Note: This isn’t any particular road, but rather a serious of loosely-connected roads that allow one to thread their way through some surprisingly empty country laying between Interstate 90 and WA SR26. The Inner Passage holds a marked allure for me. Usually, when I am trying to get an event or a function, I’m in… Continue reading Eastern Washington’s Inner Passage
Category: Open Highway
Westside Military Road
This little stretch of sweepers is quite a bit of fun and a nice way to skirt a large section of Interstate 5. While it’s 35 mile per hour speed limit causes it to be a rather leisurely way to cover this distance, it is also fairly empty and doesn’t appear to be heavily patrolled.… Continue reading Westside Military Road
U.S. Route 97 (Maryhill, WA to Toppenish, WA)
US97 is a dry side road. It wends its way up from the Columbia along the valley floors, scatterings of abandoned pastureland and hardwood pines punctuating the Eastern Cascade scenery. The views are impressive and the highway is as well-paved as it is desolate on our mid-October weekend excursion. At one fairly flat spot south… Continue reading U.S. Route 97 (Maryhill, WA to Toppenish, WA)
Sagebrush Flats Road
Sagebrush Flats Road courtesy of John O’Callaghan Central Washington’s arid country often appears barren and drab to the casual, unfamiliar eye. But take a ride on some of our backroads and travel against the grain of I-90 and US 2 to find some sweeping vistas, dramatic coulees and even the odd winding road. While most… Continue reading Sagebrush Flats Road
US Route 197 (Central Oregon – The Dalles)
US Route 197 is a rather odd high desert highway. When you’re on this highway riding up on top of the bluffs, it’s quite dull. Seriously, it’s flat, dead-straight, and boring as all get out. Then you get to the edge of the bluff and there’s a suddenly a sign telling you about a hairpin… Continue reading US Route 197 (Central Oregon – The Dalles)