Ramble On 2007 (Day 5 & 6)

[UFO]

10 days:  No work, no agendas, no schedules...no plan!

Updated daily...assuming I have net access.

Day 1:  Yelm, WA to Tonasket, WA via Hwy 20 - 355 liesurely miles

Yes, this is my first road trip in a LONG time.  I'm flying solo on this one...which I kind of like since it fits my personality and allows me to do whatever the hell I want, when I want.

Fearful of getting dumped on (as it poured at our house most of the day on Wednesday) I woke today to partly cloudy skies.  But knowing I was heading over a Cascade pass I still donned my ancient (and recently waterproofed) inclimate weather gear.  I had to pop in to town real quick to pick up some emergency cash.  Then what?  Head north on I-5 to Burlington?  Oh hell no.

I went up 18 to I-90, then jumped on Fall City road (203) until it hit 2, which in turn hit 9, which in turn spawned 530 which splits through the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.  Was it the quickest way to intersect 20?  Nope, but it was a far more interesting path.

At Darrington I stopped and fueled the bike (50 mpg first check) and myself for the push over the pass.  As I stood at the gas station I received the obligatory stares like I was dressed in a spacesuit and piloting an X-wing fighter...and had to field the obligatory questions like "How much did that cost?" or comments like "I'm gettin' me a 650 one of those.  Look honey, I want the 650 version of that."  "That?"  She says as she looks at the bike and rolls her eyes.  Yeah, please forgive me...it's not a Harley.

Enough chit chatting with the cast of Deliverance...I've got RVs and boat towing dualies to get stuck behind!!  Up Hwy 20 I went, leap frogging pollution belching RVs and a pack of bikes heading to Winthrop as we all took turns at various places to take a picture or a leak.

Once I get to the "top" of the pass where there are more oppotunities to pass, and the sweepers are plentiful...I'm able stretch the FJRs legs.  Thankfully not a copper to be seen or it would have been a bad start to a good trip.  But the lack of speed tax collectors soon changes.

I roll into Winthrop, and the place is packed with munchkins running around with ice cream, old people with walkers in crosswalks, and lots of bikes.  Something going down?  Dunno.  Tourist traps give me the willies...I'm outta here as soon as the people vacate the crosswalks!

After Twisp I keep following 20 over Loup Loup Pass.  Nice road, almost zero traffic going my direction.  I lock in behind a car that's going a reasonable speed and hold her steady.  Good thing.  Three bikes go by the other direction...followed by a cop.  Then another cop goes by.  During this 20 mile stretch in to Okanogon I pass no fewer than 5 marked copper cars. All going the other direction.

I roll into Okanogon.  It's warm...but not hot.  But the FJR doesn't even like "warm" it wants to be moving a subsonic speed to stay nice and cool.  I contemplate swapping off my crappy weather gear for my backup gear.  Nah..I push on to Tonasket where 20 splits off across WA state to the east...towards Sherman Pass, drier climates, and forest fires.

Tomorrow should be interesting.  Will I hit some forest fires?  Will my untrained and out of shape ass be able to sustain 10 days on the road?  It has no choice.

(select pictures..I will only be doing 4 image uploads per day.)

[Stargzrgrl]

Go Skipper Go!!!

About time you got some time off!  

[Puck]

Why didn't you upload the self-portrait?!    

Great job on the 2nd photo, btw.

Ride safe!

[JimWilliamson]

Enjoy!

10 Days - no plans???  Stop over and I'll buy the burger-n-beer!

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Why didn't you upload the self-portrait?!    

Ride safe!

No one says that you couldn't do it, Puck  


Neal - glad to see you finally get out of your cube. Enjoy your time to yourself  

[ol Rocket]

Wow.  Just like old times.  The Skipper actually rides a motorcycle!

[Headmanbrewing]

Way to go, Skip.  Looks like a good start to a great trip.  Have fun!

Scott

[stefrrr]

Why didn't you upload the self-portrait?!    

Great job on the 2nd photo, btw.

Ride safe!

