Earlier this summer, forest fires closed access to a favorite day ride. The roads have since reopened and on this beautiful September Saturday my friend Will and I hit the road to Leavenworth.
This loop is approximately 260 miles. The ride took us a little over six hours. Stops included gas in Sultan, lunch in Leavenworth, and ice cream in Cle Elum.
Central Leavenworth is modeled after a Bavarian town and draws visitors from all over the country. The park is busy on the weekends with live music and booths selling wares. The restaurants and hotels always seem to be busy in the summer.
I am not a collector of Bavarian-styled goods but Leavenworth is conveniently located halfway through this route and I enjoy the opportunity to stop in one of the many restaurants for lunch. There are lots of other motorcyclists. Despite that, there is a curious lack of motorcycle-only parking.
The video below was taken on Highway 2, beginning about 10 miles west of Leavenworth. With Fall coming, the colors of the foliage is just beginning to change.
Steel Horse Journeys 