Page 1 of 1

A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:59 pm
by fontanaman
I have an interest in Eastern Washington Geology especially the Ice Age Floods. So I watch Youtube videos featuring Nick Zentner Professor of Geology at Central Washington University. He is good and could teach geology to an ant. I also bought a couple of books to learn more. The idea is to ride to places of interest and understand what shaped the land. Watch this video showing how Coulee's were formed. It is only 2:35 long.

The book On the Trails of the Ice Age Floods includes five road trips - cool. So I created a GPS route and put a few notes in my tank bag and created a couple of waypoints with names of features along the way. The wife signed up for this 230 mile loop.

On Sunday we are off. About 20 minutes later the wife says she is out due to being cold and no the electric jacket wasn't going to change her mine. So I turn around and dropped her off at home. No problem there is plenty of daylight left for this ride.

Near Spokane Airport there is some columnar basalt from lava flows 15 million years ago. When the lava cooled it shank and fractured. Basalt flows cover most of Eastern Washington flowing all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Image

The FJR needs gas so it is time for Spokanitizer. It can kill viruses quicker than you can say Covid-19. Thanks to the Dry Fly Distillery in Spokane Washington for this.

Image

With a full tank the route is US 2 from Spokane to Davenport then State Hwy 28 to Odessa. The flood waters were as much as 300' high in some parts. Imagine that.

The next stop is Cache Crater near Odessa Washington with some farm land in between.

Image

My '17 FJR at Cache Crater Parking lot. Great bike. I was messing around with the Electronic Suspension damping setting today. Soft was a bit too soft so I went back to standard at zero. I will mess with that some more as there are 7 levels for within each setting of soft, standard and hard.

Image

Arrowleaf Balsamroot provides color in a rocky landscape.

Image

I grab my sandwich look at the trail sign advising watch out for rattlesnakes. Ok no problem. I doubt one will bite through my riding gear but have no interest in finding out. It is about 200 yards to Cache Crater.

Image

Image

How these were formed is still under debate. One theory is lava from 15 million years ago cooled from beneath causing shrinkage cracks beneath then was subsequently carve out by the Ice Age Floods 15,000 years ago.

The next stop was Wilson Coulee. If you find a twisty road in Eastern Washington you are likely near a coulee.

Image

Imagine how much water it took to carve out this coulee.

Image

Image

Image

A bend in the road near Wilson Coulee.

Image

My interest in Geology gets me away from the usual roads I ride and into the countryside where there is solitude compared to the crowded freeways and highways in metropolitan areas of the Western Washington. It is nice out here.

The next stop was to get some photos of Lake Roosevelt aka the Columbia River north of Wilbur Washington and to enjoy Hwy 21 as it drops a 1000'. This bit of road reminds me of the Moki Dugway as both come off a cliff. There the similarities end. Hwy 21 is not as impressive as the Dugway and it is paved. The 30 mph speed limit is ridiculous and was designed for Grandma driving a 1963 Chevy Impala with a slip-in-slide Powerglide.

As I pull over for this photo I didn't see Grandma in her '63 Impala but did see a gaggle of motorcyclist just rounding this turn. They didn't look very comfortable in these turns so I took my time taking photos.

Image

In the photo above are two yellow signs. One say 10mph the other 15. The 10 mph sign is on the right side where there is a longer radius. Hummmmm.......

Plenty of gravel in the road but thankfully it was easy to see.

Image

Notice the low reservoir levels typical for this time of year. It will fill up later this year.

Image

At little different point of view.

Image

Image

Driving down the hill I see a group of cars heading up the hill. The ferry must of docked recently. Quickly finding a place to turn around I head back up at a respectable pace taking a few photos along the way.

Image

Image

Image

I take a few more twisty bits on the way home. A barn and it has a wood roof. Those are rare these days.

Image

Last of the twisty bits.

Image

And the end of this ride report.

Re: A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 6:15 pm
by jwilly
Great pics, Thanks for sharing!

Re: A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 9:16 pm
by wheatonFJR
Awesome!

Re: A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:17 pm
by Cav47
I was just thinking the other day that I missed your reports. Still can’t say there was a better trip through time than your memoirs and old photos. So many adventures. I really hope your weather clears up soon so you have get out there.

Re: A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:56 pm
by Niehart
Dry Fly also makes my favorite Gin. JSNS

As always a great ride report.

Re: A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:51 am
by Festus
I wish someone would hurry up and build a high speed rail system running coast to coast so us east coast inhabitants could enjoy some of those beautiful rides.

You sure have access to some amazing places, thanks for sharing.

Re: A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:45 am
by fontanaman
Festus wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:51 am I wish someone would hurry up and build a high speed rail system running coast to coast so us east coast inhabitants could enjoy some of those beautiful rides.

You sure have access to some amazing places, thanks for sharing.
The FJR is better than the train and when you get here I will change your tires.

Yes the western US is very nice. I love the wide open spaces even if there isn't a turn for miles.

Re: A Geology Trip to Cache Crater Washington

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 2:08 pm
by wheatonFJR
fontanaman wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:45 am
Festus wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:51 am I wish someone would hurry up and build a high speed rail system running coast to coast so us east coast inhabitants could enjoy some of those beautiful rides.

You sure have access to some amazing places, thanks for sharing.
The FJR is better than the train and when you get here I will change your tires.

Yes the western US is very nice. I love the wide open spaces even if there isn't a turn for miles.
My older brother lives in eastern Washington, Pullman. He loves it out there. I see that Bing has this for it's Photograph Cover of the Day...Image