Is this Mrs. Skipper?  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Is this Mrs. Skipper?  

That be she  

[stefrrr]

Welcome!  

(Take the VFR out while the skipper's gone. That'll teach him for selling your bike.   )


By the way, great pictures! Sounds like fun & have a good time!

[bizarro]

  Woot!

[bubba zanetti]

Sherman in the rain eh Skip??  ... pissin here tonight. Still that is a great road especially from your side.

Ramble on ... eh ?

Got no time to for spreadin roots,
The time has come to be gone.
And tho our health we drank a thousand times,
Its time to ramble on.

Ramble on,
And nows the time, the time is now
To sing my song.
Im goin round the world ....

 

I am no serious fan ... but get the Led out ... eh? ... best soundtrack I could find ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoBvVXluE0M

[bobmielke]

Nice ride report with great pics. I've recently started returning to solo rides myself, not because I don't enjoy my two riding friends but just to be alone. My photography demands frequent stops sometimes to get the photo angles and lighting just ride and I don't like holding others up to do so. Anyway I'm glad you're posting amd look forward to seeing more of your journey.

[MK96xj]

Great job on the 2nd photo, btw.

Ride safe!

+1
that second shot is sweet

enjoy the ride

[UFO]

Updated daily...assuming I have net access.

Day 2:  Tonasket, WA to Pullman, WA via Hwy 20 - 370 miles

I've discovered that the last 4 years of doing no real long distance riding has wreaked havoc on me.  Halfway through day 2 my knees really began bugging me.  The riding position of the FJR is fairly relaxed, so it must have something to do with the angle my legs are forced into when feet are on the pegs.  I don't recall my knees ever aching this bad on the VFR.  My ass is also showing it's lack of conditioning.

I got a late start out of Tonasket after a slow breakfast then dealing with my debit card while trying to get gas.  I've found gas stations to be a little like the Twilight Zone.  In this instance an older dude with beard and an accent I couldn't quite figure out walked around the pump and said "Ken you help meh work this thing?"   I look around the pump and see that he's driving a nice, late model Jeep Cherokee. How the hell do you drive a nice rig like that and don't know how to work a gas pump?  So I show him the ropes then set out east in Hwy 20 towards Republic and eventually Sherman Pass.

The morning is cool and partly cloudy.  Traffic is light.  Even so I'm often stuck behind ramdom trucks or RVs crawling up the hills, then hauling ass on the down side.  The road is prettey decent all the way to Republic.  I roll through and head for Sherman Pass where they are in the process of repaving the entire pass.  At the beginning of the construction area I stop to snap a picture of the regrowth in the valley after a fire roared through 20 years ago.  I then queue up with the other traffic waiting at the flagger.  Of course the line consisted of one RV, and about 10 cars.  So we all get to following this RV over the entire pass.

Unfortunately there's no fun to be had on Sherman Pass this summer.  A small part of it is brand new, oily blacktop.  The rest of it is grooved, chewed up blacktop prepped for re-paving.  Next summer this will be a stellar road, and will deserve the Destination Highways rating it earned.

The rest of the ride down to Lake Roosevelt, Kettle Falls, and Colville is uneventful.  Outside Colville things get interesting again.  There are construction signs all over saying "Motorcycles Use Extreme Caution" and "Loose Gravel" without any work.  I noticed the pavement is extremely smooth, like all the tar had welled up to the surface.  All of this makes me paranoid and I take it easy.  It looks like this section of 20 is going to get a fresh chip seal very soon...the bane of motorcyclists everywhere.

The tighter twisties give way to excellent pavement and high speed sweepers just east of Crystal Falls Park until 20 dumps you into Tiger along the shores of the Pend Oreille.  I turn south and head to Sandpoint.  When I get there I realize why I hate that place...all highway traffic is diverted right through down town.  Hey, this might have been a great idea in 1940.  Not such a hot idea in 2007.

