Got the new tires and oil change in Bend OR, dropped the bike at a stop sign (nope, wasn't in first and feet were already on the pegs, as I stalled) and broke off the right peg. Ordered another online to be delivered to my cousin in Marin County. Road 1,000 miles using the highway peg and passenger peg - not so bad actually.
Took off from the Bend campground just as it started to rain. Pulled off in Sisters for coffee and wait out the harder rain. Continued on over the MacKenzie Pass - Rt 242. Woulda been much nicer if dry. Stopped drizzling when I reached Proxy Falls so took a short hike. Took Forest Rout 19 (paved) south. Woulda been much nicer if dry. Lots of rocks awaiting me right around most corners, so took it slow. At Westfir I needed a break and stopped to ask about B&Bs. Was invited to spend night in a guest room.
Next day took Rt 58 east over Willamette Pass. Woulda been much nicer if dry (and cloudbase had been 1000' higher) AND if the jerk somewhere ahead of me hadn't dripped oil every 5 feet (spreading to a foot in diameter on the wet pavement). Hope his engine failed in the middle of nowhere!
Took Rt 97 and Rt 138 to Crater Lake. Beautiful. Snow everywhere. Only 3 bikes in the lot and all three ridden by women. Continued on Rt 62 to 140 to Dead Indian Memorial Road - all nice and dry. Found a great campsite outside Ashland OR. Great oatmeal stout at the Standing Stone Brewery restaurant.
Took I-5 south to CA and bailed onto Rt 96 for a long ass ride to Eureka. Nice scenery, but it could have been 100 miles shorter.... Stayed in a Victoria B&B in Eureka and next day headed south to Leggett and then over to the coast on Rt 1. Going south is way better than going north. You're on the ocean side and it seems like most folks (and esp the prairie schooners) were heading north. Dry road the whole way. NICE!!!
At my cousin's place in Fairfax, I put the new foot peg on the bike and stayed off the bike until I left a few days later. (Fabulous eggs Benedict on fried oysters instead of ham at the Hummingbird Cafe in Fairfax!)
Eventually was on my way on I-80 to Sacramento, bailing onto Rt 50 for the Tahoe Lake area. Spent three nights there - lovely!!! Then back on Rt 50 to Pollock Pines for 6 days of jazz camp (reason I was carrying the soprano sax all this way).
Took Rt 50 over Echo pass early Saturday, August 6, heading for Ely NV. Cold Springs saloon was a great place for a late breakfast. I loved the desert. Stayed at the historic Nevada Hotel in downtown Ely, along with about 20 other bikers. They offer a discount to bikers.... Didn't spend a nickel on the slots.
Next day was Basin and Range day across the rest of Nevada on 50 and on into Utah, turning north for Delta, where I had breakfast. The road was so empty, it was amazing what I was able to do while parked in the lane of travel....
Took Rt 31 out of Nephi going south. Unhappy bikers clumped behind a caravan of prairie schooners going the other way, slowly, the curves. Took 10 south out of Huntington to the short cut (now paved) Rt 803 to I-70/Rt 50, going east. Spectacular scenery in this section. Pity the poor trucker with smoking brakes by the side of the road.
Had to call it quits for the day a little past Montrose CO at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Nice campground. 573 miles that day. :08:
Had breakfast next day in Gunnison about 60 miles further east. Spending a couple days in Salida CO at a friend's house, then will be off on the third and final leg via Garden City KS (who named it that!), Bartlesville OK (gonna be hot), Jasper and Mountain View AR, Dover TN, Brownsville KY, Chillicothe OH, and then home sweet home, Harpers Ferry WV.
Took off from the Bend campground just as it started to rain. Pulled off in Sisters for coffee and wait out the harder rain. Continued on over the MacKenzie Pass - Rt 242. Woulda been much nicer if dry. Stopped drizzling when I reached Proxy Falls so took a short hike. Took Forest Rout 19 (paved) south. Woulda been much nicer if dry. Lots of rocks awaiting me right around most corners, so took it slow. At Westfir I needed a break and stopped to ask about B&Bs. Was invited to spend night in a guest room.
Next day took Rt 58 east over Willamette Pass. Woulda been much nicer if dry (and cloudbase had been 1000' higher) AND if the jerk somewhere ahead of me hadn't dripped oil every 5 feet (spreading to a foot in diameter on the wet pavement). Hope his engine failed in the middle of nowhere!
Took Rt 97 and Rt 138 to Crater Lake. Beautiful. Snow everywhere. Only 3 bikes in the lot and all three ridden by women. Continued on Rt 62 to 140 to Dead Indian Memorial Road - all nice and dry. Found a great campsite outside Ashland OR. Great oatmeal stout at the Standing Stone Brewery restaurant.
Took I-5 south to CA and bailed onto Rt 96 for a long ass ride to Eureka. Nice scenery, but it could have been 100 miles shorter.... Stayed in a Victoria B&B in Eureka and next day headed south to Leggett and then over to the coast on Rt 1. Going south is way better than going north. You're on the ocean side and it seems like most folks (and esp the prairie schooners) were heading north. Dry road the whole way. NICE!!!
At my cousin's place in Fairfax, I put the new foot peg on the bike and stayed off the bike until I left a few days later. (Fabulous eggs Benedict on fried oysters instead of ham at the Hummingbird Cafe in Fairfax!)
Eventually was on my way on I-80 to Sacramento, bailing onto Rt 50 for the Tahoe Lake area. Spent three nights there - lovely!!! Then back on Rt 50 to Pollock Pines for 6 days of jazz camp (reason I was carrying the soprano sax all this way).
Took Rt 50 over Echo pass early Saturday, August 6, heading for Ely NV. Cold Springs saloon was a great place for a late breakfast. I loved the desert. Stayed at the historic Nevada Hotel in downtown Ely, along with about 20 other bikers. They offer a discount to bikers.... Didn't spend a nickel on the slots.
Next day was Basin and Range day across the rest of Nevada on 50 and on into Utah, turning north for Delta, where I had breakfast. The road was so empty, it was amazing what I was able to do while parked in the lane of travel....
Took Rt 31 out of Nephi going south. Unhappy bikers clumped behind a caravan of prairie schooners going the other way, slowly, the curves. Took 10 south out of Huntington to the short cut (now paved) Rt 803 to I-70/Rt 50, going east. Spectacular scenery in this section. Pity the poor trucker with smoking brakes by the side of the road. Had to call it quits for the day a little past Montrose CO at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Nice campground. 573 miles that day. :08:
Had breakfast next day in Gunnison about 60 miles further east. Spending a couple days in Salida CO at a friend's house, then will be off on the third and final leg via Garden City KS (who named it that!), Bartlesville OK (gonna be hot), Jasper and Mountain View AR, Dover TN, Brownsville KY, Chillicothe OH, and then home sweet home, Harpers Ferry WV.
