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November is when the Puget Sound rain settles in for the long haul. The clocks went back on Sunday, November 1, so it is dark before most of us are off work, and the mountain passes are done for the season. But the dry windows still come: a cold, clear morning between fronts, with the Olympics standing sharp across the water. Keep the ride low, keep it short, and grab those days when they show up.
Ride of the Month: Hood Canal on SR-106
Saltwater on one side, evergreens on the other, and the Olympics across the canal
Cross the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on SR-16, run up SR-3 toward Belfair, then turn west onto SR-106. This is the road that follows the south shore of Hood Canal, a low, sweeping two-lane that stays right along the water past Twanoh State Park and into Union at the big bend of the canal. On a clear day the Olympics rise straight up from the far shore, and the bigleaf maples drop the last of their gold along the road. At the west end, pick up US-101 at Skokomish and head south to Shelton, then take SR-3 back north to close the loop.
It stays low the whole way, so there is no pass to worry about, and it is short enough to finish in daylight. The shaded stretches by the water stay damp and mossy long after the rain stops, so take the corners easy and watch for wet leaves and gravel tracked out of the side roads. Fuel up in Gig Harbor or Belfair, and plan to be heading home by early afternoon.
Short on time? Take the Mukilteo ferry over to Whidbey Island and ride SR-525 north toward Coupeville, an easy, low island run with water views around nearly every bend. On Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, take a minute to thank the veterans you ride with. A lot of this community was built by them.
Late-Fall Safety: Washington Edition
November is one of the wettest months of the year out here, and the short days stack the odds against riders.
- Every ride is a wet ride. Leaf mats, painted lines, grated bridge decks and rail tracks all lose grip when they are damp, and this month they are almost always damp. Cross metal and tracks square, keep your braking and lean off the paint, and leave a long gap.
- The deer are still moving. Deer work the river valleys and the wood lines at dawn and dusk, and dusk now lands right in the commute. Scan the shoulders, cover your brakes, and never swerve across the center line to miss one.
- You are riding home in the dark. Since the clocks went back, most rides home happen after dark, often in the rain, and drivers peering through wet windshields are not looking for a single headlight. Run your lights, wear something bright and reflective, and give yourself extra room at intersections.
- Thanksgiving week traffic. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. The Wednesday night before is one of the worst nights of the year for drunk driving. If you ride that week, ride early in the day and stay off the road that night.
Know Your Washington Law
- Blame gets shared, but it never shuts you out. Washington uses pure comparative negligence. Whatever share of the fault you are given comes off your recovery, but even a rider found mostly at fault can still recover something. Insurers know that, so they work hard to push blame onto the rider. Good records from day one matter.
- This is an at-fault state. Washington has no no-fault system, so the driver who caused the crash and their insurer pay. PIP is optional coverage you can add or turn down, which is why many riders lean on health insurance and UM/UIM. Check what your own policy has before you need it.
- Helmets are the law for everyone. Washington requires every rider and every passenger to wear a DOT-compliant helmet. No exceptions.
- You have three years. Washington generally gives you three years from the crash to file an injury claim. If a city, county or state vehicle or road is involved, there is an extra claim step first. Rain washes evidence away fast, so do not wait.
Ride Nation Seattle
The riding does not stop just because the rain started. The Puget Sound chapter is where riders share which roads are dry enough to ride, call out slick decks, leaf piles and washed-out shoulders, and post the shots from the good days between fronts. Post your November miles and tag us. It is your scene, run by riders who actually ride these roads.
Final Weeks for the $20,000 BikeWin Giveaway
You are already entered for a chance at 20,000 dollars toward any motorcycle you want, and the winner is drawn December 10. That is only a few weeks away. Know a riding buddy who has not entered yet? Entry is free, so send them the link before it closes.
Enter the giveaway
A driver who never saw your headlight in the early dark on Aurora. A deer stepping out on a Hood Canal back road. A slick grated deck on a rainy commute. If you go down in Washington, you want a lawyer who rides these roads and knows how the fault rules get used against riders.