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posted February 26, 2002 09:17 PM
It's nice when your road makes a TE Destination Highways had this to say about the road that I live on:
It finally stops precipitating but still looks very grey to the west so I alter plans and decide to head east. I motor south on Hwy 3 and take the turn off to Port Orchard. There is a nice enough TE which starts out by running along the water around a tip of the peninsula. It then turns inland through some quiet rural areas and ends at the Southworth ferry terminal. Then, I find an even better TE halfway back along Hwy 160 between Southworth and Hwy 16. (Turn south on Long Lake Rd, left on Mullenix Rd, then quickly right on Ollala Valley Rd). It's particularly sweet in the Ollala Valley and where it winds through the trees just south of the gas station/store which accounts for the Ollala map dot. This TE ends at pretty Gig Harbour, a town obviously trying hard to become another tourist spot like La Conner. Fortunately, it hasn't yet quite succeeded.
posted February 26, 2002 11:54 PM
It is a beautiful area I've driven through port orchard on my way to Neah bay. I went beach diving in several places along the way.Man was there ever a lot of rock scallops and abundant fish.I brought home a lot of food from that trip.This was in the late 70's.I was stationed at McChord AFB,near tacoma.
____________
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways- Body thoroughly used up, totally worn out...Screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride !!!"
posted February 27, 2002 06:59 AM
AhhhYes!! I could move back up there in a heartbeat. Simply breathtaking!! Used to have bald eagles nesting in my back yard.
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posted February 27, 2002 07:02 AM
Edited By: swft on 27 Feb 2002 07:05
I sent them an email last night:
Good day,
I eagerly look forward to your publication of DH Washington. I've followed your diary entries, and look forward to more as spring comes upon us.
Since I live in the Port Orchard area, it was nice reading of the TE involving Long Lake Road and Ollala Valley to Gig Harbor.
A spot I think deserves TE status is Anderson Hill Road, near Silverdale. It starts east of Hwy 3, off of Silverdale Way, goes under Hwy 3, and follows a delightfully twisty path towards the water.
After about 3km, it takes a tight left, and the road literally drops out from under you. Take it at any decent clip, and you'll be rewarded with a genuine struggle to keep your face off your instruments as the g forces press you down as the bike climbs an equally impressive grade.
From that point on, the road continues out to Seabeck Hwy Road, which affords you a great view of the Hood Canal as you gambol along the shoreline.
After 5 kms, the road turns south, becomes Seabeck Holly Road, and takes you away from the western shore of the Kitsap Peninsula and you enter thick forest.
The road here is in excellent condition, and the long straight passages allows plenty of opportunities to uncorks things a bit. Tax collectors are few and far between, as is any real traffic.
4kms further along, you'll find Camp Union, which is a great jumping off point for further TEs. In this case, I'll talk about the road in front of our rider should they blow by Camp Union.
Seabeck Holly turns into West Albert Pfundt Road, and thus it remains for 8 kms, winding through forestland, gradually working back towards the eastern shore of the Hood Canal.
As you approach Holly, there will be a road on the left, going up into the forest. This is Dewatto Road, one of the more interesting roads you are likely to find on the Kitsap Peninsula.
Most roads on the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas evolve from logging roads, and tend to be straight for long stretches, connected by interesting, if too brief twisty bits.
Dewatto Road defies this tradition in fine DH style. Dipping and weaving up and down through the hills east of the Hood Canal. After approx 27 kms, the rider is deposited at Anderson Cove, where a sign proudly announces it as the home of the 'Dewatto No-March Band', whatever that is!
This is a good place to take a break, gather your thoughts, and gird yourself for the final stretch: Dewatto Holly Road. DHR is a knobbled roller coaster of a road with moderate to poor surface, but the technical challenge of negotiating it's many diving and ascending turns through dappled shadows makes it well worth the trip.
After 4 kms, it comes to an end, and your path will take you left onto Belfair Tahuya Road. BTR would be a wonderful road, if it weren't for the heavy development that has taken place along the shoreline.
Grit your teeth and work your way along the very southern tip of the Kitsap Peninsula, for more roads await our intrepid explorer. BTR joins North Shore Road, which leads along the western shore of the eastern portion of Hood Canal.
Confused? This is where the Hood Canal makes a fishhook around the bottom of the Kitsap Peninsula. Rumor has it that Ted Turner has bought all the property between the Hood Canal and the Puget Sound so that he can dig a ditch and turn the Peninsula into an Island.
After 12 kms, The nonstop traffic jam of Belfair appears, and you join Hwy 300. For those headed home to the north, Hwy 300 will join Hwy 3, and I think you know the route from there.
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posted February 27, 2002 07:43 AM
Twisted Edges - What about roads that aren't quite worth "travelling to, to journey on" but are worth checking out if you happen to be in the neighbourhood? In addition to the 85 Destination Highways, DH BC guides you to 100 Twisted Edges. Located close to DHs, these may be quiet, bypass routes that offer alternatives to major highways, access roads to out of the way lakes, parks or tourist attractions, or just winding dead-enders that gravel out in the middle of nowhere.
I live in Portland and do not know any other 12R owners. We should hook up sometime as the weather improves! Red 12 - Marvics, Akrapovic, PCIIIr, K&N's, Goodridge, Beet rearsets, various carbon pieces. sleigh@phoenixgold.com
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posted February 27, 2002 12:45 PM
zrxzx12r1 -
quote:Guys,
I live in Portland and do not know any other 12R owners. We should hook up sometime as the weather improves! Red 12 - Marvics, Akrapovic, PCIIIr, K&N's, Goodridge, Beet rearsets, various carbon pieces. sleigh@phoenixgold.com
Steve
That'd be great! Here's a pic of one of my beasties.
If you live in Portland, have you ever gone to PIR? I'm going to be racing this one there for the PNW Endurance Series.
And here's the other:
This is the big (1347) motor. 200HP at the back tire. Quarter mile, it's been lowered 1.5 inches at both ends. When I take it to the track, it'll be strapped as well. Come late summer, it's going to Bonneville, see if I can capture that P/P record. Or at least get in the 200 MPH club.
posted February 27, 2002 07:47 PM
Hey swft.....I know you have an SV650 you race, and I thought you might enjoy some pictures of this one. It belongs to the owner of the shop I work for. Sponden made the swingarm and Yosh custom made the pipe for him. Pretty nice huh?
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posted March 03, 2002 11:22 AM
They wrote back: Larry,
Thanks for your write-up of the peninsula roads. We actually spent a
couple of days checking them out and figuring out routing. We have a DH
going from Gorst to Tahuya via W Belfair Valley, Elfendhal Pass Rd and
Belfair-Tahuya. The other ones you mention are either TEs or parts of TEs.
What's with that Dewatto Band, anyway?
Actually we finished riding Washington last summer and are now working on
getting DH Washington out by June so sadly you won't see any more diary
entries but we do do have a special pre-publication price on DHWA listed on
our website if you are going to get it anyway.
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posted February 26, 2002 09:17 PM
posted February 26, 2002 11:54 PM
Edited By: 
BTR joins North Shore Road, which leads along the western shore of the eastern portion of Hood Canal. 
posted February 27, 2002 03:22 PM
posted February 27, 2002 07:47 PM
