Valley Harley dealership hosting rally
Big hogs are converging in Spokane Valley later this week.
Lone Wolf Harley-Davidson is hosting the first Pacific Northwest HOG Rally at the dealership’s 11-acre property at 19011 E. Cataldo Ave.
The event runs from Thursday through Sunday.
At least 1,400 motorcycle riders have registered and many of them will be taking planned excursions across the region.
The Washington state Department of Transportation is asking drivers to look out for riders to keep things safe, especially along Interstate 90 from Spokane to Stateline.
Beth Ernst, who owns the Lone Wolf dealership with her husband, Greg, said locals are invited to check out the hogs.
“You don’t have to be a rider to come to Lone Wolf,” she said. “Whether you ride or not, it’s cool.”
The owners are just finishing up a big parking lot project so the dealership can handle the expected crowds.
Music and food will be part of the party, she said. The Harley Owners Group organization is a sponsor along with MillerCoors beer.
Volunteers from the group are organizing most of the planned events, Ernst said.
Alcohol-free rides will take Harley delegates to Lewiston, Rockford and Hauser Lake, among other destinations, she said.
Restaurants en route have been contacted to make sure they can handle a large group of riders for lunch.
“A lot of hotels have been booked in advance,” she said, adding that some of them are offering shuttle service for riders.
The PNW HOG Rally website says, “The goal of this year’s rally is to create an atmosphere where friendships are made, lifetime memories are created and fun is had by all.”
Riders from Canada and as far away as New York are expected. Among them will be the Ernsts’ twin sons, Bill and Chris, both of whom work at the dealership.
Preregistration is closed, but on-site registration will be available, according to the HOG website.
Ernst said the event will move to a dealership in Oregon next year, followed by a 2016 rally at an Idaho dealership.
U.S. 2 among regional projects
Paving projects are continuing around the region with much of the work occurring from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day.
On U.S. Highway 2, grinding and paving will be occurring between Fairchild Air Force Base and Airway Heights.
Also on U.S. 2, repaving work continues north of Spokane from Chattaroy Hills to the Pend Oreille County line. Delays of up to 20 minutes are possible. Pilot cars and flaggers are guiding traffic through the work zone in alternating directions.
To the west, U.S. 2 has a chip sealing project from Davenport to Creston.
I-90 is seeing paving work from Barker Road to Stateline.
In Spokane, shoulder work is still underway along I-90 from the Liberty Park interchange to the Havana Street overpass.
The two-year project to build an interchange at U.S. Highway 195 and Cheney-Spokane Road is finishing up with minor work items. All four ramps are now open for traffic.
Patch paving continues on Trent Avenue east of Hamilton Street to Sullivan Road.
Elsewhere, state Highway 902 to Medical Lake will have single-lane traffic on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. until about 3 p.m. for culvert repair. Traffic will be allowed to pass through the area by alternating use of a single lane.
State Highway 904 from Four Lakes to Cheney has been repaved, but now the contractor is finishing up by painting stripes and other work.
Also, state Highway 20 from Usk to Newport has a pavement repair project that will require single-lane traffic in alternating directions. Delays are possible there, too.
Little Spokane shuttle service
The Spokane Parks and Recreation Department is offering Saturday shuttle service for canoeists and kayakers on the Little Spokane River from a takeout point at Nine Mile Falls back to the launching point at St. George’s School on Saturdays through Aug. 30.
The shuttles will run hourly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a first-come basis. Minimum age is 8. Adults must accompany children under 18.
No inner tubes, rafts, dogs or alcohol will be shuttled. A state Discover Pass is required to park vehicles.
Register at spokaneparks.org or at the shuttle site. The cost is $8 per person one way.
Ongoing work in city, Valley
In Spokane, a project to rebuild High Drive from 29th Avenue to Bernard Street has been pushed back a week. The project is expected to start on July 28.
Closure of Ray Street at 20th Avenue continues for one more week while workers install piping for a new stormwater and wastewater retention tank. City officials said that when the closure started last Monday, there were a lot of drivers using neighborhood streets to get around the closure, but that problem eased after a few days.
Grand Boulevard remains under repaving work in the vicinity of Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Reconstruction of Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline continues on the eastbound lanes.
Arthur Street from Second to Fifth avenues is closed for street construction. Third Avenue at Arthur will have one lane closed.
Repaving is also occurring on Northwest Boulevard from C to G streets.
• In Spokane Valley, repaving work continues along Sprague Avenue and adjoining streets. Lane reductions are in place. Also, Progress Road from Wellesley Avenue to Forker Road is closed to through traffic today through Aug. 1 for reconstruction. Evergreen Road provides an alternate route.
• The South Perry Street Fair will result in closures on Perry and adjacent streets on Saturday for a parade at 10 a.m.