2022 — Steve M-G

Deep in the Douglas County Hinterlands

September 29th, 2022 Douglas County, WA
HEADS UP: this one is little longer than my recent uploads. I’m working on changing my “format” during the off season.

Way back in September I needed to get out and do a drive. I took a day off from work and headed North East into the smoke hazed hinterlands. I had read a great old article about places in eastern Washington for drivers, and bicyclists. I had found another old motorcycle enthusiast website that was a great resource that I used for inspiration. With my new mapping software, I crafted a route, using those as a reference.

Head East on I-90, take a left up towards Leavenworth then right on the 2 towards Wenatchee. Turn left at Wenatchee (after getting some donuts) then head up US HWY 97 A like I did, or more smartly head north on the 2 (and continue as it turns into the 97). Get on McNeil Canyon Rd then look out for the gravel Road E NW on your left, and begin your winding gravel journey. I know I’ve been complaining about gravel, and I have been trying to avoid it, but at least the gravel out here was not off-road gravel but old agriculture road gravel.

Out here you’ll find relatively well-groomed gravel roads that see regular traffic, 2 lane highways with few cars, and slight curves and undulating levels. You may also find a stretch or two of pavement that no one else is on. You're surrounded by a rolling landscape strewn with huge boulders called Haystack rocks. You're definitely in farm country. End your drive at Crown Vista Point and look at Grand Coulee Dam and the town of Grand Coulee.

The actual route GPX (I ran into some dead ends): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U3gV... Hot tip: Use Google Earth and Google Maps Street View as much as possible!

Software:
Inroute
Gaigps

Thanks for watching!
-s

Half-Paved - A Drive out on Butte Creek & Smith Creek Roads

Oct 19, 2022 RAYMOND, WA
North of Raymond Washington, on Highway 101, there’s a road that heads North East and connects to N River Road just up from Brooklyn.

Heading north on 101 take a right and you’ll drive about 10 miles until you hit the gravel section. The unpaved part is fairly well groomed, but once again: GRAVEL! I can’t escape it.

You’ll see farms, rolling hills, lots of trees, and tree tunnels. Fairly sparse on traffic, nothing overly challenging driving-wise, but still enjoyable in the early evening. The total distance is about 15miles.

Route GPX: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rPvo...

Music (via Epidemic Sound)
Haga - West & Zander: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/q...
Last Odyssey - ELFL: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/p...
Future Daze - Major Tweaks: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/J...

Thanks for watching!
-s

Deep River Road

Oct 7, 2022 NASELLE

*Disclaimer: Sorry for the shaky camera. I only noticed this after viewing the footage for this day. I discovered too late that mounting on the hood is not the best place.

Northwest of Rosburg, WA, on SR 4, take a right on East Deep River RD. You’ll start on payment, hit some gravel, hit some pavement, and then more gravel. Lots of tree tunnels and a few creeks makes for a very quiet and secluded drive. East Deep River Rd connects to…wait for it…W Deep River Rd, then Salmon Creek Rd, take the right fork up to 4900 RD. Follow that and reconnect with Salmon Creek Rd, take the right on 5910 Rd and do the loop back to Salmon Creek and follow it back out to 4.

The gravel sections weren’t too bad, and the pavement parts had plenty of turns and elevation changes, all the while you’re surrounded by trees and green.

Route GPX: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...

Music (via Epidemic Sound)
Undertow - Gridded: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/C...
Super 1 - Cospe: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/M...
Violet Sky (Instrumental Version) - Phello: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/7...
Pink Pulsar - ELFL: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/w...
Sweet Escape - Aiyo: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/w...

Thanks for watching!
-S

Abernathy Creek RD and more

Sep 15, 2022 LONGVIEW, WA
Just off of HWY 4 (WA) about 12 Miles west of Longview Washington, I take a trip up Abernathy Creek Road and venture onto the Wisconsin Truck Trail. While I’m out on the trail…a realization starts to percolate and become clear…more on that in a couple of following roads. Abernathy Creek RD was a nice drive and a couple of the (paved) roads after the truck trail were pretty enjoyable, but towards the end of this route, I ran into my old friend: Road Closed. If you have a gravel-friendly vehicle like a motorcycle, ATV, truck, or any other off-road vehicle, then Wisconsin Truck Trail would be a good fit for you; get out there and drive!

As always my music is from Epidemic Sound:
The Fortunate - Silver Maple - https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/u...
Moments of Sundown - Sum Wave - https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/d...A New Sleep - Arden Forest - https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/l...
Your Natural Habitat - Ealot - https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/G...
Time To Go - Ealot - https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/U...
GPX - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wmpT...

