the 411 on 395 between Pendleton & Burns

[0nefazer]

Anyone familiar with this stretch of road mid September? Condition, travel speed, LEOs, weather,etc. How about Burns to Winnemucca?
Thanks,
John

[Andrew]

Darn lonely road. Cold as hell at night, high desert and all

[traveler]

Some excellent twisty bits on that route (Pendleton to Burns). Nice scenery as well.

Being a major N/S road in eastern Oregon, though not interstate, it does get patrolled by le.

Deer, elk and cattle can also be a problem, so be vigilant, any time, day or night. Don't recommend riding it at dawn, dusk or night. Bad enough during mid day.

South of Burns to Winnemucca is mostly boring, with 55mph limit and plenty of le, so watch your speed. Tickets are very expensive in Oregon.

[Yakiman]

+1 on high, lonely, critters. OR leo not that bike friendly (we're all city-hooligans, don't you know.   )

Most of P to B climbs/descends the Blue Mts (a far west spur of the Rockies), mostly pine forests breaking on high desert plains and valleys. Way-out -there aura, 'cause you really are.

Mid-Sept might want to watch for frost - part of the twisty fun is the result of the six 4000' to 5400' elv. mountain passes in the crossing. Can be cool-cold even in mid-summer.

Burns to Winnamucca... better be a desert rider (and not a pretty desert. "Are we there yet"), bring tunes. Last time through, parts (78, IIRC) of road surfaces on the rough, patchy side.

[fullsailbiker]

Pendleton to Burns is a good stretch and has plenty of beauty.  There are deserty sections, forests and interesting bassalt rock outcroppings with good, smooth roads and twisty bits off and on throughout.  It is very much worth riding IMO.  LEO's are of little concern unless you are near a town for the most part.  I have ridden all over Eastern Oregon though and only remember seeing police when there is population (town, large reservoir, state parks, etc.)  That area does not have a high population of anything but deer and jack rabbits.  If you do get popped however, it will be a pricey ticket.  My experience growing up in Oregon and getting pulled over for speeding was that I always got a ticket.  Idaho, they suggest you slow it down and send you on your way...Oregon=ticket.  
Burns to Winemucca I have not been all the way to Winemucca but I imagine it is a total drag...mostly flat, straight, and boring desert.  What I have seen I have no intention of visiting again.
Have fun.
J

[Grumbler]

Great resource: www.oregonmotorcyclist.com

Have been on US-395 btw Ukiah and Izee Rd (north of Seneca) and it's a terrific road. Never saw any LEOs.

US-395 btw Burns and Hogback Summit reeks of boredom then is nice to Lakeview.

140 east from Lakeview to US-95 an option although I have no experience with it -- have only been on 140 west of Lakeview.

Never been on 78 btw Burns and Burns Jct at US-95. US-95 blows from there to Winnemucca.

[greench440]

It's a great ride between Pendleton and US26 with a couple of passes and sweeping curves along the river.

Burns to Lakeview has been done in less than an hour.  

[UHOH]

Pendleton to Burns is a good stretch and has plenty of beauty.  There are deserty sections, forests and interesting bassalt rock outcroppings with good, smooth roads and twisty bits off and on throughout.  It is very much worth riding IMO.  LEO's are of little concern unless you are near a town for the most part.  I have ridden all over Eastern Oregon though and only remember seeing police when there is population (town, large reservoir, state parks, etc.)  That area does not have a high population of anything but deer and jack rabbits.  ...
Burns to Winemucca I have not been all the way to Winemucca but I imagine it is a total drag...mostly flat, straight, and boring desert.  ...

Listen to this guy ... also my experience ... is a prime N/S route worth doing.  
In northern part, premium gas at Pilot Rock and Mt Vernon and John Day and Burns; regular in between.  
 Good pavement/scenery.

[sagerat]

Fabulous road.  There's Battle Mtn Summit between Pendleton and OR 244, which goes to Ukiah.

The Ukiah-Dale Scenic Corridor goes along several creeks at the bottom of deep ravines.

The run from the Middle Fork of the John Day River to Long Creek (no services), Fox (no services), and Mt Vernon (two gas stations and a cafe) is lovely.  The climb from the town of John Day to the summit and descent to Seneca is a hoot.  Seneca had gas last time I was there and there to Burns is nice road, but not as nice IMHO as Ukiah-Mt. Vernon.

Also Pendleton-Dale has a couple spots of road construction.

For the route overall, think fast sweepers looping along creeks and climbing to summits interspersed with wide open, high altitude meadows.

One of my favorite Oregon roads.  

[Grumbler]

Burns to Lakeview has been done in less than an hour.  

It's 139 miles from Burns to Lakeview.  

[0nefazer]

Thanks to all. Good info and to the point.
John

[greench440]

Memory is going, I just looked at the map, it was Riley to just short of Lakeview that was done in an hour.

[Grumbler]

Memory is going, I just looked at the map, it was Riley to just short of Lakeview that was done in an hour.

Would that be Riley to Valley Falls which is at the 395/31 jct? If so, 90 miles.
The 13 mile stretch of twisties alongside Lake Abert rocks!

[XLR8]

Burns to Lakeview has been done in less than an hour.  

Cough! Ahem. I remember some guys doing that.  

[Walker]

Deer, elk and cattle can also be a problem, so be vigilant, any time, day or night. Don't recommend riding it at dawn, dusk or night. Bad enough during mid day.

And jackrabbits, don't forget the jackrabbits.  If I didn't kill that last one I hit on that stretch, I sure as hell gave him a severe limp.

[nwconk]

I remember setting out from Burns to Lakeview just after sun rise and the raod looked like a battle ground.  395 was quite literally littered with dead rabbits and some coyotes.  I guess they came out and laid on the warm road and the trucks at night just mowed them down.  There seemed to be a squashed body every 10 feet for miles.  Simply amazing.    

 

[traveler]

I haven't had any problems (yet) with jackrabbits, but you guys are right about the coyotes. I had forgotten about them. Thankfully, they're not anywhere near as dumb as the deer.

[sleazy rider]

Heh, as a Michigan native and visiting your fair area this weekend, I just rode this exact stretch.  Have you got room for one more transplant?  Good Lord, that was a hoot and so scenic and the tires aren't square any more.    My plans are to continue on 395 south to Reno(?) and then to Death Valley this week before turning to Vegas and homeward bound.