orestes' American Adventure

[orestes]

It's been a long time planning but in 2 weeks, Thursday I'll be leaving the UK to start my American vacation.

I had originally planned to ship my own bike over to Vancouver but a friend advised me to try FlyRideUSA as they had FJR's available for rent. After some discussion I decided to join their AW2008 guided tour as, although I do not mind riding own my own, it would be nice to have company of an evening.

On Saturday I received a letter saying that they had had only one person (guess who) book a place on the tour so they were no longer able to provide a guide and that I would be on my own, and by the way we've changed the itinerary. Not a problem, thinks I, and on closer inspection it seems to be a very good route(and I've added a few touches of my own). the downside being less time in some of the National Parks (not that you can see or do a great deal in a day) and not being able to make a sidetrip to Sedona to meet up with my friends from Teerex's Pyrenees trip back in May, beemerdons and Dr Bob, and others from the SWFJR group.

So here is my route plan. Any comments, recommendations for coffee stops etc gladly received.

And if you see a FJR being driven on the left you know who it is :lol:

09/04 Arrive in Lewiston Idaho

09/05 & 06 Transfer to Joseph. Rest days. Meet up with LDRyder and help celebrate his birthday, Cheers mate.

09/07 Pick up bike (FJR of course from FlyrideUSA) 10am dep from Joseph-Elgin-Ukiah-Heppner-Condon

09/08 Condon-Fossil-Shaniko-Maupin-The Dalles (Old Hwy30)-Mt Hood-Madras-Bend

09/09 Bend-Elk Lake-Cascade Lakes Hwy-Crater Lake-Shady Cove

09/10 Shady Cove-Mt Shasta-Lassen Volcanic Ntl Pk-Chester

09/11 Chester-Quincy-La Porte (or Bucks Lake)-Challenge-Yuba Pass-S Lake Tahoe

09/12 S Lake Tahoe-Ebbetts Pass-Mariposa (may make early start towards Sacramento on US50 then E over Carson and back via Ebbetts)

09/13 Mariposa-Yosemite Ntl Pk-Tioga Pass-Mammoth Lakes

09/14 Mammoth Lakes-Bishop-Lone Pine-Death Valley Ntl Pk

09/15 Death Valley Ntl Pk-Badwater-Shoshone-Death Valley Jct-Pahrump-Las Vegas

09/16 Las Vegas-Kingman-Route66 –Seligman-Williams- Grand Canyon

09/17 Grand Canyon-Cameron-Kayenta-Monument Valley-Mexican Hat-Bluff

09/18 Bluff-Mexican Hat-Hwy 261 Moki Dugway-Blanding-Canyonlands Ntl Pk-Moab

09/19 Moab-Cisco-Vernal-Flaming Gorge-Rock Springs-Pinedale

09/20 Pinedale-Jackson-Grand Teton Ntl Pk-Yellowstone Ntl Pk- W Yellowstone

09/21 W Yellowstone-Beartooth Hwy (if open, otherwise via Cody)-Red Lodge

09/22 Red Lodge-Billings-Lavina-White Sulphur Springs-Bozeman

09/23 Bozeman-Ennis-Wise River-Big Hole Nat Battlefield-Salmon

09/24 Salmon-Challis-Stanley-Lowman-Banks-McCall

09/25 McCall-Cambridge-Oxbow-Hells Canyon Nat Rec Area-Baker City. Somewhere between McCall and Baker City I’ll be celebrating my 50th birthday

09/26 Baker City- Boise to join the IBA PNW Party and hopefully meet up with warchild, ignacio and other heroes

09/27 Chilliburger run to the Riverside Café Horseshoe Bend

09/28 Boise-Joseph to return bike back to Flyride USA

09/30 Fly back to the UK

Approx 5200 miles in total and although I expect to be sore at the end, I'm going to love every minute.

Oh. And a big thank you to everybody who has posted a picture or a ride report, they have made planning this trip so much fun. I know I will not see half the places I want to... So I'll have to start planning for 2011

 

[beemerdons]

orestes: It is a great route! But it is a shame you will be riding it by your lonesome. I have already printed your route out and have made a dozen copies. I will distribute them this coming weekend to all of the North Rim Grand Canyon Riders.

SkooterG and FJRobert are both ********, so they should be able to ride with you. Excuse me, I meant they are RETIRED!!

 

[orestes]

orestes: It is a great route! But it is a shame you will be riding it by your lonesome. I have already printed your route out and have made a dozen copies. I will distribute them this coming weekend to all of the North Rim Grand Canyon Riders.
SkooterG and FJRobert are both ********, so they should be able to ride with you. Excuse me, I meant they are RETIRED!!

Over the past few years I have found that one of the best things about riding a motorcycle is that there is always the possibility of a new friend just around the corner, and at least most Americans speak English :lol: As you know my grasp of foreign languages is very limited so, unlike in France or Spain, I will be able to take part in bar room conversations.

