Reflection Lakes

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The RAMROD riders stopped at Reflection Lakes to take in the view of Mount Rainier.  As was promised by the RAMROD ride leader, the mountain cloaking device was on.  We did see some very pretty clouds though.

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PC800s and friends in the parking area.

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The lakes still had a great deal of ice on them for being the end of June.

IMG_9129I jumped over the wall and started wandering around in the snow.

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The mountain should be up there somewhere.

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RAMROD riders taking a break.

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Mountain wildflowers along the road.

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An awesome siren and PA speaker mounted to an older Goldwing.

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Yes, that is a lower spoiler on a 1989 PC800!  This is the only one that I have ever seen in person.  I think that it really looks sharp on the bike.  It’s too bad that they are so rare otherwise I might purchase one for my bike.
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A closer view of the lower spoiler or valiance (as I have also heard it called).  Note the custom lettering on the rear trunk lid.  Yes, it says “Princess.”  There is also an interesting radio antenna mount off of the right rear crash bar.

 

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A side view of the radio antenna.

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I love the custom lettering!

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This particular PC800 also had an interesting highway peg installed.

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An aftermarket intercom unit installed in the left side glove box pocket.

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The whole RAMROD crowd in one shot.

Carbon River Bridge

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Ramrod stopped on the Carbon River Bridge on SR 165.  It is a 1 lane bridge that feels rather wobbly, was built in 1921, and is wonderful for photos.  My that is a long way down!

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Looking downriver.

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Some of the RAMROD riders and their motorcycles parked on the bridge.  There was enough room for cars to slip past us but we had to keep an eye out to make sure we didn’t block traffic while standing around.  We saw at most five cars while we stopped at the bridge for 20 minutes.

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More RAMROD riders.

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From the downhill side of the bridge.  Leland’s Goldwing is in the rear.

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It is a very tall, spindly bridge.

Morning RAMROD Pre-Ride Safety Briefing

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After a fast ride north from Corvallis to Federal Way, Washington and a night spent at the local Super 8, I headed over to the annual gathering of the North West Union of Pacific Coast Operators and Sport Tourers.  Once per year the NW UPCOAST group gets together for a day ride somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.  This year’s Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day (RAMROD) ride started out on a hot Saturday morning.  Normally I am lucky to see another Honda Pacific Coast PC800 motorcycle.  The only other time that I was in such a large group of PC800s was when Emily and I went on the last day of the 2010 People On Pacific Coasts Optimistically Riding Northward (POPCORN) ride right after I returned from working in Australia, visiting Vanuatu, participating in the Trans-Australia Expedition with Zach, and campervanning across New Zealand with Kristen.

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A slick BMW sidecar rig showed up for the ride.  The UPCOAST rides generally allow friends of PC800 owners and previous PC800 owners to join in with permission.

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Leland Sheppard’s Goldwing made the voyage from California to participate in the ride.  Many consider Leland the grand master of the PC800 world thanks to his many informative websites and his database of PC800 bikes and owners.  This was the first time that I had the honor of meeting Leland in person.

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The briefing got underway with general and specific safety messages.  Yes, that is another MMotoparts rack on that red PC800 in the foreground.  I’m not the only one with such a rack in the USA!

IMG_9074Last minute details before the ride gets underway.