Maple May I?

The back country ride that's right in your own backyard!

Looking for a good spring warm-up ride? How about a 2-3 hour trip through the Maple and May Valley area? Located in the southeast area of Puget Sound, this ride includes great scenery, places to eat along the way and some very nice twisty roads.

What's interesting about this ride is how few stop signs and stop lights you actually encounter along the route. Instead you're treated to mile after mile of scenic stretches of roads that wind through small communities, farmland and off-the-beaten-path residential areas. What's also interesting is how few gas stations you'll actually see, so gas up before you go.

Click here now for detailed ride directions and a map

The route begins leaving the parking area at the park across from Shari's in Renton. A good starting point if you want to begin the ride after breakfast or lunch, or end the ride there before lunch or dinner. Almost immediately you find yourself on Jones Road, a nice alternate to SR-169 just across the river. When you reach the bridge, continue straight and enjoy the ride.

Once you've finished off that stretch, cross over SR-169 and make your way along the rolling hills that Sweeney road has to offer, eventually dumping you onto SR-18 and taking you to the maniacal city of Covington.

At Covington you'll exit and cross over SR-18. Eyes right as you pass by the home of Dauntless Motors, home of Jay and Tara Giese's famous hand-built motorcycle sidecar and trailer systems. Continue onward, making a right onto Thomas and another right into the beautiful stretches of the Auburn/Black Diamond road then across Green Valley road and past the Geyser hot springs area. Having fun yet? You know you are!

Your southernmost point wraps you back northward through the back roads east of SR-169. A number of river crossings, bed & breakfasts and twisties through the desolate Green River Gorge take you to the sleepy town of Ravensdale, once famous for it's history of mining and railroading. Northward you continue by crossing over SR-18 and making your way through the residential areas of Tiger Mountain.

A quick length along the Issaquah-Hobart road and you're back into farmland running along the May Valley road heading west. Beginning to wonder why you never dreamed in a million years how all this beauty is in your own backyard and you never thought of riding it quite like this?

Your final stretch takes you out to Lake Washington for a little more scenery and ultimately back to Shari's.

I remember some years ago a local area club ride captain told me all the good roads are too busy now in Puget Sound. He obviously hasn't been on this route.

TM/Winter 04

Click here now for detailed ride directions and a map