The original plan for this years was that I would ride up to Brads house Friday morning. We would attend a quick meeting for work (his idea, not mine). And then be on our way. We were going to ride the east side of Cour D'alene Lake. Hop over to Kellogg, where his wife would get off and drive the Jeep that they had left their earlier in the week. Then loop back around and home.
Well, a storm rolled in, and since Brad and his wife are pansies, they decided that they were not going to ride. Now, just so you don't think I'm being mean, calling Brad a pansy is probably one of the nicest things I've called him. And pansies are pretty... I've always like pansies, ever since I was a kid and my mom had a patch of them next to the house. All that said, the storm was a nasty one, so... this years long ride was postponed by a day.
Since Brad and his wife had other things going on Saturday, they were not going to be able to ride. Brad mentioned that he would still like to do the planned ride (less Kellogg cause they still had to get the Jeep Friday), so I decided to go a different route. The new plan was to go down to Enterprise, cut over to Elgin, up to Walla Walla and then back around to Lewiston.
Come Saturday morning, at 6:41, I put my leg on and said, let's get this thing going. (I had been moving a bit slow before that.) I spent the next hour getting the bike loaded and getting me dressed for the occasion. It was still a bit chilly out after the storm passed.
Once ready, I took a quick picture to document the departure, and then I did.
It was 7:55 as I headed for Clarkston.
I didn't push as hard going up Asotin grade today, like I did last weekend when I went to Bogans Oasis for lunch. With the cargo I had strapped to the bike, I didn't want to knock anything loose. On the other hand, going down Rattlesnake grade did turn out to be a little more exciting. Not because I was pushing it, but because there was a deer in the road. In the video, you can't see it (due to lighting) until it moves out of the shade and heads away from the road. (Keep your eye to the right.)
I was tempted to stop at Bogans for a little something, but I decided not to, so I continued on my way up into the Oregon side of the canyon. I passed a slow moving truck and a car pulled over for me and after that, it was a clear road.
As I came out of the canyon headed into the Enterprise area, I had to stop and check out Scott's place.
Here is the view from his front porch.
And a view of his front porch.
Hey Scott, remind me again why the "owl"?
After getting the fences locked back up, I continued my way into Enterprise.
I pulled into the gas station and began debating with myself. It was still early and the GPS showed I would be getting home a bit after 13:00 (I think, it was 13:?? something anyway). After some back and forth and reviewing the map and distances, I pulled a Scott and said, this ride isn't going to be long enough, we're going off script. I decided to add Hells Canyon Overlook as well as the Dam. (Very much similar to my first longest day ride with Scott.) I filled the tank to the very very top, cause it's going to be a while until the next station.
Heading down to Joseph, instead of heading straight for Hells Canyon, I went through town to stop at Wallowa Lake first.
On my way, there were these two deer on the side of the road eating the neighbors lawn, as if they weren't in the middle of town.
(Not the best quality picture, as it was taken by the drift as I was riding by.)
At the lake, there was a couple that had gotten there a little before me on their bike.
I parked next to their bike.
I took a few pictures and returning to the bike, I got out my water for a drink.
The couple returned from taking their pictures and we chatted for a minute or two about our different trips we had each taken over the years.
We then wished each other a good ride and headed our separate ways.
My way was back over to Imnaha highway and into the hills I went. Soon, I came to the Wallowa Mountain Road, which I turned onto. I pulls off the side of the road for a bit to check the Drift. The battery was dead, so I changed batteries and put the old one on the charger. You know, since I got these faster micro SD cards, I don't have near the problems with the Drift camera anymore. Once all was set and the camera was running (just in case I came across something note worthy), I was on my way again.
As I was moving along, I took a corner where someone had pulled off and was taking pictures of the creek. (Big Sheep Creek @ N45 10.9' W117 3.236')
I slowed down, did a quick u-turn and went back to take a picture or two myself.
As I pulled up, he asked "where ya in from?" and when I said that I'm doing a loop from Lewiston he asked about Highway 12.
Sounds like he will be riding a portion of that road in the coming days.
He was just finished up, so he headed out and I got a couple pictures.
Once back on the road, it took me about 14 minutes to catch up to him. You could tell he was taking his time and enjoying the ride. When we came to a straight stretch, he waved me by and I was back up to speed.
