Brokeback FJR - A ride report told from 2 Perspectives

[Hudson]

The next morning, even the ******* Harley riders beat us out of the parking lot.

While Sportsguy was painting his nails, I’m chomping at the bit to get going.

C’mon, Sportsguy, C’mon…..

 

[sportsguy]

Patience dear David. Beauty takes time, mate...

Friday morning dawned bright and sunny again. After proving that 32 db noise canceling ear pugs are about 8 db shy of the required levels needed to block out the snoring of a cave man, we grabbed a light breakfast at the hotel. As we were packing, an older gent approached me and started talking motorcycles. He rides a 990 Adventure modified to fit his 5'2" stature. In his arms were scads of the maps we'd found the night before. Turns out Hutch (his name) was the map maker. He rides all the roads, makes the maps (printed 133,000 of them this year) and sells the advertising to all the businesses in the region. And he covers a bunch of regions. Hell of a nice guy After we'd finished packing, we blew out of town like a dragon's fart - hot and insistent.

 

[Hudson]

Hutch is my grandfather’s brother from another mother.

I miss my grandpa. If only he rode a 990 adventure, lowered six inches, like Hutch’s. Nah…I’d miss him even more.

 

[Intech]

Good stuff! Keep it coming!

 

[sportsguy]

Day 2, from a rational POV...

Day 2 was to prove to be an epic riding day. A few deer spotted, one lunatic in a field in what appeared to be a black Motoport riding suit and the most back water gas stops I've ever been to. This day, those roads, the entire area - the communities, the people, the views, ...they were responsible for changing my view of the entire state of Oregon. Now I want to be there! I want to go back there!

For the FULL effect,

Honestly, I could go on about the areas and roads we hit on Day 2, but if you haven't been there, you would struggle to reach true enlightenment. I'll spare you the angst.

Lunch was tasty and desert was better! Union OR...

 

[Panman]

The only good thing about not being able to go with you two is that I'm so slow I wouldn't have started laughing at your first joke yet!

Between never takes a breath and never slows down I'd have never caught up!

 

[Hudson]

The only good thing about not being able to go with you two is that I'm so slow I wouldn't have started laughing at your first joke yet!Between never takes a breath and never slows down I'd have never caught up!

Oh Kevin, that's what is so adorable about you. Your unbridled optimism that someone actually laughed at our jokes first.

 

[Hudson]

WooHoo Moment number 2.

We leave Sumpter headed towards Granite. The roads have just been freshly paved the week before.

There is no one on the road.

Somewhere a little fairy sprinkled fairy dust on Sportsguy and I and waved her wand three times.

“And so you shall”.

The fresh pavement didn't stop for miles and miles and miles....

 

[escapefjrtist]

You two are like a box of chocolates...never know what to expect!

<<snip>>While Sportsguy was painting his nails, I’m chomping at the bit to get going.

C’mon, Sportsguy, C’mon…..

Classic Hudson - I'll be saving this little gem!

--G

 

[sportsguy]

End of Day 2...

Due to the state of transient housing in the area during our time there, we ended up in Ontario OR for the night. The hotel was unremarkable, if clean and handy enough for a short walk to dinner. Yes, we had salad again. In fact, every lunch or dinner we enjoyed was complete with salad.

Naturally, to ensure you knew you were still in the state that wants to be weird, despite the gravitational pull of Idaho scant miles away, Ontario stepped up with gem about...your spouse...

 

[FJRay]

Great report Sir. I head for those roads as often as possible. Not sure about the fairy dust part but that new pavement is almost orgasmic.

 

[FJRBandit]

You guys are ******* nuts! I mean that in the least broke back way I know how. I wanna party with you, I think.

 

[Niehart]

The only think I noticed so far is ...

v

v

v

Great RR.

 

[Hudson]

End of Day 2...
Yes, we had salad again. In fact, every lunch or dinner we enjoyed was complete with salad.

SportsGuy is really proud of his salads.

Of course, they accompanied:

Burgers washed down with Pie ala mode.

Steak bites dipped in beer batter, fried and served with nummy sauce.

And then an ice cream soda chaser.

Salad. An excuse to binge eat.

 

[thompsonian]

Oh dear lord....the food ****....

..... I think I gained about 10# and got diabeetus as well.....continue on fine gents...continue on

 

[Intech]

Well that 8 second video was well worth it as it was followed by 201 seconds of this **** video!

 

[Fontanaman]

Too much fun. Of course it is always fun when you are Riding in the Box aka the roads in NE Oregon from Hwy 197 to Idaho, south of Washington and North of Hwy 26. Any two lane road inside The Box is likely a terrific motorcycle road.

It was really cool to meet the map maker. That map is worth it's weight in gold. Just pick a road and you can't go wrong. The Oregon State BMW club holds a rally in John Day Oregon on Father's Day every year. Great rally. Many years ago I used to ride a BMW and happened upon the map due to attending the rally. That map was the best thing about every owning that old BMW.

 

[sportsguy]

After lunch, we spent a few minutes looking at the tires on the FJR again as we knew they were going to be done by the time we reached Hudson’s garage again. or so we thought. For as it turned out, the chip sealed roads were eating through what little rubber Hudson had on the FJR when we started at an alarming rate. Our money was on the front giving up the ghost first, it being an odd triangular shape at this point. The rear was flat, and starting to show an odd wavy patterns on the centerline...

 

[Hudson]

I had a klong** on the way back from Union.

I was enjoying the nice twisty bits at a friendly pace, when the rear of the FJR suddenly stepped out a good foot.

Thanks to my mad dirt riding SKILZ, I was able to catch the slide before it launched me high side-like.

When we stopped in Baker City, the rear tire was well below the wear bars and the front was cupped and squared off. These weren't even close to the tires I left home with, the day before and just 800 miles earlier.

**Klong: a sudden rush of **** to the heart.

 

[sportsguy]

I had a different view of things...

Through the dappled sunlight, I could see the loose gravel and sand on the road surface. The cloud of dust kicked up by Dave with his heroic save was impressive! But the rear of his bike moved, maybe, at most, a good 11 inches...so he exaggerates, as usual.

We argued whether the loss of traction was due to tread depth or surface coverage. Dave felt it was a lack of tread depth. I knew it was the sand...

I also knew that we were both grateful for the circumstances and Dave's quick reactions - combined, they helped us avoid a rough situation, as the road at that location sloped down and away after the shoulder petered out, so it would have been a dusty slide into the nearby field had the rear kept sliding out.

The rest of the day ended uneventfully. We got to Ontario with no further drama, found viddles for dinner and started formulating a plan for Day 3.

...and as Day 3 dawned...

We started slightly later with a visit to a local motorcycle shop, having agreed that we need to address the rubber elephant in the room. The rear tire was toast. The front remained viableish. Did the shop have a tire? Yes they had a tire that would fit, no they couldn't get it done for us. Fine. Screw you. We're outta here. And gently, like a newborn turtle's first strokes in the ocean, we drifted out of Ontario. That morning saw us traipsing through beautiful agricultural farm land.

The view was breathtaking at times. It's always humbling to watch agriculture in action. The scale, the importance, the equipment, the commitment - all impress me.