Too close to home. Literally

[bobgroger]

A block from the house. I heard the boom then the sirens. Left turner collects 2 bikes. One dead, other probably. I make this turn every day, HUGE traffic on this road. Turning left can take 10 minutes or more in the morning. I couldn't take the bike out for ride your bike to work day after viewing the carnage. Maybe not ever again. Road rage shootings are a near daily occurrence, I see senseless acts every day. And this is a "polite" state. Very troubling.....
http://komonews.com/news/local/1-motorcyclist-killed-2nd-seriously-injured-in-maple-valley-crash

 

[Nessism]

How fast is that road? The side of that car is completely caved in. Those bikes must have been traveling FAST to destroy the car like that.

 

[bobgroger]

How fast is that road? The side of that car is completely caved in. Those bikes must have been traveling FAST to destroy the car like that.

45, but 50-55 is normal. It is a state highway running through a once desolate but now urban area. With no traffic improvements and 8000 new houses going in. There has been a Harley pilgrimage riding by and sometimes stopping all day, ending with a display of noise..

 

[maicojoe]

Is this a few blocks east of Lake Wilderness ? Or actually Highway 169 ? The growth out there, or really the greater Seattle area/Puget Sound area, has greatly outstripped all the roadways. That highway needs to be rebuilt as a divided, limited access highway or turn it into a proper freeway. Highway 18 out there was the same way for years, no real overpasses, side road accesses everywhere, it was a constant deadly game of Frogger, 18 wheeler logging trucks all day long on the highway and cars tying to cross from the side roads....... was rated as one of the 10 most dangerous roads in America. When I was a kid I helped raise money and petitioned the government for the Kent-Kangley/ Hwy 18 overpass. That one finally got built in the early 80's. Then they slowly widened and divided most of Hwy 18, and made most of it limited access. I'm sure it has saved hundreds of lives over the last 30-40 years. But with our current set of politicians, I really don't think they care one bit.... all they want is more taxes, more unneeded or unwanted toll lanes, and endless new bike lanes. Stuff like this is exactly why we are selling our house in Redmond and moving to Northern Idaho. Taxation without representation....... I wont stand for it, so I will vote with my feet and my taxes, take them someplace where there are more like minded people, and where my vote counts..... Sad, as this is where I was born and raised and lived my entire life......

 

[BigD_83]

I noticed the increased volume on that road even when I met up with you for the rally, and that was what, 9-10pm or something? in the dark, in the rain, that intersection was not to be taken lightly. I could see how it could happen there, as I don't recall the sight lines being fantastic.

 

[Nessism]

This is the photo I was referring too. Don't think this sort of damage can occur at 45mph.

 

[bobgroger]

Is this a few blocks east of Lake Wilderness ? Or actually Highway 169 ? The growth out there, or really the greater Seattle area/Puget Sound area, has greatly outstripped all the roadways. That highway needs to be rebuilt as a divided, limited access highway or turn it into a proper freeway. Highway 18 out there was the same way for years, no real overpasses, side road accesses everywhere, it was a constant deadly game of Frogger, 18 wheeler logging trucks all day long on the highway and cars tying to cross from the side roads....... was rated as one of the 10 most dangerous roads in America. When I was a kid I helped raise money and petitioned the government for the Kent-Kangley/ Hwy 18 overpass. That one finally got built in the early 80's. Then they slowly widened and divided most of Hwy 18, and made most of it limited access. I'm sure it has saved hundreds of lives over the last 30-40 years. But with our current set of politicians, I really don't think they care one bit.... all they want is more taxes, more unneeded or unwanted toll lanes, and endless new bike lanes. Stuff like this is exactly why we are selling our house in Redmond and moving to Northern Idaho. Taxation without representation....... I wont stand for it, so I will vote with my feet and my taxes, take them someplace where there are more like minded people, and where my vote counts..... Sad, as this is where I was born and raised and lived my entire life......