I stop of gas south of Sandpoint (50 mpg again)...and rest the knees.  I'm on 95 heading south, and traffic is terrible.  95 is the only main highway between north and south Idaho.  So I get in line and behave myself until I'm through Coeur d'Alene.  South of town 95 is a brand spankin' new 4 lane interstate for quite a few miles.  I believe the state has plan to eventually make 95 a 4 lane all the way to Boise...and it needs it.  The speed limit should be about 120 the road is so nice...but it doesn't last and eventually the new construction ends and I'm back on craptastic Idaho asphalt.

At Plummer I hang a left and head towards the Rocky Point resort where I spent a lot of summer days during my childhood.  It's a Friday afternoon in July...you'd think the joint would be jumping.  It's not.  It's a ghost town.  The lodge/restaurant has been shut down (inside gutted).  The beach is empty.  The dock is deserted.  I saw about 6 people there the entire time.  I remember as a kid the parking lot was jammed, boats all over on the water, boats lined up on the dock being stocked with provisions, kids running all over, etc.  Pretty sad.  What do families do these days?  Shove money in their kids hands and tell them to get out of their sight and go to the mall?

Time to go...too depressing.

I head back to 95 and jet down to Moscow, ID where I lived for about 20 years and went to college.  Things haven't changed much.  Lots of new construction on campus though.  I ride up to the administration building and snap a quick picture.  Had to belive it's been 17 yeards since I receive my bachelor's educashun.

Time to head to Pullman to crash at my mom's.  The highway between Moscow and Pullman is completely gutted to be converted to a 4 lane...or perhaps 6 lane.  The excavation seems insanely wide to extend the current 2 lane by 2 more lanes.

I know...too many words.

[Nimh]

Great stuff UFO - looking forward to more installments.  

Lolo Pass to come?

[info]

I like the shot in the first series with the helmet.
The silver bike? That is slower than the blue, isn't it?  

[UFO]

Updated daily...assuming I have net access.

Day 3:  Pullman, WA

Off day.  Spent the day with my mom...it was her birthday.  

[UFO]

Updated daily...assuming I have net access.

Day 4:  Pullman, WA to Dillon, MT via Lolo Pass - 425 miles

I got a late start out of Pullman.  It was almost 9:00 AM by the time I finished getting packed, getting gassed up, and talking to a guy from AZ at the gas station about the FJR.  Someone who actually  knew something about bikes and the FJR in particular.  I head straight for Lewiston and am reminded by the foul stench going down the steep grade that there's still a wood pulp processing plant on the river.  Before Lewiston I hang a left at the Clearwater River and find myself on the familiar Hwy 12 on the way to Lolo Pass and Montana beyond.

The road is fairly mundane until 95 splits off from it and 12 crosses to the south side of the Clearwater.  Some of the twisties actually start here, even though it's...ohhh...a good 80 miles from the now famous "Winding Road, Next 77 Miles" sign.  Traffic is light, but I eventually get stuck behind two tractor trailers.  I decide it's time for a break and spy a small beach.  So I pull over and cool my heels for a bit, putting on my mesh jacket as it's beginning to heat up.

Once back on the road I get stuck behind very few cars the rest of the way to Lolo, MT.  Once I hit the west side sign I pull over for few shots...then the fun begins.  Notice the ST.N sticker (just below the "77") in the west side sign shot below.  Hwy 12 is popular with some members.

The next 77 miles are spent at about 70 mph with not a cop in sight.  Most of the corners are of the 35-45 variety, the sweet spot between the tight stuff and real high speed sweepers.  Just get in a groove and the next thing you know you're at the top of Lolo Pass taking pictures in front of the east side sign.  There's not stopping during this stretch unless you have an emergency...it's too much fun.    I have to say that today's ride between Lewiston, ID and Lolo, MT was one of the best riding experiences I've had in many years, even though I've ridden and driven the road several times already.  If you're anywhere near N. Idaho, you have to try to spend the afternoon on the Hwy 12.

Just past the east side sign is a rest stop.  I pull over and relax in the shade and grab some snacks from my bags for lunch.  All the while tank topped and helmetless cruiser riders pull in and turn around to head back to Lolo, MT...a mere mile from where the good stuff starts on the Idaho side of Hwy 12.

