October 9 - Backwoods Brewery and Backroads of Washington

What a great ride! Today I headed north with the Twisted Misfits to the Backwoods Brewing Company in Carson and then the backroads of Washington just south of Mount Saint Helens. It was wonderful to spend time with such great people and also enjoy the clean mountain air on a nice fall day. Thanks go to Grant Myers for leading the ride.

I absolutely love water views and the Columbia Gorge never disappoints. Leaving home, I headed north on Interstate 205 and then east on highway 14 along the Columbia River through the towns of Washougal and Skamania before pulling over to meet up with everyone in North Bonneville. The air was crisp and clean and the views spectacular, even with mist obscuring parts of the horizon.

From North Bonneville we headed up Wind River Highway to the Backwoods Brewing Company in Carson. Although portion sizes were very small, I very much enjoyed my fiesta salad with beans, corn, and house smoked brisket. The brewery was a great place to get warmed up and enjoy good conversation before heading out into the cold.

After heading north on Meadow Creek Road, we briefly pulled over at the McClellan Overlook where I put on my heated gloves. Then we took national forest road 90 west to highway 503 past Lake Merwin, Lewis River, and the town of Cougar. The ride included a perfect blend of curves, forested scenery, water views, and elevation changes. From Cougar we all headed west to Woodland and then south to home.