[TR] Mountaineers Field Trip Attempt - 4/16/2010

[Josh Lewis]

Trip: Mountaineers Field Trip Attempt -

 

Date: 4/16/2010

 

Trip Report:

This took place between April 16-17

 

This trip turned out to be a strange event for me. This trip has a little history to how events unrolled. It all started when I signed up for a glacier skills class which was going to take place at Stevens Pass. I needed a hide there, so I got the group leader to take me there. On Friday (April 16) she was hit with a family crisis, and could not come on the trip. "Oh boy" were my thoughts because I did not want to further get a bad reputation with the mountaineers by not showing up, when I climbed Eldorado Peak I had already skipped a knot class.

 

She told me to call the club house which by this time it was nearing closing time, and the club house gave me kinda cheap instructions on how to set up the car pool idea. I called one of the members who were to be a driver but they did not even know they were signed up, but after a while I finally got associated with a driver. Unfortunately I could not figure out where the parking ride on 65th st in Seattle was after spending a while doing research on the place. Eventually I gave up on the idea, and a more adventurous idea came to mind. "What if I could bike there" were my thoughts. So I decided well I might as well go for it, if it is my only option, I guess I'll take it. Unlike my last bike ride, this time I wore a construction vest that had reflectors, and wore a head lamp. So I gather my gear at 7:30 and head out the door by 8 p.m. Even leaving out the door I almost fell off my bike because the vest got caught on something.

 

I now was dashing for the bus hoping to make it on time. (I was early but sometimes busses can be 5 minutes early) I took the bus to Everett, then to Gold Bar which took 2 hours. I arrived at Gold Bar's last stop at about 10:10 p.m. Even though I had tons of time, I was still worried if I would make it in time, I had to be at Stevens Pass by 8 in the morning. I would get no sleep getting there, but thats how it was last time, and it worked out. As I started biking one or two cars honked at me, and it did occur to me that it was possible for police to pull me over.

 

 

 

I remained very cautious on that highway, any time there would be a car coming I would either be completely on the other side of the road on the side walk, or if there was double cars on either side I would completely pull off the road, sometimes I would go off the road even if it was only one car just to play it safe. As I was biking I did hear barking dogs, the worry already loomed over me, so I did not hesitate to pull out my headlamp because I would atleast want to be able to see if they were coming for me. Once I got out of the dog naborhoods, I felt much safer. On this trip I was not riding a small bmx bike thank goodness, but the bike I was using was from the 1980's and for some reason caught a lot of friction which made biking more difficult, as well as the gear shifting problems. As a result of the friction the bike was more noisy and would attract more dogs.

 

Biking to the city of Index was quite enjoyable, in a way it felt old fashion biking here, there was a train that went by, and the town felt remote, and I realized why some older folks might say "I miss the good ol days" because for some reason the place had a nice calmness to it. The bike ride did get tiresome at places with all the terrain and such, and I had a few more moments where I was worried about dogs chasing me.

 

Soon I was passing the city of Baring which excited me because I knew if I biked on I would make it in time. The whole reason I started late at night was because bus services do not start up early in the morning so this seemed like the only way to make it on time. As I was biking I see flashing lights. "Flaming L" were my thoughts (not sure what that means, but its fun to say). A ranger pulled me over, and asked if I had any i.d. I replied "no" because I do not even own a i.d. So the trip deteriorated at this point. I had to tell him my name, home, phone number, and all that stuff, he tried to call my mom which he got no answer. In day time its hard to get a hold of her even then! I must have been waiting 45-55 minutes or so because he told me the time before he started asking questions, and then he told me again later. It was 1:45 a.m. by this point, and he told me he cannot let me proceed. So we took apart the bike and then started to head back home. I did not agrue with him, and in ways agreed with him.

 

 

When I got home my brother Kyle was a bit ticked that I had done this bike ride, as well as some other people. I did not make it to the mountaineers trip, and ended up loosing this one. Atleast I had a fun trip, got a good work out, and most importantly learned my lesson. One of my lessons being the mountaineers were not meant to be for me, also I should always explain myself to multiple people rather than just telling one person where I was going. And highway 2 is no place for bikers at night.

 

Afterwards: I found it quite interesting that Geohiker intercepted one of the messages of the police so late at night, and told Miss Iris, which she told BearQueen, which then was told to Eastking. The story became similar to telephone, oh wait, a telephone was used in this. Any ways, Eastking calls me up and says "You attempted to climb Mount Baring solo in the middle of the night and got arrested!?". Lol, I laughed at that one and told him to gets his facts straight, and told him the story.

[MarkMcJizzy]

As I was biking I see flashing lights. "Flaming L" were my thoughts (not sure what that means, but its fun to say). A ranger pulled me over, and asked if I had any i.d.

 

Yea, Mr five-oh, whats your probable cause? Exactly which RCW states that you can't ride a bike to Stevens Pass.

[MarkMcJizzy]

Wait! It's a Ranger. Now the Feds are after you. You need to learn to tell Johnny Law to go Fuck himself, you're all lawyered up, you'll be at Stevens Pass, and they need to bring a warrant.

[Dirtyleaf]

That's lame "the man" stopped you. I used to do stuff like that when I lived in Bothell. Cops pulled me over all the time. Good effort by the way. It might have been more exciting then a trip with the mounties. It also makes a great story.