As I head down the pass into Montana things begin to heat up.  In Lolo I fuel up (51.3 mpg, despite the twisties) and start hydrating big time.  I turn south on 93 heading towards Lost Trails Pass.  As I pass a business I notice the temperature says 105.  The cool thing about Montana is the normal speed limit on shitty roads is 70, but everyone drives 80.  Speed limit on moderately nice roads is 75.

At the top of Lost Trails Pass I take a break to cool down, then head east across Chief Joseph Pass on 43.  The speed limit is 70, but once you get past Big Hole National Battlefield you might as well open it up to 100 if you have a bike capable of sustaining that speed.  43 intersects 278 and they both traverse the high plains plateau (6000+ feet alt) between the Salmon National Forest and the Beaverhead National Forest.  There's nothing to be seen as far as you can see but grasslands and cattle herds.

I spent about an hour cruising close to 90 and saw the ocassional farmer's truck.  If you ever find yourselvs on these roads, don't be afraid to open it up.  If you don't you will literally pass out from boredom and wake up in a ditch somewhere.

I roll in to Dillon at 5:00 PM.  Look at my maps.  Hmmm, it's about 130 miles to West Yellowstone.  That would put me in at 7:00 PM at the best.  Oh wait..time zone change...make that 8:00 PM best case.  Meh...I'll stay in Dillon tonight.  No more 9:00 AM starts for me.  When I hit the hotel I was starving.  So what better way to relax than a little dinner with ST.N.

On a positive note, my ass is returning to form already.  On day two my ass and knees where really bugging me.  At the end of today they were only mildly annoying.

[Nimh]

  Whoohooo!    Enjoy Lolo.  We're planning on hitting that stretch in late August.  Looks like a blast.  

[Busa@11K]

Looks like the pizza man took a bite out of one of the slices ... looks pretty good though.  Nice roads and nice weather ... what more could you ask for?  Ride safe and have fun !!

[servicerifle]

It's refreshing to see a forum owner out doing the thing that the forum is about...it doesn't happen much.  Enjoy your ride, we're enjoying your report!

[Ant]

On a positive note, my ass is returning to form already.  On day two my ass and knees where really bugging me.  At the end of today they were only mildly annoying.

Sorry Skipper... We don't need to know the state of your ass    
Great report so far, must be damn nice to get a 10 day stretch of time off to just ramble around... Maybe next year  

[November]

It's refreshing to see a forum owner out doing the thing that the forum is about...it doesn't happen much.  

Great point!

Enjoy your ride UFO! Great report so far (and awesome pics).

[bizarro]

Woot!  

[Tyrroneous]

You ride?  





















Great report so far Skipper!  

[bomber]

10 days! Good for you!

Get some, Skipper!

[UFO]

Updated daily...assuming I have net access.

Day 5:  Dillon, MT to Montpelier, ID via Yellowstone and the Tetons - 380 miles

Today was going to be one of those days.  I should have known better than to use Yellowstone as a means go get south, but I wanted to at least check out a couple things.

I cut over from Dillon, MT and used backtroads to hit 191 in to West Yellowstone.  Once there I spent some time dodging tourists walking through crosswalks while texting on their cell phones (Yes, in Yellowstone ) and grabbed a bite to eat.  I really wanted to hit the border of Colorado by the end of today...but my stomach was bigger than my eyes.

I enter the west gate along with a continuous line of sightseers.  The first tool (of many) that I encounter today is a guy in his car who slams on his brakes in front of me.   Why you ask?  Because of the bright red sign that said (can't remember exact wording):  "Bald eagles nesting.  No stopping.  No standing.  No leaving roadway."  To emphasize the point the park had also placed a row of bright red cone about 50 yards in length on both shoulders of the road.  Did this stop the mouthbreathing dumbass?  Nope!  I'll just stop in the middle of the focking road, get out, and hold up everyone else.  Awesome.