This is Highway 169, and it is at a spot directly east of Lake Wilderness. They have approved and have started building a 6900 home master planned development with NO TRAFFIC MITIGATION 5 miles south. With only Hwy169 and one minor road for access. I remember Hwy 18 with the stop lights. Deadly road. Now the intersection with I90 is backed up for miles in the afternoon.

Further details....The lead bike hit the rear door, spinning the car around so the second bike hit the front. A third bike was able to avoid it. A 54 year old man was killed, a 35 year old went to the hospital and his condition is unknown.

I am also moving, but only 20 miles south to Enumclaw, a small town at the edge of civilization at the base of Mt. Rainier. West is the same cluster****, but east for hundreds of miles is pretty much deserted with the national park and beyond over Chinook Pass to eastern Washington. New plan is to never take the bike to the west

 

[maicojoe]

This is Highway 169, and it is at a spot directly east of Lake Wilderness. They have approved and have started building a 6900 home master planned development with NO TRAFFIC MITIGATION 5 miles south. With only Hwy169 and one minor road for access. I remember Hwy 18 with the stop lights. Deadly road. Now the intersection with I90 is backed up for miles in the afternoon.

Further details....The lead bike hit the rear door, spinning the car around so the second bike hit the front. A third bike was able to avoid it. A 54 year old man was killed, a 35 year old went to the hospital and his condition is unknown.

I am also moving, but only 20 miles south to Enumclaw, a small town at the edge of civilization at the base of Mt. Rainier. West is the same cluster****, but east for hundreds of miles is pretty much deserted with the national park and beyond over Chinook Pass to eastern Washington. New plan is to never take the bike to the west

I kind of thought it was by Lake Wilderness..... Ironic name huh? My parents had a house out there when I was little, in 1965, in a little spot on the map called Covington.... wasn't a real town or city, just a spot on the map way, way out in the woods. And look at it now...... My place now in Redmond is in the same situation, or worse.... what used to take me 2 or 3 minutes to drive down my hill to downtown Redmond can now take 20-30 minutes, or even a 10 minutes wait just to turn left onto the main road. Some of the best times I ever had on a motorcycle were right there on the back side of Lake Wilderness...I got my first new motorcycle in 1980, a 1980 Yamaha TT250. My favorite ride or route took me on the old railroad track right of way on the back side of Lake Wilderness, up to 4 Corners, then through the woods to the Ravensdale power lines, then take a left across Hwy 169, east out to the old Green River Tavern, past the Green River Gorge and Black Diamond, and just keep going through the woods past Enumclaw, all the way out to Greenwater and the National Forrest trails on one side, and Weyerhaeuser land on the other side..... those were fun times... wonder if I could still ride some of that route today?

 

[bobgroger]

I kind of thought it was by Lake Wilderness..... Ironic name huh? My parents had a house out there when I was little, in 1965, in a little spot on the map called Covington.... wasn't a real town or city, just a spot on the map way, way out in the woods. And look at it now...... My place now in Redmond is in the same situation, or worse.... what used to take me 2 or 3 minutes to drive down my hill to downtown Redmond can now take 20-30 minutes, or even a 10 minutes wait just to turn left onto the main road. Some of the best times I ever had on a motorcycle were right there on the back side of Lake Wilderness...I got my first new motorcycle in 1980, a 1980 Yamaha TT250. My favorite ride or route took me on the old railroad track right of way on the back side of Lake Wilderness, up to 4 Corners, then through the woods to the Ravensdale power lines, then take a left across Hwy 169, east out to the old Green River Tavern, past the Green River Gorge and Black Diamond, and just keep going through the woods past Enumclaw, all the way out to Greenwater and the National Forrest trails on one side, and Weyerhaeuser land on the other side..... those were fun times... wonder if I could still ride some of that route today?

I went to Redmond Jr. High and High School-Class of 73. At least your house is high 6 or low 7 figures now. If it is a teardown. The right of way is a hiking trail now, the Tavern burned down years ago, The one lane bridge over the Gorge is still there, Greenwater still has many FS roads, some paved. After Greenwater is nothing for 100 miles except Mt. Rainier and the ski area. If I can swing it I am eventually moving to the other side of the mountains. MUCH different lifestyle there. There is a longer period every day where I think I am capable of killing stupid people, I want that feeling to go away....

