A full moon RATROD
06-26-21, 12:15 PM
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A full moon RATROD
Mountaindave inspired my first full moon ride a few years ago when we rode up the going to the sun road in Glacier N.P.
Last summer during COVID times I did a couple more and now the longest full moon ride I’ve done so far. This one, again in Mt. Rainier National Park where I had ridden and wrote about last August on Facebook. Here is a picture from that day from my Flickr page:
Rode Stevens Canyon to Paradise last night by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
While sharing that experience and the conflict I had with my conscience at the time with an old Cino buddy of mine, Mario commented “Next time, hit me up! Because, you know, 2 bad angels are better than one”. So this year I went looking for a ride partner to join so I could do the full RATROD route with my wife’s blessing :-)
What RATROD (Ride Around Tatoosh Range One Day) looks like from space:
The view from Space by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
Not many pictures this time because of darkness but if you look at this post though you can see what it looks like on a sunny day. Now imagine that scenery at night under a bright moon.
Mario and I set up camp inside the park at the Cougar Rock Campground and waited until 9PM to begin our ride just as the sun was going down.
We get ready to hit the road (photo by Mario E.) by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
We crossed over the Nisqually River, leaving the Park via the ‘Back Door’ behind Longmire following a service road.
We leave the park just after 9PM taking the "back door" to Skate Creek Road by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
Soon, we connect with Skate Creek Road under a thick forest canopy, darkness fully set in. We solely rely on our headlights as we do a hairball descent to the town of Packwood and head to the Stevens Canyon Entrance on the Eastern side the Park.
After a fast hairball descent to Packwood we head to the Stevens Canyon Entrance on the East side of the Park by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
I am doing my best to keep pace with Mario. He has incredible leg speed and I am thinking to myself, he’s just working out the jitters. He’ll calm down once we get onto the climb in Stevens Canyon.
Mario the Midnight Rambler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
Boy was I wrong! He kept his high cadence going as we ascended Backbone Ridge and I watched his taillight slowly disappear into the night. He shared with me later that he’s been training to get back into racing and he wanted to test himself to see if he’d be ready to compete in the Washington State Senior Games later this summer. Our common understanding is we climb at our own pace and regroup at the top.
This gives both of us the chance to experience Stevens Canyon in solitude. Out of the forest canopy, we switch off headlights and ride by the blazing light of the full moon. No cars on the road, the only sounds I hear are the many waterfalls crashing off the rock faces along side the road and echoing across the canyon. An occasional Deer or Elk peacefully grazing were undisturbed as I passed by.
I was relieved when I finally regrouped with Mario at the top of the canyon by Reflection Lakes. He only had to wait 10 minutes for me. Mario hung back and rode the last pitch up to Paradise with me. My legs on the verge of cramping, elation in the parking lot at the Paradise Visitors Center as we stopped and ate some snacks taking in the view at 2am, the mountains we had just rode around silhouetted by the blazing moon on the southern horizon.
The Tattoosh Range under a scorching moon by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
One final frigid descent down Paradise Road and we are done for the night. We take different strategies to deal with the chill - I go slow and stop when the shaking gets too extreme, Mario lets it fly to get it over as quick as possible. Back in camp, we celebrate our accomplishment with Mai Tai’s then hit the sack at 3:30 AM.
The next morning everyone in the campground is awakened at 7 by someones car alarm going off triggering every dog in the campground to howl in unison. It was hilarious so we didn’t mind it at all. It gave us a good jump on the day to get home early.
Great ride with a great riding partner by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
Last summer during COVID times I did a couple more and now the longest full moon ride I’ve done so far. This one, again in Mt. Rainier National Park where I had ridden and wrote about last August on Facebook. Here is a picture from that day from my Flickr page:
Rode Stevens Canyon to Paradise last night by Matthew Pendergast, on FlickrWhile sharing that experience and the conflict I had with my conscience at the time with an old Cino buddy of mine, Mario commented “Next time, hit me up! Because, you know, 2 bad angels are better than one”. So this year I went looking for a ride partner to join so I could do the full RATROD route with my wife’s blessing :-)
What RATROD (Ride Around Tatoosh Range One Day) looks like from space:
The view from Space by Matthew Pendergast, on FlickrNot many pictures this time because of darkness but if you look at this post though you can see what it looks like on a sunny day. Now imagine that scenery at night under a bright moon.
Mario and I set up camp inside the park at the Cougar Rock Campground and waited until 9PM to begin our ride just as the sun was going down.
We get ready to hit the road (photo by Mario E.) by Matthew Pendergast, on FlickrWe crossed over the Nisqually River, leaving the Park via the ‘Back Door’ behind Longmire following a service road.
We leave the park just after 9PM taking the "back door" to Skate Creek Road by Matthew Pendergast, on FlickrSoon, we connect with Skate Creek Road under a thick forest canopy, darkness fully set in. We solely rely on our headlights as we do a hairball descent to the town of Packwood and head to the Stevens Canyon Entrance on the Eastern side the Park.
After a fast hairball descent to Packwood we head to the Stevens Canyon Entrance on the East side of the Park by Matthew Pendergast, on FlickrI am doing my best to keep pace with Mario. He has incredible leg speed and I am thinking to myself, he’s just working out the jitters. He’ll calm down once we get onto the climb in Stevens Canyon.
Mario the Midnight Rambler by Matthew Pendergast, on FlickrBoy was I wrong! He kept his high cadence going as we ascended Backbone Ridge and I watched his taillight slowly disappear into the night. He shared with me later that he’s been training to get back into racing and he wanted to test himself to see if he’d be ready to compete in the Washington State Senior Games later this summer. Our common understanding is we climb at our own pace and regroup at the top.
This gives both of us the chance to experience Stevens Canyon in solitude. Out of the forest canopy, we switch off headlights and ride by the blazing light of the full moon. No cars on the road, the only sounds I hear are the many waterfalls crashing off the rock faces along side the road and echoing across the canyon. An occasional Deer or Elk peacefully grazing were undisturbed as I passed by.
I was relieved when I finally regrouped with Mario at the top of the canyon by Reflection Lakes. He only had to wait 10 minutes for me. Mario hung back and rode the last pitch up to Paradise with me. My legs on the verge of cramping, elation in the parking lot at the Paradise Visitors Center as we stopped and ate some snacks taking in the view at 2am, the mountains we had just rode around silhouetted by the blazing moon on the southern horizon.
The Tattoosh Range under a scorching moon by Matthew Pendergast, on FlickrOne final frigid descent down Paradise Road and we are done for the night. We take different strategies to deal with the chill - I go slow and stop when the shaking gets too extreme, Mario lets it fly to get it over as quick as possible. Back in camp, we celebrate our accomplishment with Mai Tai’s then hit the sack at 3:30 AM.
The next morning everyone in the campground is awakened at 7 by someones car alarm going off triggering every dog in the campground to howl in unison. It was hilarious so we didn’t mind it at all. It gave us a good jump on the day to get home early.
Great ride with a great riding partner by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr
Last edited by northbend; 06-26-21 at 12:21 PM.
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06-26-21, 01:02 PM
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Looks like a great ride, Matt!
06-26-21, 04:37 PM
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Shoot, too bad I was tied up with work!
On the other hand, if you couldn't keep up with Mario...
On the other hand, if you couldn't keep up with Mario...
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
06-26-21, 06:02 PM
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Man it's getting HOT! over 100 degrees for the next few days. I think the only riding I'll do is later at night on the trail up to Rattlesnake Lake for a swim to cool off.
