Artist Point - August 2020

[Daboo]

Yesterday, I got a chance to ride up to my favorite place, Artist Point. I'll go there 2-3 times a year. Each time I go, it is special. How much snow will still be there? Will the sky be overcast? When fall comes, the hillsides turn color, transforming the place.

But even if I didn't get all the way up, the ride through the farmland on Hwy 9 on the way is wonderful. The way is scenic, and the road gently twists and turns, letting me feel one with the bike. It is some of the best therapy around.





Once you get to the end of the Mt. Baker Hwy, you reach Heather Meadows, or the Mt. Baker Ski area.



Upper Bagley Lake



The last section of road from Heather Meadows to Artist Point











I see a lot of bicyclists and motorcyclists ride up to the parking lot at Artist Point...circle the parking lot once...and head on down. But if you get off the bike, you can see some incredible views. I used to climb mountains in my younger day, and you'd spend hours and a lot of energy gaining the altitude to get into places that looked this nice. And here, the work is done. There's a trail to the left that's .75 miles long heading out toward Mt. Shuksan, and another that is 4 miles long headed the other way toward Mt. Baker. Both are almost level. It seems such a shame to believe that all there is to see, can be seen from the seat of your bike.

Artist Point Trail
For perspective, there are people on the closest rocky hill. Squint hard.





I couldn't believe what happened here. I had just sat down to eat my lunch, when I got a phone call from my oldest daughter in France to sing me Happy Birthday. Cell phone reception out here?!?!?!



Mt. Baker



On the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail headed toward Mt. Baker







Looking back to Mt. Shuksan



Besides the man that is obvious, there are at least four others on the trail on the left side. It is hard to get a feel for how huge this view is.







On the way back down.




Lots of people wearing masks, even though it didn't make sense for the most part. There was a nice breeze coming up the valley that blew any germs away quickly. And for the few brief moments when you passed someone on the trail...and everyone took the trouble to move off the trail to keep distant...I was probably a tenth of a mile at least from anyone.

I did get a chuckle from a couple encounters. When I turned around on the Ptarmigan Ridge trail, there was a young couple standing on the hillside silhouetted against the sky kissing. It was a great Kodak moment, so when I got to them, I offered to take their picture. So they moved to have me take their picture...but hadn't given me a camera. Let's see...I'm going to take your picture...for you to have.........with my phone? I think they were a little caught up with the hormones, and it was addling their brains.

The other was priceless. Three young girls (why does everyone else seem to get younger, while I stay the same?)...anyway, three girls about 20 yrs old and their dog were heading out to camp overnight. The girls were wearing masks, the dog was not. His tongue was out. Anyway, I offered to take a picture of the four of them, which they were delighted to have done. I stand back (with their phone, not mine), and they all excited posed for the picture. I took the picture then exclaimed that they had dropped their masks! Oh the horror. And when I handed the girl back her phone, I said she'll need to disinfect it now. We all got a good laugh, and a good memory.

Chris

[Richard230]

Those are great photos and interesting comments, Chris. Thanks for sharing.

All I did yesterday was to ride the Bullet down the coast highway, 40 miles south to the town of Pescadero, where the highway further south was closed as everything south and west is on fire. Attached are three photos that I took yesterday, looking west from the coast. And another photo that I took today of Father Junipero Serra pointing to the smoke over the Santa Cruz Mountains.

[notacop]

Marvelous pic, Chris. To ride in such beauty is a privilege.

[Daboo]

Marvelous pic, Chris. To ride in such beauty is a privilege.

Agreed. What people that live elsewhere don't realize, is our riding season to that beauty is very short. You can ride here year around, except on the rare day the temps go to freezing or it snows. But places like Artist Point are open only from around the end of July to the first heavy snow. Mt. St. Helens is the same way on the Windy Ridge (East) side. Riding over the passes is possible till the snows come and they put salt on the roads. It can be a bit tricky going east of the mountains, because you might get snow in the passes while there. And instead of a short few hours ride to get home, you have only one option...to go to the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington and cross over there.

So yes, we are privileged. But we can't ride year around like you can in California.

Chris

[AndyHammer]

I went here once. After the pandemic, might as well visit this place again with my family.