumventing the gate, I rolled onto the trail to check it out. It was in decent shape, with soft, moist dirt mixed with various sized rocks. And it kept going. I followed it a bit longer, going up and down some small ravines and around loose rocks and over wet roots. Even if I didn't want to continue there was no room for me to turn around. I eventually found myself in an open area with plenty of room to turn around. But by then I weighed the options of re-tracing the trail I had just taken, or continuing on, to explore some more? I was in no hurry and didn't feel that the trail was more than the KLR could handle so I kept on going.

That's when the trail got steeper, twistier and wetter. I was easing around tight blind corners, watching for the best line to avoid loose gravel, "baby head" rocks and more tree roots when - surprise! - there's a motorcycle coming towards me! I hit the brakes as quickly and safely as I could and pulled off to one side. The other rider did the same and we pulled up next to each other. I asked him about the trail and where it went and for how long. He said I had about a mile to go - perfect! Two more riders pulled up behind him and they waited for me to pass. My KLR, always so nimble and light when compared to my GS, was like an overgrown moose in a china shop when next to the small dirtbikes. My moose and I trundled slowly on our way, now much more aware of the potential of oncoming riders. Some more steep declines, yard-long stretches of loose gravel and now trail-wide puddles kept me occupied.

Early on the two track trail	Starting to find the mud puddles

A small bridge up ahead	Do I keep going?

Plenty of ups and downs!	Looking back down the path

Wet roots, rocks and mud	Uphill banked section

Because of my slow speeds, my bike was getting warm, as was I. I pulled over at a wide spot in the trail and gave myself and my bike a break. Conveniently that's when 6 more bikes went by, a couple of them small enough to fit in the trunk of my car. If my car had a real trunk. The kids riding on these bikes were adorable, all geared up and intent on taking the next corner. After watching them zip by I decided that next time I come here I want a tire with some tread on it!

Next time I want tires with tread!	A real dirt biker

Once I found myself out of the woods I realized that I was done with the dirt. I wanted paved roads. I rode north for a bit, then west, then south. I found myself along the Hood Canal again and was amazed (as always) at the beauty of the blue water, towering Olympics and colorful foliage.

Tight turns and tempting views	Enticing roads

Sweet roads along the Hood Canal	The Olympic Mountains

Creative graffiti	View from the vandalized building

From the canal I explored a road that went north again, the first third of it paved to provide access to some small inland lakes, but the remaining two thirds were unpaved and hardpacked dirt. With lots of loose pea gravel in the corners. Three riders passed me going the other way, the last one on a quad who gave me a general's salute that made me smile. Must have been the bike... The dirt eventually ran into pavement and I was once again strolling pleasantly east, blue sky above me and smooth pavement below.

Before I would head back to Seattle I was to meet a friend to go flying again. We took off from Tacoma Narrows Airport (same one as before) and today we were blessed with beautiful views of Mt Rainier, the Olympics and of course everything in between. What a great way to end the day!

Mt Rainier peeks out from a new forest	Mt Rainier from 1,200'

Flying companion	Mt Rainier with the Tacoma Narrows Bridge