It's starting to warm up and I can see thunderstorms brewing on the edges of the caldera (that's Yellowstone for the n00bs who don't know that the entire park is a volcano's crater).  Traffic is slow.  I'm being tailgated by some bitch in a mini-van.  I have to continually watch for people in front of me slamming on their brakes to take pictures of...beetles, pinecones, hills, and the occassional buffalo.

I pull into one of the parking lots that services one of the many geisers (can't remember which one I stopped at).  Parking lot is full.  People are driving rented RVs down the lot in the wrong direction (they work as a loop), screwing up everyone else doing it the right way. I shoehorn in between two cars, hide my helmet under my coat, and pray that all my shit is there when I get back.

I hoof it around the wooden walkway through the stinky pools and vents belching sulfurous fumes.  All in all it was pretty cool, but hiking around in boots and textiles pants makes one hot..and makes for strange looks.  I get back to the bike...everything is still there. But not something I want to do on a regular basis.  Okay, onward to Old Faithful then I'm heading south.

Yeah.

So I get to the Old Faithful complex area and it's like the beginning of the superbowl.  Cars as far as you can see and not a free spot to be found.  Buses lined up to hell and back, belching desiel fumes into the Yellowstone air.  Thousands of people running around.  The FJR was already in the mode that allows for cooking a full breakfast on the gas tank (more on this later)...so I decide to bail.  There SO much to see and do in Yellowstone that I plan on taking the cage (and the wife ) and making a couple days out of it.

I hop back in the queue for the road around and out of the park.  It takes FOREVER to get the hell out of there, and it seems even longer when you're trying to get out.  One of the thunderstorms rolls over the south entrance.  I'm geared for it, but since I'm gong 35 mph it's like sitting in the middle of the road in a torrential downpour...no wind to keep some of the rain off you.  You're bound to get wet somewhere.

I'm hot.  I'm a little wet.  Figuratively speaking the FJR is literally glowing red...and I'm going nowhere.

To make a long story short:  I make it out.  Loop through the Tetons.  Get gas in Jackson and consider stopping I'm so beat already.  Jackson is a complete nuthouse and the FJR starts glowing white.  I head out and decide to bail on Colorado due to needing to be back in Spokane, WA by Friday.

I stop in Montpelier, Idaho (very SE corner) and get a room pretty late in the day.  380 miles that took forever and beat me worse than my Iron Butt ride.

[UFO]

Now, a little about the FJR before I post Day 6 (today).

I have a serious love/hate relationship with the FJR.  Most days I love it...perhaps 80-90% of the time.  The rest of the time I absolutely hate it.  Yesterday (Day 5) was one of those days.  While Day 4 was a great motorcycling day, Day 5 was one I wish I could forget despite seeing some beautiful parts of the country.

Given the right circumstances this bike will literally fry your nuts and inner legs and you have no hope of cooling down save pulling over and stopping for the day.  Here are the circumstances:  A very warm to hot day and a single instance that allows the FJR to become heat soaked.  All it takes is being stuck in a mild traffic jam and the FJR will go so damn hot that it's painful to hold you hand on the gas tank, even with a tank that is over half full.  Fluids can act as a great heat sink, especially when there's a 145 hp engine with almost zero thermal management sitting right underneath it.  And once that gas has reached it's transient temperature (which is pretty quick on a warm/not day when stuck in traffic) the only way to cool it off is to just pack it in for the day, or fill it to the brim as fast as physically possible and get moving at 70+ mph before this new gas can get heat soaked.  On Day 5 the FJR ran at 3 to 4 bars the entire day.  I only manage to get it down to 2 bars very late in the afternoon by getting back on the road away from traffic.  Even they it would pop up to 3 bars the instant I had to slow down to 45 mph for small towns.  It would take 15-20 seconds (yes, I timed it) to pop back up to 3 bars.  But they it would take about 5 minutes to get it back down to 2.  This is how BAD the FJR (at least the gen 1 bike) can be when heat soaked.

