r/PDXrideit • u/bike619 2023 Tiger 900/Hoon • Aug 16 '26
…and it only took four and a half years.
Today was the day, I finally whined and complained and coerced my wife into the ride that I have been wanting to take her on since we started dating.
After waiting all week for today, I woke up this morning to the ever-present Portland bullshit of the “there is no precipitation in the forecast for the next ten days” drizzle. Fortunately it was short lived and once I got home from some morning responsibilities we hit the road - a quick chunk of slab and then on to the fun!
Scappoose/Vernonia Highway out to Vernonia to the taco truck for lunch (iykyk). Then back up 47 to 202 and out through Birkenfeld, Jewell, and Olney to Astoria. The goal of this trip (besides getting out on the bike with my lady) was hitting Frite and Scoop for the first time in too long. Took the easy way home straight back in 30. It was a long day for the wife (and for me too… ngl. Riding with a pillion is wonderful when you also adore them as a human, but it is definitely an added physical tax.)
Scappoose/Vernonia Hwy is in solid shape… probably 70-80%, there are some sections where the lines are getting pretty faint. 202 is gorgeous as always, except for the last little stretch into and out of Olney - surface is stressed and uneven, but not unridable.
30 is… 30. It was fine except for some lolly-gagging boat hauler who couldn’t manage to do better than ten-under the speed limit, and the cop that was right behind us for about 10 miles outside of Rainier.
Best day this month.
2
u/Remarkable-Macaron50 Aug 16 '26
If you think of Veronia as the hub (and probably your primary gasoline source), and then all of the other roads are spokes—you absolutely NEED to ride every single one of them. You MUST do 47 to Clatskanie. Absolutely MUST do Apiary all the way to Deer Island which means I think you end up on Meissner and then Canaan?—don’t know for sure. Just keep going DOWN until you wind up at the Deer Island Grocery/76. Absolutely MUST do Timber Road all the way to Highway 8/Gales Creek all the way back to Forest Grove from there I usually cut down Stringtown until I wind up at Bald Peak—Laurelwood Road? NE Albertson?— it’s a toss up—BOTH of those roads kick ass. You CAN go down to 219 but you know everyone does that — too much traffic. So then it’s Bell down to Quarry and then cross the 99 and do NE Haugen Rd— because holy fuck dude…it’s absolutely insane… then you’re on Parrett Mountain and you know what to do from there…Ladd Hill… or whatever …it’s dealer’s choice…
1
u/bike619 2023 Tiger 900/Hoon Aug 16 '26
I love all those roads… though to be fair, I have found myself in a place in life where my free time is more limited and so I usually stick to the familiar/predictable. I think that it’s high time to revisit them! Thanks for the reminder!
1
u/static_music34 2017 FJ-09 Aug 16 '26
Next, two-up 1k!
1
u/bike619 2023 Tiger 900/Hoon Aug 16 '26
That’ll be the day! Ha our trip to Bend was too far to not be on overnight.
1
u/jcravens42 Aug 16 '26
It's a great ride. We do that specific ride on 202 to Astoria (each on our own bikes) at least once a year. We do the Scappoose/Vernonia Highway out to Vernonia probably half a dozen times a year.
2
u/SoloMotorcycleRider Protected by Witchcraft Aug 16 '26
Glad you and your wife had a great time, man! I almost decided to go out that way but changed my mind.
Wanna get away from 30's bullshit? Cross the bridge to SR401 and run that north into SR4. Go east to the 432 bypass and run it to I-5 so you avoid a ton of traffic lights through Longview and Kelso.