June 5 - A Jewell in the Countryside on the way North

What an awesome day! I literally found a Jewell in the countryside. I thought I would do a little pre-trip research today to find a nice way to head north towards the Olympic Peninsula on my summer trip this year. I generally only plan out the route for the first 2-3 days and then let the trip develop on its own after that. I knew I wanted to avoid major roads for the most part but also wanted to avoid traffic. Last weekend I had headed north on highway 30 and was reminded of all the stoplights, traffic, and low speed limit on that route north. Today’s trip fit the bill perfectly.

I headed west on highway 26 for about nine miles then turned north on highway 103 towards the town of Jewell. What an unexpected pleasure in the middle of nowhere. I felt like I was entering a different world – lush green vegetation, picturesque countryside, no traffic, and beautiful sweeping curves. I hoped to take a picture of the bucolic surroundings but could find no pull-outs that weren’t gravel so I just focused on enjoying my ride.  

At the town of Jewell I headed west on highway 202 to Astoria, gassed up, and then headed north on highway 101 over the Columbia River to the state of Washington. From there I took highway 401 to 4 and then 101 north again along the Willapa Bay. This section of the trip was also incredibly beautiful, with plenty of water views and lush green meadows.

After stopping in Hoquiam (without my typical luck in the food department) I nevertheless enjoyed the sweet trip south on highway 101 to Raymond. This section of 101 is filled with curve after curve through the countryside on generally well-maintained roads that make it easy enjoy the cornering. From Raymond I headed east on highway 6 to the I-5. I may not have found a good food place on my way north yet, but I think I have the first part of the route down.