On warm/hot days if you can manage to minimize stops and keep moving at 70+ mph the entire day...it does fairly well other than engine heat blowing on the shins and some creeping up into the crotch area.  But it's nothing like when the entire bike is soaked with heat...and I mean the ENTIRE bike (handlebars, plastic, subframe, everything).

This has been my first real long stint on the FJR through all type of weather (so far).  On Day 4 it performed flawlessly.  Yesterday I wanted to chuck it into a geiser in hopes it would cool it off.

It's a deal breaker for me at this point.  It took me 4 years to make a decision that I've been tossing around in the back of my head.  The FJR is an astounding bike for cool weather riding at high speed.  If it warms up and you have to make frequent stops it's an unbearable mount.  The search for a replacement will begin this winter.

Now, the real question is:  How did Yamaha not know about this issue?  Let me rephrase that.  Why did Yamaha release this bike knowing of this issue?  There are two paths that led to the oven that is the FJR.  1)  Test riders didn't do their job or kept their mouths shut.  2)  Yamana management/marketing shrugged and pushed it to market knowing that "heat" is an accepted byproduct of high performance engines.  While part of this last statement is true, it's complete bullshit.  The fact that Yamaha redesigned the thermal engine management on the Gen 2 FJR indicates someone screwed the pooch along the line...or that it was pushed to market by management/marketing.

Oh, and don't give me the typical crap like "Well, teh ST1300 is hot.  Teh Concours is hot."  Etc.  Yes, other bikes have thermal managment issues too, but I'm talking about the FJR.  I don't care about those other bikes right now.  Go ride them and burn your nuts.  

My 2 cents.  YMMV.  Have a cookie.  Yadda, yadda, yadda.

[UFO]

Updated daily...assuming I have net access.

Day 6:  Montpelier, ID to Winnemucca, NV via Salt Lake plateau and I-84 - 530 miles

Soooo...my original plans of western domination (Colorado passes, Grand Canyon, and Monument Valley) were far too ambitious to be met if I have to be back in Spokane on Friday for a wedding.  Taking backroads to visit said places also doesn't save much time. So they will have to wait for another day.

The plan for today was to scoot over the Wasatch mountains into the Salt Lake Basin, jump on I-84 and haul ass for the Bonneville Speedway, then far across Nevada so I could cut up into Oregon and play for a couple days.

Here's how it went down...

I make an early, pre-dawn launch today to avoid the potential of high desert heat should I run into it.  I had about 300 miles under my belt by 11:00 AM and that included stopping for bre'fas (as Bubb Rubb would say).  I took 89 out of Montpelier and crossed the Utah border.  As I climbed the pass above Bear Lake I met the sun about halfway up and snapped a picture.  89 is an interesting road.  Parts of it have brand new blacktop, other parts look like remnants of the Roman empire.  The center section is rife with tight twisties paralleling a stream...full of blind corners and oily, rough blacktop.  To top it off it looked like a deer haven.  Being that it was just after dawn and I was following a waterway in a valley...I played it save and cruised into Logan.

From Logan I cut down to I-15 and the only instance of near mayhem on the trip...of course it involved another human.  A guy was coming up behind me fast on I-84, so I signal and move over.  This jacktard, of course, assumes I'm a left lane bandit and swings over to the right to pass me at a high rate of speed.  It was close.  Impatient fucker.  Is anyone surprised that my only near mishap involved another human on a busy interstate?

I work my way down to Salt Lake City, dodging oblivious cagers.  I merge on to I-85 and peg it.  The speed limit is 75.  Yeah, right.  The road has like 3 bends in it until just before the Nevada border.  I pass the Great Salt Lake and its marshes on the right.  It stinks.  I see no attraction there myself.

I make it to the Speedway pretty quickly considering the distance.  It wasn't what I expected.  Not sure what I expected...but I didn't imagine it would be under water in July, with trash strewn all over and the entry sign full of bullet holes and graffiti.  I like the version that lives in my mind's eye better.  I had at least wanted to take the FJR out a ways and take a picture.  No go...not unless the FJR grew paddles.  There were only two other people there at the ramp that normally leads down to the salt.  A couple having a picnic on the blacktop who spoke German.  

