DAY TWO: BELLINGHAM TO OMAK

Miles Traveled: 286

Catch the Video of Jason's Washington Ride!

Today is a big day on my Washington State ride. I'm meeting up with a group of riders at Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson, and they're escorting me on a ride and joining me for lunch along my route.

First, I fuel up with a delicious breakfast in the Oboe Cafe at the BEST WESTERN PLUS Lakeway Inn. A choice of several breakfast meals is included with my stay, and it's a luxurious change over the usual buffet. Sometimes it's nice to relax and let someone take care of you.

I bid farewell to the Lakeway Inn, load up the bike and ride into Bellingham's nearby downtown. Bellingham is tucked into a corner of Washington State, about 90 miles north of Seattle and 20 miles south of the Canadian Border. Home to Western Washington University's 13,000 students, the city of Bellingham has a population of about 80,000, with a metro area of about 200,000 residents. There's an interesting dichotomy in town. There's the vibrancy of youth and the energy of a college town, coexisting with the relaxed vibe of a vacation village. Arts and culture flourish, and plenty of interesting dining opportunities (especially seafood) lurk around every corner. I spend a while exploring Bellingham's neighborhoods and numerous parks before pulling up at Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson's downtown shop.

Greg Head, the owner of Mt. Baker H-D, gives me a tour of the 100 year-old building that houses his business. The first floor is a cozy, open space, with about a dozen new bikes on display, a welcoming parts counter and a generous floor display of accessories and apparel. The basement mechanic's shop is the really cool part of the old building. Greg tells me that it was originally home to an early auto parts and repair business. There's convenient access to the street via a garage door and driveway, and there's a great sense of history within. I can just imagine an early Knucklehead owner pushing his bike into this space, and clever mechanics tinkering away until the bike roared to life.

A group of eight riders have gathered with their Harleys out in front of the dealership. After quick introductions, Greg describes our ride plan, and outlines the details. We'll be riding in standard formation, with Greg in the lead. He advises us to pay attention to hand signals, as we'll be riding past some construction zones that may require falling into single file (one finger held aloft) before returning to formation (the "devil horns" held aloft).

We saddle up and cruise out of Bellingham. I ride mid-pack by default, and find that my fellow riders are a considerate, safe group. We head down to the Chuckanut, reversing part of the route that I took into town yesterday. I'm very happy to retrace my steps on this great road, delighting in the way that the morning light plays through the trees and across Bellingham Bay. When the road opens up into farmland, Greg turns eastward, and we ride inland into thick trees. We ride along many twists and turns, and wind up at the Blue Mountain Grill in Acme, a biker-friendly burger joint on the Valley Highway, Washington's Route 9. We all park our bikes out front, and pile in to the comfortable wooden building for lunch. We share a long table in the middle of the restaurant, and it's not long before we're trading road tales and bike stories. Greg organizes these informal rides every week during riding season, planning different routes and destinations to explore the region near his dealership. Several of the riders who joined up today are regulars; a few are first-timers. Everybody has a great time, savoring the late summer weather and good company.

I hate to eat and run, but I have some miles to go before the day is through. Greg picks up my lunch check over my objection (not too strenuous, but actually – I wanted to buy his lunch to thank him for organizing this ride). I gather the riders outside behind their bikes for a group photo before I ride on south on Route 9. Greg's got a good thing going there in Bellingham -- a nice, friendly dealership with a group of loyal, involved customers. I wish I could find a similar situation near my home.

Jeff breaks away from the group and accompanies me for a few miles on his Sportster. He's done some cool work on his Sportster, swapping out the traditional hand clutch/foot gear selector for a jockey shifter and foot clutch. Jeff explained that he has adapted his bike to accommodate his arthritis, and has grown adept with the old-school setup. I'm very impressed with Jeff's commitment to riding, and to finding a stylish, functional way to deal with a physical limitation.

When we reach Route 20 in Burlington, Jeff waves goodbye as he rides west and I turn east. I follow Route 20 as the houses thin out. I stop to take a few photos of a herd of elk grazing in a field just a hundred yards off the road.

Greg has warned me that I had better stop for gas in Marblemount, before I get into the North Cascades National Park, because there will be no services for quite a long distance. I stop in Marblemount and fill up, and wipe some of the bugs off of the Electra Glide's windshield. The front of the bike is literally caked with bugs from the last hour of riding, as the midday assault of insects has filled the air. Even my helmet-mounted camera has suffered a direct hit to the lens; can't wait to download that footage. The scenery is so majestic, though. I turn my camera around backwards to protect it from bugs. Hopefully, I'll get some good footage of the gorgeous mountain passes.

I stop several times at scenic vistas along Route 20, just to soak in the sights, sounds and smells. The Skagit River has carved deep canyons through the mountains, leaving some dramatic vistas and beautiful waterfalls along the way. The ride through the North Cascades and into Okanogan County qualifies as a truly great motorcycle road, with frequent changes in elevation and great sweeping curves. The road is closed in winter, but fantastic during this late summer ride.

I cruise in to the little town of Winthrop, where one of Greg's Harley regulars told me I'd find a great ice cream and coffee stand. Sure enough, at the main intersection in town is Sheri's Sweet Shoppe. I park the Electra Glide and take a seat on one of the saddles in Sheri's outdoor dining area. I relax for a few minutes in the shade, sipping on an iced coffee and sampling some homemade ice cream. Cooled down, I promenade up and down the two block boardwalk of Winthrop, window shopping and admiring the Old West atmosphere.