This is becoming LA with bad weather.

 

[maicojoe]

I went to Redmond Jr. High and High School-Class of 73. At least your house is high 6 or low 7 figures now. If it is a teardown. The right of way is a hiking trail now, the Tavern burned down years ago, The one lane bridge over the Gorge is still there, Greenwater still has many FS roads, some paved. After Greenwater is nothing for 100 miles except Mt. Rainier and the ski area. If I can swing it I am eventually moving to the other side of the mountains. MUCH different lifestyle there. There is a longer period every day where I think I am capable of killing stupid people, I want that feeling to go away....

This is becoming LA with bad weather.

Small world.... I live on Education Hill, I went to both Horace Mann Elementary, and Redmond Jr High through 7th grade. I would have been in 5th grade or so at Horace Mann in 1973.
My kids went to all three schools, Horace Mann, Redmond Jr and Sr, and now my grand daughter went to Horace Mann and is currently in 8th grade at the Jr High. We live about 4 blocks from all three schools. Our oldest daughter bought the house next door to us 3 years ago, so that is one nice thing about here, having her and her family or grand kids right next to us. Do you remember your old address in Redmond?

 

[Guest]

Population increases while miles of roads stays the same, so traffic density increases. Meanwhile, drivers become less engaged and more distracted. The danger of riding a motorcycle increases dramatically in dense traffic.

 

[bobgroger]

Small world.... I live on Education Hill, I went to both Horace Mann Elementary, and Redmond Jr High through 7th grade. I would have been in 5th grade or so at Horace Mann in 1973.
My kids went to all three schools, Horace Mann, Redmond Jr and Sr, and now my grand daughter went to Horace Mann and is currently in 8th grade at the Jr High. We live about 4 blocks from all three schools. Our oldest daughter bought the house next door to us 3 years ago, so that is one nice thing about here, having her and her family or grand kids right next to us. Do you remember your old address in Redmond?

I actually lived in Bellevue not far from the west side of Lake Sammamish. They bussed us all the way to Redmond. That area is now in the Bellevue school district and the kids go to Interlake. Those houses are all a million + now and inhabited by Microsofties

 

[Carter Turk]

I used to ride Tolt & Novelty Hill, Ames Lk or blast up to Snoqualmie Falls back in the 80's on the GS 750ET.
Do you guys remember 80 acres? I looped an RM 465 there that belonged to a neighbor.
He told me not to crash it. I was fine at first just going thru the gears in the dirt alongside a road.
That thing was powerful, I made the mistake of riding over to a pond I saw in the distance. I didn't realize I was bisecting a local made MX track.
Landed vertically on the front wheel going about 40, when I rolled off the throttle, going over a burm, thinking I was going too fast and the seat/subframe came down on my back. Clearly I had little if any dirt experience. Maybe a blip on C-70 and a XL 125, but that was it.
There were four dudes in pickup trucks taking a riding break, laughing hysterically, pointing in my direction, looking at each other and laughing some more.

Used to go to SIR now PR in Covington to watch wmmra races and hooked up with some racers who'd meet a Denny's in Redmond on Sunday mornings. I was way way out of my league, being a freshy to street bikes and only 17. These guys rode with no regard whatsoever to the rules of the road. If anything, it was exciting to ride with them. The #1 plate holder at SIR at the time, was the guy usually leading the terror on the roads. Really bad behavior, in retrospect, but it was fun as hell.

Went off on a little tangent there, but yeah, everytime I go into King County, the volume of people on the roads is ridiculous. I think, who'd ever want to live there, stuck in traffic all day everyday, 7 figure homes, that you can't enjoy because you're stuck in traffic all day. I lived in Bellevue for 10 years (74-84), went to Interlake HS. Favorite way to get to Crystal Mtn, was either thru Black Diamond, Hobart or May Valley to Kanasket into Enumclaw, past the pickle factory.