The rest of the day was uneventful...except for the massive rain squall I saw approaching from a good 10 miles away giving me ample warning to thrown on my rain jacket.

I roll in to Winnemucca at about 3:00 PM at 530 miles and call it a day.  Hwy 140 and 95 lead up into Oregon from here...and that's where I intend to go next.

[Orson]

That sums up my experience of Yellowstone...and that was back in the 80s.

It's probably twice as bad now.

you can plop down in the middle of the Amazon and there will be two German tourists sitting there eating lunch  

[Busa@11K]

It's a deal breaker for me at this point.  It took me 4 years to make a decision that I've been tossing around in the back of my head.  The FJR is an astounding bike for cool weather riding at high speed.  If it warms up and you have to make frequent stops it's an unbearable mount.  The search for a replacement will begin this winter.

Too bad Yamaha didn't get it right the 1st time ... but the 2nd Gen FJR sounds like they worked out all the flaws that got past the first attempt.  I'd definitely keep a new model FJR on the new bike list.

One bad day out of 6 isn't bad.  If you were working instead of riding you're odds would be much better of having a higher "bad day ratio".  

That's strange that the salt flats would be under water in the middle of summer.  Wonder when they are dry?  

[stefrrr]

At least the water on the salt flats made for a good picture.  

[bomber]

is anyone sruprised by your near mishap on the interstate?

'course not

when Nebraska had two (count em, 2) motor vehicles, they managed to hit eachother

glad is was a miss, Skip -- and thanks for the posts!

[UFO]

Updated daily...assuming I have net access.

Day 7:  Winnemucca, NV to Redmond, OR via Crater Lake - 535 miles

I didn't really plan on doing 535 miles today, but decided to hit Crater Lake again at the last minute.

Left the booming metropolis of Winnemucca at about 6:30, heading north on 95.  I stopped to check the FJR's oil level in a turn out after everything was warmed up as it looks like yesterday's sustained high speed interstate miles in UT and NV may have burned a tad bit of oil.  But the FJR is a weird beast.  You can check the site window and it looks lower than you expect.  Ride it.  Check it again and the sight window is completely covered with oil.    Anyway, oil level within the norm, so I press on.

At the 140 junction there's the dreaded "Men Working"  "Fresh Oil"  "Loose Gravel" signs everywhere.  The Subaru that was a ways ahead of me goes past the 140 cutoff, then I see him put on the brakes and turn around in the middle of the highway.  Either he's lost or he doesn't want his new cage (temp plate on it) to get mucked up and would rather drive the extra miles to wherever he's headed.  Me?  I planned on taking 140 anyway...so I avoided the chip seal BS.

I turn on to 140 and see a ribbon of asphalt that stretches to the horizon...and I know that no state patrol are going to be patroling this road.  In about 75 miles of high speed cruising...I see all of 10 cars, maybe a little less.  At the Denio Junction I see a guy on a pearl white K1200GT taking a breather.  Nice bike.  I think he was staying at the same hotel.  He later passes me as I take a breather in a turnout at the top of a pass.

At the Oregon boarder the lunacy of their 55 mph blanket speed limit hits me square in the face.  After spending most of the morning at 80-90 mph average, 55 mph feels like I could literally get off the bike and walk...yet the roads were just as straigh, albeit rougher than shit compared to Nevada's pavement.  I end up ratcheting it down to 70 since I'm still in the middle of nowhere.  Hey Oregoon...Newsflash:  it's not 1978 anymore.

Just before Adel, OR I pass a hang glider launch site.  The picture is pretty deceiving.  It's a long ways up.  And the 2 lane, 8% grade road winds it's way down the cliff to the basin below...with not a single guard rail.  

On the other side of Adel the road gets more interesting for two reasons.  First because it's twisty.  Second because there's...poo...EVERYWHERE on the road.  I'm not talking about the random pile of horse crap you may see on a rural road.  I'm talking cow shit everywhere for a stretch of about 3 miles.  I can only theorize that the cows are herded across the road to other pastures? Hell, I dunno...but it made some of the corners kind of troublesome.  Oh, and some of that shit spray up on my Sidis.  Now I can officially say I wear "shit kickers."

