We Love Our Wing

Angela & I are first time participants in a newly formed event called the Big Money Rally (BMR – www.bigmoneyrally.com) We have no idea why it’s called that as the only promised prize is a t-shirt but this one includes visiting sites nationwide.  We’ll stick to our local area but should still earn the 121 points necessary to “pass”.  Though it still has the simple goal of taking a picture in front of something, this tour has lots of aspects to it.  First, this is a “winter” rally, running January 12th to May 12th.  Second, all the pictures are to be taken and submitted with cell phones (smartphone required). And, then, there are the lists.  They call all locations “bonuses” and there will be three bonus lists.  The first is available now, the second will appear around April 1st and the third will be shared just 48 hours before the end of the event. The first list has the categories of Non-riding, Theme, Event and Post Offices.  They breakdown like this: Non-riding bonuses – 5pts for printing and laminating your own placard rather than having them provide one (which we did!).

Theme Bonuses – Categories in categories! There are 4 themes the first 3 of which are: Summit/Elevation signs,  National Park signs, and  Shriner Hospitals. A picture of your placard in front of each designated location is worth 3 points.

The last theme is Int’l Borders/Alaska.  Pictures of crossing an international border or into Alaska (if you don’t already live there) will earn you a whopping 15 points! We might pop up into Canada this year!

Event Bonuses – 5 points each for attending four selected rally events. Angela and I won’t be getting any of these as they’re not in any neighboring states.

Post Offices – 850 to be exact!  Worth 2 points each. All this fun is wrapped up at Noon on Saturday May 12th.  There is a banquet in Nevada for those who can attend…and we just might!

Well, last weekend both of us were getting a bad case of cabin fever and needed to get out of the house for some fresh air and a little saddle time on the Wing. So, not having visited any BMR sites thus far, we saw this as an opportunity to make that happen. The weather outside was grey and cloudy but for the most part dry so we decided a day ride was on order for the day. Along with the BMR sites we were also going to visit a couple more Wing Washington sites along the intended route.

So heading out our plan was to visit the Lacey public library (Wing WA),

continue on to the Satsop Post Office (BMR),

Copalis Beach Post Office (BMR),

Pacific Beach Post Office (BMR),

then travel up to the end of Hwy 109 to get our post office picture (BMR) in Taholah where the Quinault Indian Nation is headquartered.

Then on the return trip catch the PO in Moclips (BMR).

Then, last but not least, to eat dinner at Lana’s café at the Hoquiam Municipal Airport to get a Wing Washington in the $100 Hamburger bonus category.

Starting out the weather hadn’t changed much but the further south we traveled the clearer it became. And, by the time we hit Olympia, the skies were blue with scattered high clouds and welcoming sunshine. Much to our surprise the weather stayed calm and sunny all the way to the coast. Funny thing about Washington – you really never know what you’re going to run in to. Seeing how the Lacey library was our intended first stop, we decided to eat at the Lacey Denny’s to fill the bellies before the day’s journey. After a good hot meal our first stop was just around the corner. Getting the picture quickly, it was just minutes before we were headed west towards the coast. Driving down highways 8 and 12 towards the coast isn’t exactly my favorite ride but this day the miles seemed to melt away. I think partially due to us having not been on the Wing for sometime we were just glad to be riding. The fact that the weather cooperated this day made the tarmac easier to ride. The ride to Satsop, Copalis, Pacific Beach, was filled with smiles and great pavement. Before heading in to Pacific Beach we toured the quaint beach town of Seabrook. We’ve driven by several times before but hadn’t stopped since years ago when they first began building. But, because we were not on a time schedule and the weather was still sunny and bright, we rode through the towns narrow but welcoming streets. It’s a cute place and I can see why people may want to buy or rent the houses here. After a brief 10-15 minute drive through the town it was off to our other destinations. Over the next couple of hours we visited the intended sites and before we knew it we were done and ready to head back. We aimed the bike for Lana’s and it’s a good thing we did – we thought they were open until 8 but it turned out we arrived just shortly before they closed at 5pm.  While the shake was the best chocolate banana shake I’ve had in years, the rest of the food was just okay. Although you wouldn’t know it from my full belly.

But really the shake was the best I’ve probably had in more that 10 years.

Our Spruce Goose visit had resulted in a much better meal. (pictures below taken earlier on a previous trip and used just a visual reference)

Still it was fine and we got our qualifying Wing WA pic

before riding off into the sunset for home.  It was a nice, mellow ride home and we were surprised to discover we had traveled a total of 261 miles for the day. This particular ride was just a whim and I’m sure glad we followed our gut and got out of the house. That evening we arrived back at home refreshed and invigorated. Neither one of us even really dreaded going to work the next day. It’s the little life adventures that make up who Angela & I are. And hopefully there will be many years and thousands of years ahead of us.