Many Thanks to you all for the wonderful tips !Just making those last minute preperations and wanted to post a "Thank You"
My wife is waiting on me to get packed (she has had her bags packed and ready to go for 2 weeks) !
Gotta Go
Oregon Awaits Me !!!!!!
John
The 2006 Oregon Trip Was Wonderful !
What a Great Time we had in the Wild Wild West !
Day one was a short ride after work that took us west across Pennsylvanoa and into Ohio.
Day two took us west across I-8o through Omaha Nebraska in 110 degree temps and on into Kearney, Nebraska which earned my wife an, Unofficial 1000 Mile Saddle Sore for the day ! She's a real trooper !
Day three took us on across I-8o to Garden City @ Bear Lake Utah, then west to rt 15N up into Pocatello,Idaho. The Plains States are now behind us so we call it a night and look forward to slowing down the pace a little to enjoy the mountains and some of that good ol Northwestern Scenery !
Day four takes us up through some back roads, and through the Sawtooth Mountains, and on up to Lolo, Montana for the night.
Day five sees us across the Lolo Pass ! I have dreamed of riding this road for many years ! Wonderful Ride ! Over to Lewston where we caught the Spiral Highway. I must say that it took a couple of trips up and down before it released its "Grip On Me" and let me proceed. We traveled south on the Rattlesnake Grade (Another Wow Here) and on down to Enterprise, Joesph, Wallowa Lake.
from there we went across to Hells Canyon overlook then over to Halfway,Oregon to spent the night.
Day six takes us west across Oregon, thru Bend, and south to the north side of Crater Lake. Checked out Clearwater and Toketee Falls ( Man Eating Mosquitos Here) so we ventured on down to Crater Lake.
The west loop was recently cleared of snow, and was open to the south entrance, but the east loop was still closed for snow.
Went south to Gold Hill, near Medford and called it a day.
Day seven takes us west thru Rogue River, Grants Pass, and on to what I though was going to be an awesome twisty road, that that turned into a very narrow cow path of a road, Nf-23 across to Gold Beach. It turned out to be a very interesting road. I guess I was just ready for some agressive twisties !
On up the Oregon Coast we go! Very Beautiful ride here. Stopped at the "Crazy Norwegians" for lunch. then continued on up the coast to Tillamook, and headed back east to Portland.
Day eight, nine, ten, eleven spent with my kids in Portland. Daughter is going to Oregon College Of Arts And Crafts. My son came in from Pasadena, Ca. for a couple of days to visit.
I did escape a shopping day, as I had to get a rear tire due to a nail I picked up back in Hells Caynon. I plugged it but it was leaking down slowly. So while the kids/wife went shopping, I rode up to Sunny Side,Washington for a tire. Great people here at Sunnyside Yamaha. They really go out of there way to take care of the customer. These guys know, what Customer Service is all about ! Plus, it was a nice ride up and it got me out of shopping for the day.
Due to not having room in the small car we did manage to ride the bike over to Astoria,Or., for a day. Lots of Cops on this road !!!
Day twelve, we break away from the family thing and get on with the Adventure. Over through the Columbia River Gourge to Cascade Rocks, A couple of water falls here, then across the "Bridge Of The Gods" and up rt 14 to Mt Saint Helens.
This place is simply amazing ! A real shocking, eye opening experience.
On up to Mt Rainier for another wonderful day of awe and beauty. Took the low road into Mt Rainier State Park, turned around and did it in the other direction then cut north onto the high road into the Sunrise Visitor Center.
Back out of the park and went north on rt410 to Buckley for the night.
Day thirteen. we went west and up I-5 then east on rt 530 thru Arlington, Darrlington. and on up to Rockport and hit rt 20 east across Washington. Stopped at the Boffalo Run Restaurant. for lunch and hit the first rain of our trip which lasted the entire way across rt 20 and, i might add, as hard as I have ever seen it rain at times. Cars, pulling over hard !. it did produce a lot of Rainbows however. We never did find the Pot Of Gold though. Spent the night in Newport. Had a Great time with some locals in Kellys Bar.
Day fourteen we went through Clacier National Park, and down rt 89 to Great Falls, Montana.
Day fifteen sends us south into the North Entrance to Yellowstone, then east to rt 212, and up over one of my favorite roads Beartooth Pass. We rode almost to Red Lodge, than turned around and did it in the other direction. I Love This Road !
Had a Big Harley Rally @ Red Lodge so I had to put up with a bunch of Harleys plugging up the roads and slowing down even the mini vans but I also got to blow buy some of these guys that hog the whole road and think that are really going fast with all the noise and all.
Come across The Chief Joesph Highway, and into Cody,Ywoming, then on over to Greybull, Wyoming for the night.
Day sixteen puts me east on rt 14 across the Big Horn Mountains, for some good ol High Speed Sweepers and a few nice technical twisties.
The rest of the trip is just back across I-90 east, south to I-80 ,east across the Hot, Flat,Straight, Boring, did I say Hot ? As in 120 degrees in South Dakota ! It actually burned my skin when my jacket sleeve moved up my arm exposing my skin. We had to keep our face shields down, as the wind was Too Hot on our cheeks otherwise.
That was brutal ! Never experienced anything like, that but according to the locals that was very hot to them as well.
We had a Great Time. Racked up 8600 Miles on the 04 FJR which puts me at 68000 trouble free miles with the valves still within the original specs.
Thanks again to all that offered suggestions on where to go, and what to see. Hope to get back out soon.
Matter of fact my wife said she wants to go into the Canadian Rockies for next years vacation. If I could only figure out how to get around the Plains States. Sorry to those that live there. Im more of a mountain kind of guy !
John (Scar Butt)
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