Washington State Route 530 ‘Pioneer Highway’

Pioneer Highway. A nice curvy specimen of roadcraft and an apt name as well, since the road curves here and there all over the Stillaguamish River valley. The pavement is a little rough and appears to be surprisingly light-duty for what is a state highway, after all. There’s significant bumps along the road and small… Continue reading Washington State Route 530 ‘Pioneer Highway’

Kirby-Mayview Road / Lower Deadman Road

This is a truly fantastic road. On one end of the road, you have a fairly well-maintained US Highway (US Route 12), and on the other you have one of the Snake River’s more fascinating civil engineering projects, the Lower Granite Dam. The Kirby-Mayview Road departs US 12 at an acutely-angled intersection a few miles… Continue reading Kirby-Mayview Road / Lower Deadman Road

US Route 20 in the Oregon Coast Range (Newport to Philomath)

Road Update: As of 2018, The Oregon Department of Transportation has finally opened up the new bypass through the Eddyville area. US20 is now much safer, faster, and straighter. Sadly, this road report may need to be removed soon. I can’t easily recall how many times fellow riders have maligned the US Route highway here… Continue reading US Route 20 in the Oregon Coast Range (Newport to Philomath)

Yachats River Road

Following the Yachats River back up into the Oregon Coastal hills is this eponymous little road. It starts out inside the also eponymous little town of Yachats right off US 101 with a funky uphill and acute-angled intersection that goes right up the side of the hill. Once you’re a few blocks in and getting… Continue reading Yachats River Road

Oregon State Route 34 ‘The Alsea Highway’

This road is an absolute delight. It fully justifies the occasional bragging from my Oregonite friends that the roads down there are far better than Washington’s. This one is easy to find too. If you’re coming in from the Coast, it’s the main road east out of Waldport. If you’re coming in from West via… Continue reading Oregon State Route 34 ‘The Alsea Highway’