It was warming up, so I took the opportunity to remove a couple "keep warm" items and switch to my thinner gloves. After I was done taking pictures and getting some water, I headed back down to the main road. Reaching said road, I pulled off just to double check some things. The GPS, when you get into some of these back country roads, doesn't always know where there is a road and where there isn't. This next stage of the trip was like that, but I was pretty sure I knew where I was headed, so I took a left and was on my way.
I made the Oxbow turn off, and was down the road a ways, when I pulled off to double check my location against my way points. Everything lined up, so I continued on my way, but it wasn't until I passed Scottys that I knew I was in the right place. Scottys is where I bought a set of ear plugs on that first ride.
I crossed the river at Oxbow and was on the last stretch to the dam. You know, it's a lot further than I remember between the turn off and the dam. It was also much busier this time compared to when Scott and I were here in 2006. Granted, that year it was a week day, and this was a Saturday.
The Drift battery was charged and the one in the camera was low, so I changed them.
I took some pictures.
The jet boats were out in force.
A lady asked if I was Brasilian, she mentioned that they had seen my do-rag (Brasilian flag) and wondered. Her husband is Brasilian. He was turning around the motor home. (Brad, it was about half the size of the one your buying.) As they pulled up on there way out of the parking lot, I had a chance for a short chat with him. I think his wife thought it amusing when I asked "de onde é?" and we spoke in Portuguese. He is from Port Alegre. I believe this is the second trip I've been out in the middle of no where and run into a Brasilian. (the first being my 201408 Oregon Coast 2nd try trip)
I pulled out of the parking lot one car behind them. At that first almost 180 degree turn in the road, the car pulled off to the side. As I took the turn, I brought one back wheel off. No, I wasn't going fast. With the turn being as sharp as it was and the road had a slight lift or bump on the inside edge, it didn't take much to lift it off. I wasn't in any danger, in fact I know that... Well, let's just say it only lifted a little bit off the ground, you know, like when I chirp a tire, but I wasn't even going fast enough to chirp it when it came back down. At the first safe place I was able to pass the motor home. Before I made it to Oxbow, I was passed by a couple motorcycles.
This time by, I stopped at Scottys.
I did a lot of calculating and checking and double checking information.
I decided I could make it to Baker city.
Before heading out, I had a short chat with some other bikers that were there. They asked where I was coming from and headed to. They were also headed to Baker City, but then they were headed south, where I would be headed north.
I went inside and bought an Ice cream Sandwich. The guy running the register asked if I would sell him any ones. I told him, I only have two. He said, oh well, to which I replied, you don't have any $2 bills. He said that he saves those for his kids. I have a few saved off as well.
Once my sandwich was gone, I climbed back on board, just as the motor home with the 1/2 Brasilian family pulled in. I waved to them as I was pulling away.
Now, I knew it would be close, but by my calculations, I would still have about 5 or so miles before running out of gas when I got to Baker City.
(When you carry an extra gallon of gas, you get brave like that.)
FYI... On my Harley, when you get below 10 miles on the Range display, it quits telling you how far you can go, and instead it just says LO RNG.
See, I have a picture.
I did make it to the gas station and I put in 5.158 gallons, in a tank that is supposed to hold 6 gallons. See, I still had plenty of fuel.
That said, I should have had a lot more miles on the Range display if I really had .845 gallons still in the tank.
I'm guessing that when I filled up I didn't squeeze it to the full 6 gallons.
The trip said I got 205.2 miles but I forgot to reset it at the pump in Enterprise, but I don't think I was too far down the road when I did.
Before leaving town, I stopped at the subway across the way for a 6" to tide me over. It also gave me a little chance to rest, but I was soon on my way.
Now, it was a straight shot up I-84. When I entered my way points, my GPS was set to calculate the fastest route, so it took me into Pendleton. As I was coming up to La Grande, I started playing with the GPS and did find, when calculating the shortest route, I could take the exit there. I chose to go on to Pendleton anyway.
In Pendleton, I dropped onto highway 11 heading north-east.
After 125.5 miles (since Baker City, not Pendleton), I stopped in Milton-Freewater for my last fill up of the trip.
The signs to get to highway 12 in Walla Walla really need to be updated. They took me into a very residential area.
The rest of the ride was uneventful.
Pulling into Clarkston at about 21:00 and pulling up to the house at about 21:10.
This last leg was 115 miles.
I took a couple pics and then unloaded the bike.
The trip was about 533 miles, taking 13 hours.
And finally at 21:49 I took my leg off and said, that's enough of that. (Ok, I didn't really say that, but it sounds like a good ending.)