I gas up in Lakeview and forget that I'm in Oregon...but the guy lets me pump my gas anyway.  I head towards Klamath Falls and get turned around in town trying to find 140 that goes up the left side of the lake, but I find it eventually.

It's nice and cool up on the crater rim, and the chipmunks are frisky.  I swear a group of them were going to jump on me looking for food.  So I break out some peanuts (probably not supposed to, oh well) and they go crazy.  One of them seems dominant, and stuffs so many peanuts in his cheeks that he looks like he's gagging from having too much peanut buttery goodness in his mouth...kind of like what dogs do when you give them peanut butter.  I was

Time to shoot for Bend, OR and call it a date.  Note to travelers:  Hwy 97 north of Klamath Falls is pretty much hell on earth.  And the closer to Bend you get, the closer to hell you're getting.  Avoid it if possible.  You've been warned.

Bend has an old town layout that hasn't aged quite well.  This FJRs tank is on mile 290 or so and the last bar just started blinking...and of course it takes me forever to find a station since all of them are "downtown," meaning leave 97 and drive around until you see one...as opposed to seeing big station signs sticking up and "Exit here for gas" type signs.  It was rush hour, and looking for a hotel was turning in to a PITA, so I cruise up to Redmond and find one in a matter of seconds once there.

[UFO]

More pics for text above.

[Busa@11K]

Note to travelers:  Hwy 97 north of Klamath Falls is pretty much hell on earth.  And the closer to Bend you get, the closer to hell you're getting.  Avoid it if possible.  You've been warned.

So what's the deal on 97?

You should have buzzed over west of Portland to take a look at the "Spruce Goose".  It's there in a museum ... forgot the name of the town, but it's about 45 min west of Portland.

So you're heading home then cagin' it to Spokane?

[R Doug]

Note to self, avoid going through Yellowstone on motorcycle.  

Seriously, is there a good and bad time of the year to travel through Yellowstone?  And, I'm assuming it's the peak season for tourists now?

[UFO]

Going through Yellowstone is fine on a bike.  But if you have lots of valuable gear/gadgets draped across it during every stop it sort of takes the fun out of it.

97 is hell because it's bumper to bumper traffic on a 2 lane for 150 miles or so with a 55 speed limit.  Ugh.

I was fairly close to home so I zipped home yesterday and caged it over to Spokane with the wife for the wedding.  I'm not sure my rear tire has another safe 1000 miles in it fully loaded anyway.  I expected more mileage out of the Avon's, but I can't complain about them...great tires.

[JimWilliamson]

Thanks for the write up!

So what bike is high on The List?

[UFO]

Thanks for the write up!

So what bike is high on The List?

List is too long to display, lots of great bikes out there.   Also will wait to see what's announced in Sept.  Probably just BNG...but I have to wait and see.

Off the top of my head, bikes I'm interested in and will definitely look at:
ZX14
K1200GT
K1200S
R1200GS
Tiger
2nd Gen FJR?
C14 (only mildly interested after reading reviews)

I have plenty of time to make a switch.

[phlatlander]

Skipper,
I feel your pain when it comes to heat.  I'm looking for a nice summer sport-touring machine and thus far the wee is at the top of the list.  I have to keep the connie, just does some many things right and for 2-4 months out of the year it works well for where I live.

I bought a 98 vfr but after countless electrical problems I will never trust the bike so its at the consignment shop, bye bye.

Good luck with your search.

[stromgal]

I'm very grateful that I saw Teton/Yellowstone the second week of June, before all the vacationers appeared.   There were very few people around when I went through this year.

Good report, and hope you find a bike that doesn't have you singing "The Christmas Song."



('chestnuts roasting on an open fire.....')  

[toddrod]

hmmm.....Skipper made a ride report? Is it April 1??  


   nice report dood

[Caveman]

Good stuff.    Wait a minute... no 08 Busa on the list ?