 

[red1100]

Retired now but when I was working I used to go from Battleground Washington to Everett daily. In a tractor trailer. Listening to Dorry Monson one day he had someone on from SDOT who said Seattle area traffic is increasing 30% every ten years and will continue to do so. I like where I live. LaCenter Washington

 

[maicojoe]

I used to ride Tolt & Novelty Hill, Ames Lk or blast up to Snoqualmie Falls back in the 80's on the GS 750ET.
Do you guys remember 80 acres? I looped an RM 465 there that belonged to a neighbor.
He told me not to crash it. I was fine at first just going thru the gears in the dirt alongside a road.
That thing was powerful, I made the mistake of riding over to a pond I saw in the distance. I didn't realize I was bisecting a local made MX track.
Landed vertically on the front wheel going about 40, when I rolled off the throttle, going over a burm, thinking I was going too fast and the seat/subframe came down on my back. Clearly I had little if any dirt experience. Maybe a blip on C-70 and a XL 125, but that was it.
There were four dudes in pickup trucks taking a riding break, laughing hysterically, pointing in my direction, looking at each other and laughing some more.

Used to go to SIR now PR in Covington to watch wmmra races and hooked up with some racers who'd meet a Denny's in Redmond on Sunday mornings. I was way way out of my league, being a freshy to street bikes and only 17. These guys rode with no regard whatsoever to the rules of the road. If anything, it was exciting to ride with them. The #1 plate holder at SIR at the time, was the guy usually leading the terror on the roads. Really bad behavior, in retrospect, but it was fun as hell.

Went off on a little tangent there, but yeah, everytime I go into King County, the volume of people on the roads is ridiculous. I think, who'd ever want to live there, stuck in traffic all day everyday, 7 figure homes, that you can't enjoy because you're stuck in traffic all day. I lived in Bellevue for 10 years (74-84), went to Interlake HS. Favorite way to get to Crystal Mtn, was either thru Black Diamond, Hobart or May Valley to Kanasket into Enumclaw, past the pickle factory.

Funny, but I still ride those roads,Avondale Rd to Woodinville-Duvall Rd to West Snoqualmie Rd, then up the back side of Novelty Hill Rd, then loop around to either Union Hill or Redmond-Fall City road, back past Ames Lake and head out to Fall City then Snoqualmie Falls, then west on I-90 to East Lake Sammamish and back into Redmond onto Avendale and back home. It's still a nice Sunday ride, about a 50 mile loop. My only street bikes are GS1100e and a GS1150e.... fun ride on an old bike. Riding dirt bikes in and around Redmond, the 80 Acres, the old DNR land that used to be behind my house, the power line trails, etc, all gone. I still ride both vintage and modern dirt bikes, actually have a nice 1983 RM500, same as a 1982 RM465 other than a bigger piston for the most part. I think it's a mellow bike for being a big bore two stroke, but that's just me..... as that type of bike is all I have ridden mostly since the early 1980's..... still have a bunch of Maico 490's, couple Maico 500's, and couple Maico 440's.... , a couple YZ490, several Husqvarna 500 two strokes, a CR500, couple of KTM 495 two stokes, an old 1972 CZ 400..... still really like the old two stoke big bores

 

[Carter Turk]

Maicojoe, sounds like you have quite the quiver of old 2-strokes! How do keep all those bikes in working order?
80 acres is now Microsoft campus. Lots of keg parties there back in highschool, super nasty bottom of the barrel stuff.
Haven't drank a water beer in a long time. Have a 79 CR 250 in the rat shed, but no place to ride it anymore, left by an old roomate.
Usuallly fires up on the 3rd kick with ancient premix.

Apologize for detracting from original thread topic, but kinda relates to the fact the old roads aren't up to the task of handling all the people flocking there and
no real improvements traffic wise. 90 miles north is getting bad too, though with schools and college out, the town is a bit more quiet than a month ago.