[rob]

"What if I could bike there"

 

I love your spirit. Most people would have just given up and whined about it, instead of giving it a shot on highway 2 on a crappy old bike.

Edited May 19, 2010 by rob

[dberdinka]

You have the biggest heart in the world Josh. Keep killin it no matter who trys to keep you under their thumb.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Why couldn't the pig officer let you proceed? What were you doing wrong, exactly?

[summitchaserCJB]

Not using common sense?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Not using common sense?

 

That's part of growing up. Not against the law.

[JoshK]

Not using common sense?

 

That's part of growing up. Not against the law.

 

Maybe biking on US2 is illegal? I have no idea, but I don't recall seeing people biking on it much, if at all. If it is legal, I guess the oinker was just being a douche.

[benmurphy]

hell yeah dude, way to give 'er...

really admire your persistence and enthusiasm!

 

[shapp]

too bad it wasn't a female officer, that could have been hot!, a Chilli Peppers song comes to mind.

[rob]

Not using common sense?

 

That's part of growing up. Not against the law.

 

Maybe biking on US2 is illegal? I have no idea, but I don't recall seeing people biking on it much, if at all. If it is legal, I guess the oinker was just being a douche.

 

Biking hwy 2 is totally legal. Maybe because he's underage? Or maybe he didn't have proper reflectors and headlight?

 

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/closed.htm

[summitchaserCJB]

I'll take underage for 400

[Crillz]

Don't know the legal status either.

 

I've seen bikers on it well past the towns.

 

Everytime we drive home on Hiway 2 there's at least one punk-looking kid or dirty old guy cruising on a bike. Usually wearing black or camo clothes, somewherez near Goldbar.

 

Come to think of it, there's always some dude on the side of the hiway by Goldbar that reminds me of Rambo First Blood when Stalone's strollin' around town.

[rob]

Not using common sense?

 

Common sense? WTF is that?

 

There is nothing wrong with riding your bike down Highway 2 to go climbing. More people should do that.

 

Josh, do you need some bike lights? I have some you can have. FREE!

[Crillz]

Not using common sense?

 

That's part of growing up. Not against the law.

 

Maybe biking on US2 is illegal? I have no idea, but I don't recall seeing people biking on it much, if at all. If it is legal, I guess the oinker was just being a douche.

 

Biking hwy 2 is totally legal. Maybe because he's underage? Or maybe he didn't have proper reflectors and headlight?

 

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/closed.htm

 

Shizzle.

He didn't have his papers! That's all.

[summitchaserCJB]

In the dark? Have you seen that highway in the dark? It is a deathtrap. In the day is it still really scary to ride. Common sense is not all that common.

[benmurphy]

In the dark? Have you seen that highway in the dark? It is a deathtrap. In the day is it still really scary to ride. Common sense is not all that common.

 

everyone dies...not everyone lives...

[summitchaserCJB]

haha. That is ridiculous. If you want to get killed biking highway 2 that is fine. I'll save my self for multipitch trad, big mountains. Much safer in my opinion.

[summitchaserCJB]

And for the record, I have biked highway two, from Lake Wenatchee to Monroe. I did it during the day. I told myself I'd never do it again because it was pretty risky.

[rob]

In the dark? Have you seen that highway in the dark? It is a deathtrap.

 

Actually, it's probably better at night. I assume I'm invisible, anyway. During daylight, I figure none of those fuckers will even see me ANYWAY (or care, at least), but at least at night, there are less of them. And their headlights make them easier to see.

 

Anyway, you're posting on a trip report on a climbing website saying that riding your bike at night is too dangerous?

 

Also, Josh, it's a good idea to keep a U-Lock handy for protection against both dogs. Those things can bash some skull.

[summitchaserCJB]

It can be. Why is that unreasonable. Statistically I bet it is. How many climbers do you see in the ER verses bikers hit by cars?

[Bronco]

Come to think of it, there's always some dude on the side of the hiway by Goldbar that reminds me of Rambo First Blood when Stalone's strollin' around town.

 

Hey that's me!

[ryanb]

Nice TR!

 

Reminded me of a peter croft story you can find at this link:

 

http://www2.thenorthface.com/na/athletes/athletes-PC-interview.html

 

"Yeah. I did a good traverse through the Stuart Range in the Cascade Mountains. The scariest part of that climb had nothing to do with climbing. I was running up the logging road at night to begin the climb when I noticed the headlights of a car approaching from behind. I don't know why, but my reaction was to jump into the bushes and avoid the car. After I came out of the bushes and started running again I thought to myself, "that was silly, why did I hide from that car?" It was the sort of thing a kid does. So when the car came back down the road a few minutes later, I remained on the road. The car stopped and a fellow got out wearing a Hawaiian shirt. He looked at me and he pulled out a handgun. I thought for sure that I was dead; there was no place to run. He began asking me questions, and I figured out he was a cop. He was up there because a lot of cars had been broken into in the parking lot where the trailhead began. When he asked me what I was doing and I said I was going mountain climbing he wasn't certain to believe me because I had nothing but a small day pack and no gear for a mountain. His idea of a mountaineer involved Lederhosen, ice axes and ropes. He backed away and got into his car like he was terrified of me. Then he drove away. The rest of the walk in I was freaking out over every noise that the squirrels or porcupines made."