Fans of Twin Peaks will recognise the landscape. The television series was filmed partly in North Bend and nearby Snoqualmie, a few kilometres from the point, and the forests, the mountains and the misty river valley gave the show much of its brooding atmosphere. Mount Si, a steep, rocky peak, looms over the town, and a famous diner still serves cherry pie and coffee to pilgrims from all over the world.
Riverbend is a small residential community on the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River, just east of North Bend, at the foot of the Cascades. It is a place of houses scattered among tall firs and cedars, along the river, with mountains rising on all sides. For riders, it is a practical fuel stop, since North Bend has fuel stations, supermarkets and fast food, and it is the last town of any size before the long climb over Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90.
A short distance downstream, Snoqualmie Falls drops more than eighty metres over a rock ledge into a gorge, a powerful and beautiful sight, especially in spring, when the river is high with snowmelt. The falls are sacred to the Snoqualmie Tribe, and there is a viewing platform and a trail down to the base. The historic Salish Lodge sits at the top.
The ride to Leavenworth and Wenatchee crosses the Cascades, either over Snoqualmie Pass and Blewett Pass, or further north over Stevens Pass on US Highway 2. Both routes climb through dense forests to the crest of the mountains, and then descend into the drier, sunnier landscape of central Washington, with pine forests and sagebrush. The passes can have snow from autumn to spring, and the weather can change quickly, so check conditions before setting out. Interstate 90 is busy and fast, with heavy truck traffic, so the old roads and the smaller highways are more pleasant.