Flyride will be providing me with a Blackberry. Once I have the number I will post it on here so anyone can contact me if they wish, or a number can be PM'd to me and I will contact make contact once in the US

 

[wheatonFJR]

orestes: It is a great route! But it is a shame you will be riding it by your lonesome. I have already printed your route out and have made a dozen copies. I will distribute them this coming weekend to all of the North Rim Grand Canyon Riders.
SkooterG and FJRobert are both ********, so they should be able to ride with you. Excuse me, I meant they are RETIRED!!

Nope. Both you and I KNOW what you meant.

Orestes...have a great trip! :clapping: Hope you have the best trip yet. :yahoo:

 

[orestes]

I am considering changing the route for the 15th Sept.

It may now be

Death Valley-Badwater-Death Valley Jct-Beatty-Tonopah-Ash Springs-Las Vegas

 

[Big-D]

You'll be riding close by my place. I'd like to meet up with you in Kingman on the 16th and possibly ride Route66 with you to Seligman, then Williams and maybe the Grand Canyon. I'll keep a lookout for your number being posted and give you a call a day or two before you are scheduled to hit Kingman.

 

[orestes]

You'll be riding close by my place. I'd like to meet up with you in Kingman on the 16th and possibly ride Route66 with you to Seligman, then Williams and maybe the Grand Canyon. I'll keep a lookout for your number being posted and give you a call a day or two before you are scheduled to hit Kingman.

Failing that PM or email me your telephone number and I'll contact you. Hopefully by the time I reach Las Vegas I'll have a better idea of traffic conditions and will be able to give you a reasonably accurate ETA. I'll have to rely on you to pick a good rendezvous, anywhere with coffee should do.

 

[beemerdons]

Dave: Keep me in the loop, we can change things on the fly at both AZ FJR Forum and AZ Beemers. Home: 480-917-3863, Work: 602-254-1191x148, Cell: 602-722-0427, [email protected] [email protected] Do want to see you!!!

 

[TriggerT]

DAMN!, a month long cycle trip. WOW am I jealous.

NAFO this year was the longest (time and mileage) trip I have ever taken, and all it has done it light the fire to want to go further and longer. Have fun, ride safe.

 

[orestes]

DAMN!, a month long cycle trip. WOW am I jealous.
NAFO this year was the longest (time and mileage) trip I have ever taken, and all it has done it light the fire to want to go further and longer. Have fun, ride safe.

And I'm apprehensive, and excited at the same time. It's by far the longest journey I've undertaken ( I've done similar mileage over a fortnight but I have never ridden a bike for 26 days straight) and it will be very different than riding in western Europe but that's what it's all about and I'm sure that once I'm on the road everything will settle down.

 

[TriggerT]

If you have never ridden in the USA before, get ready for a new understanding of "Wide Open Spaces." You might want to see if you can get your hands on a copy of the FJR Assistance list for your trip. Just sayin.

 

[teerex51]

Wow, Dave! What a great trip! :drinks: Have a blast, my friend and take a lot of pics.

Stef

 

[orestes]

You might want to see if you can get your hands on a copy of the FJR Assistance list for your trip. Just sayin.

Already done and printed

 

[orestes]

Wow, Dave! What a great trip! :drinks: Have a blast, my friend and take a lot of pics.
Stef

Oh I intend to Stef, and with 8GB of SD cards and 12 DV tapes I don't think there'll be a shortage of pictures, probably be stopping every 10 minutes.

 

[orestes]

Arrived safely in Joseph on Friday. Had a couple of days to recover from the flights and I am now in Condon, Or after a very relaxed days riding.

Should anyone have an uncontrollable desire to contact me the number of my cell phone is:

541 480 4040.

Met up with LDRyder and his wife yesterday and spent a couple of hours feeding chipmonks on Mt Howard, followed by some local beers atTerminal Gravity brewery in Enterprise.

On to Bend tomorrow via The Dalles and Mt Hood.

As the trip progresses I'll try to post in the ride reports section.

Dave

 

[beemerdons]

Sir David: Brother, are you out there? I know you are meeting Big-D in Kingman, AZ. Any pictures coming our way soon?

 

[orestes]

Sir David: Brother, are you out there? I know you are meeting Big-D in Kingman, AZ. Any pictures coming our way soon?

I'm here (Mammoth Lakes that is). Internet connections are few and far between so have not been able to keep in touch as I hoped although I have tried to call you a couple of times. Called in at the California FODS meet yesterday and spent a couple of pleasent hours with Sacramento Mike and Uberkool before heading down to Mariposa. Many photos taken and a couple of hours of video but it may take a while to post any on the forum.

I still hope to meet up with Big-D, as much as I've enjoyed riding by myself, it will be nice to have some company for a while.

Dave

 

[beemerdons]

Dave, Here are my numbers again: Cell: 602-722-0427, Home: 480-917-3863, Work: 602-254-1191. Glad your having fun!!

 

[teerex51]

Way to go, Dave!

Enjoy your tour in the great SW. B) ...and how are the natives taking to your Southern (English) accent? (yer not from around here, huh? :lol: )

Stef