Portland, OR to Bellingham, WA

[tryder]

Early this next week I'll be heading up to Bellingham, WA from my home in Trout Lake, WA (in the Columbia Gorge) and figured I'd ride my Vision up there. I'm gonna try to aviod I-5 at all costs but may have to do a few miles on that dreaded interstate. My bike is fine going fast until I get up to about 75-80mph when the buzzing really kicks in (@6K rpm). My plan was to head up to the town of Rainier NW of Portland and cross the Columbia into Longview. Then take 411 up toward Chehalis and onto I-5 for about 20 miles eventually tying into 101 up to Port Townsend. Then across to Whidbey Is. on the ferry, up through Anacortes, Chuckanut Dr. and into Bellingham. I just wondered if anyone out there had any advice, road reports, etc for that route. I took my V into Portland and back last weekend and she ran beautifully, hopefully this trip will be as good. I did get some black sheepskin to make a seatcover and I'm gonna get some sports grip tape to pad my grips a bit so it's not so buzzy.

[tryder]

Well, didn't end up riding the V. I did drive the same route I would have ridden but it poured rain almost the whole way up. Would have been a miserable ride. The road up Hood Canal and over Whidbey Is. to Bellingham would be a great bike ride. Maybe I'll try it again in a month or two.

[h2olawyer]

Too bad about that wet northwest weather.  We've had quite a bit of it here in (formerly) parched Colorado.  There were even 2' snow drifts on Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park a couple days ago.  Had the road closed for most of the day until they got it cleared off.  We've been about 10 ~ 20 degrees below normal here for most of August.

Hope you can get that ride in soon.  I was in that area (Poulsbo) a few years ago for a wedding.  Looked like great bike riding roads if they were ever dry!

H2O