Back on the Electra Glide, I push on toward my evening's destination, Omak, still another hour's ride away. I pull in to the BEST WESTERN PLUS Pepper Tree Inn at Omak. I am dripping with sweat and a little dehydrated from my ride, as temperatures have risen into the 90s as I left the North Cascades. Luckily, I have a nice, cool hotel room awaiting me, and the BEST WESTERN PLUS Pepper Tree Inn has an indoor pool and jacuzzi for guests. I check in, quickly slip into my bathing trunks and sink into the delightfully cool water of the pool. Refreshed and revived, I decide to try out the nearby Koala Street Grill and Neighborhood Bar, just a short walk away from the hotel. I don't know what came first, the Koala Street name or the Australian-themed restaurant, but I approve.

I walk back to the BEST WESTERN PLUS Pepper Tree Inn at Omak, savoring the cool of the night. Looking up into the night sky, I'm astounded at how many stars I can see, and how nearby they seem. At home, there's so much light pollution that I can barely make out the major constellations. Here in Omak, the stars on a clear night like tonight are a show all in themselves.

I fall asleep quickly tonight, visions of stars dancing in my head.

NEXT: DAY THREE: OMAK TO OTHELLO

Best Western Hotels Along the Way:

Bellingham Hotels

1

BEST WESTERN PLUS Heritage Inn

151 E McLeod Road, Bellingham WA 98226-5520
Phone: (360) 647-1912  |  Fax: (360) 671-3878  |  View Hotel Details  |  Reservations

Complimentary full breakfast, fresh hot waffles

Pets allowed based on the availability of pet friendly rooms. Up to 2 dogs per room with an 80 pound weight limit. Additional pet types (cats, birds, etc) may be accepted at the hotel's discretion. Pet rate is $20.00 per day with a $100 per week maximum.

Exercise gym

Outdoor pool Heated , seasonal schedule

2

BEST WESTERN PLUS Lakeway Inn

714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham WA 98229-6220
Phone: (360) 671-1011  |  Fax: (360) 676-8519  |  View Hotel Details  |  Reservations

Hot breakfast is available in our onsite restaurant, the Oboe Cafe, for a charge

Fine dining on premises Oboe Cafe

Pets allowed based on the availability of pet friendly rooms. Up to 2 dogs per room with an 80 pound weight limit. Additional pet types (cats, birds, etc) may be accepted at the hotel's discretion. Pet rate is $20.00 per day with a $100 per week maximum.

Exercise facility 24 Hour, mostly cardio with some free weights

Poolside services, room service available to pool

Friday Harbor Hotels

3

BEST WESTERN PLUS Friday Harbor Suites

680 Spring Street, Friday Harbor WA 98250-8090
Phone: (360) 378-3031  |  Fax: (360) 378-4228  |  View Hotel Details  |  Reservations

Complimentary full breakfast scrambled eggs, sausage, seasoned potatos and Belgian waffles

Pets may be accepted. Please contact the hotel directly for full details.

Exercise gym

Free airport shuttle

Mount Vernon Hotels

4

BEST WESTERN College Way Inn

300 W College Way, Mount Vernon WA 98273-5424
Phone: (360) 424-4287  |  Fax: (360) 424-6036  |  View Hotel Details  |  Reservations

Complimentary continental breakfast includes waffles

Pets allowed based on the availability of pet friendly rooms. Up to 2 dogs per room with a 80 pound weight limit. Additional pet types (cats, birds, etc) may be accepted at the hotel's discretion. Pet rate is $20 per day with a $100 per week maximum. A refundable cleaning & damage deposit of $50 is required upon check-in. If damage occurs or excessive cleaning is needed, the deposit can become non-refundable and the hotel may charge additionally to cover the costs of repair/cleaning.

Outdoor pool open year round, heated early/mid-June through early/mid-September

5

BEST WESTERN PLUS CottonTree Inn

2300 Market Street, Mount Vernon WA 98273-5449
Phone: (360) 428-5678  |  Fax: (360) 428-1844  |  View Hotel Details  |  Reservations

Complimentary full breakfast includes scrambled eggs, sausage or bacon, biscuits and gravy, waffles, fruit, muffins, yogurt, hot and cold cereals and much more.

Pets allowed based on the availability of pet friendly rooms. Up to 2 dogs per room with a 80 pound weight limit. Additional pet types (cats, birds, etc) may be accepted at the hotel's discretion. A refundable cleaning & damage deposit of $25 is required upon check-in. If damage occurs or excessive cleaning is needed, the deposit can become non-refundable and the hotel may charge additionally to cover the costs of repair/cleaning.

Exercise facility Open from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. located in the healthclub and is available for our 18 and older guests enjoyment.

Indoor pool Located in the adjacent health club and is available for our 18 and older guests enjoyment.

Oak Harbor Hotels

6

BEST WESTERN PLUS Harbor Plaza and Conference Center

33175 State Route 20, Oak Harbor WA 98277-8713
Phone: (360) 679-4567  |  Fax: (360) 675-2543  |  View Hotel Details  |  Reservations

Complimentary breakfast

Exercise facility, Open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. elliptical, treadmill, stationary bike, free weights and more

Outdoor pool Heated seasonal

Omak Hotels

7

BEST WESTERN PLUS Peppertree Inn at Omak

820 Koala Drive, Omak WA 98841-9744
Phone: 509-422-2088  |  Fax: (509) 826-5590  |  View Hotel Details  |  Reservations

Complimentary breakfast

Pets allowed based on the availability of pet friendly rooms. Up to 2 dogs per room with an 80 pound weight limit. Additional pet types (cats, birds, etc) may be accepted at the hotel's discretion.

Exercise facility, 24 hour

Sunbathing, patio located off the end of the pool.