A typical November day in the Northwest (when it’s NOT raining) is fog so thick it’s difficult to see across the street and riding when the temperature dips down into the 40s is not my idea of fun. But not today! Nope, today was a post-Halloween treat. We may not be tanned, latte-sipping Californians, but we’re not frail either so, when the weather hits 62F and it’s a clear fall day you start the Harley scooter, grab a camera and get out and enjoy.
The Northwest is awesome when looking for places to experience fall foliage. Today we decided to do a ride over to Washington State through Skaminia County. It borders the Columbia River to the south and reaches north into Mount St. Helens National Volanic Monument.
We headed East on Highway 14 through Washougal, Beacon Rock, Bonneville Dam with a quick stop at Skamania Lodge and back across the Bridge of Gods to the Oregon side of the Columbia.
Beacon Rock State Park is a 4,650-acre year-round camping park with historic significance dating back hundreds of years. The park includes 9,500 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Columbia River.
The Bonneville Dam is a hydroelectric dam that stretches across the Columbia River at mile mark #146.
The Bridge of Gods is a cantilevered bridge and the third oldest bridge on the Columbia River. In 1920, the US War Department issued a construction permit for the bridge to the Interstate Construction Corporation. The total cantilever structure length is 1,131 feet and overall bridge bridge length is 1,858 feet, with a width of 35 feet. The original bridge had a wooden deck and was 91 feet above the river.
It was a great ride for November 4th!!
Northwest Harley Blog 