Thanks for watching!
-S

California State Route 3 - Part 2 (Longform)

Jul 25, 2022 TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST, CA
This the part 2 of my drive on CA-3. The craziest thing is that I was just 8 minutes / 5.1 miles shy of reaching the 299 and heading east into Redding. Wow, that was a long but great drive. Hot tip: eat good food, keep hydrated, and have some ginger chews on hand. There at the end, I can admit that I was feeling a bit like I needed to dry-heave. I will say that I would drive it again and take some of the other side roads that link up to other small towns in the hills. Looking at them on the map, very twisty.

Music from Epidemic Sound
Cold Midnight - Squild: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/j...
Watcher - Brendon Moeller: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Q...
Little Auk- Lotus: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/q...
2099 - Wave Saver: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/0...
Night Drive - Barbatula: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/z...

California State Route 3 - Part 1 (Long Form)

July 22, 2022-TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST
Heads up viewer: This is mostly a long-form video broken into 2 parts. If you like driving and watching driving POV, this is for you. I realize it's long.

I recently drove down to Redding, CA to help some friends. While the bulk of the trip was on I-5, I decided to take a back road, if a numbered State Highway can be considered a back road, and drive down CA-3 before hooking east back towards Redding. CA-3 is a long winding 2-lane highway through the Trinity Forest. Plenty of gorgeous forests, mountains, lakes, and rivers. Unlike Seattle: the road is well maintained and clear, as well as a great drive.

This is my first foray into doing multi-cam editing in Premiere, and aside from a few hiccups early on, I saw a great tutorial on how to do it especially with how GoPros record footage. It's more of a long-form video, so I broke it into 2 parts. Part 1 will start in Etna and Callahan, then end at about minute 38.

Map animation: GPX Animator - https://gpx-animator.app
Routing: InRoute - https://carobapps.com/products/inroute/

Multi-cam editing tutorial from Mitchell Losey's channel:
• They never tell y...

If you’re thinking to yourself driving west through South Bend Washington, “can I take a gravelly shortcut to highway 101?” The answer is yes!

Part 4 - South Bend Palix Road

May 19, 2022 - SOUTH BEND, WA
If you’re thinking to yourself driving west through South Bend Washington, “can I take a gravelly shortcut to highway 101?” The answer is yes! This is a nice road to try. It’s very well-groomed without any giant potholes. It was a little damp when I was on it so you might experience a little over/understeer if it’s a wet time of year. Granted it may always be like that since it’s close to the coast. You’ll save about 10 miles and maybe 10 minutes.

Directions: As you drive into the main part of (Old?) South Bend heading West, turn left on Willappa Ave, then just head straight through to the End of Pavement and Gravel road signs. It’s a fairly smooth 2 lane gravel/dirt road in a classic western Washington PNW forest.

Google map location: https://goo.gl/maps/kD8yZPpHU3Vt6qQH7

Music from Epidemic Sound:
Fogrunner - Valante :https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Y...
Imaginations - Sum Wave: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/U...
Midnight Sunlight - Tape Machines: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/j...

I hit the Elk Creek - Mill Creek backroad. Lots of gravel, trees, and turns.

Part 3 - Elk Creek Road & Mill Creek Road

May 19, 2022 - SOUTH BEND, WA
If you’re thinking to yourself driving west through South Bend Washington, “can I take a gravelly shortcut to highway 101?” The answer is yes! This is a nice road to try. It’s very well-groomed without any giant potholes. It was a little damp when I was on it so you might experience a little over/understeer if it’s a wet time of year. Granted it may always be like that since it’s close to the coast. You’ll save about 10 miles and maybe 10 minutes.

Directions: As you drive into the main part of (Old?) South Bend heading West, turn left on Willappa Ave, then just head straight through to the End of Pavement and Gravel road signs. It’s a fairly smooth 2 lane gravel/dirt road in a classic western Washington PNW forest.

Google map location: https://goo.gl/maps/kD8yZPpHU3Vt6qQH7

Music from Epidemic Sound:
Fogrunner - Valante :https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Y...
Imaginations - Sum Wave: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/U...
Midnight Sunlight - Tape Machines: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/j...

Part 2 - Drive to Elk Creek RD

Mar 20, 2022 - CHEHALIS, WA
After driving to Ceres Hill RD, where the pavement ended, I take a break and check out the scenery. I discover the remains of possible Predator activity. Head out onto State Route 6, and check out Rainbow Falls, then continue on to the start of Elk Creek Rd.

Rainbow Falls State Park: https://tinyurl.com/5pc4z8dx

Music from Epidemic Sound: https://tinyurl.com/yuw2ctzj

Part 1 - Drive to Ceres Hill Rd

Feb 27, 2022 WASHINGTON
The first video in this project! From Seattle to Ceres Hill RD. From Rochester (WA) I take a mixture of small backroads: Michigan Hill Road SW, Lincoln Creek Rd, Ingalls Rd, Bunker Creek Rd, until I finally get to Ceres Hill Rd, and the pavement ends.

Plenty of great driving and scenery.