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Don, can belive how good those spot shots are. We saw ya peeing in the bushes.
Can't believe he squats when he pees --must be either a CA thing? or a Gen2 thing?

-->Thoughts and all things good with you in the next days Donnie, -and if possible, take a bit of time to relax while you're away from the Hondarosa -a break does the body good.

 
Don, can belive how good those spot shots are. We saw ya peeing in the bushes.
Can't believe he squats when he pees --must be either a CA thing? or a Gen2 thing?

-->Thoughts and all things good with you in the next days Donnie, -and if possible, take a bit of time to relax while you're away from the Hondarosa -a break does the body good.
He's only packing 3-7/8"??? (obviously Mr. Carver is not an Irishman!) Oh well, maybe Don can get the full 4" in the hot tub!!! Have a very safe and truly relaxing ride, mi Amigo dcarver.

 
Not off to an auspicious start.. picked up a migraine at 1000, and now a late meeting. But I'm going. Will stop if I feel unfit to ride. Woot Woot!
Don, very sorry to hear about your migraine headache, nothing worse than that! You may want to stop at Denny's and have a cheeseburger, it'll make you feel lots better. Have fun on your OR trip!
Dear Mr.beemerdons,

I just wanted to let you know;

That was the funniest thing I have seen on here in a long time!

Thank You,

DudeWado

 
well, I tried to time it so I rode I-5 around the time Don was coming through town. The boy was traveling fast from Wolf Creek through Green and on to Roseburg. I tried to catch up but that candy butt beat my marshmallow ass.
Hey, Shiny, Thanks for trying! I did see an 03 or AE (they all look the same) heading southbound. I didn't see your PM until this AM. At least I got you out of the house and riding a bit!

Don,I'm sure you have a full itinerary, but if you have a few spare hours, the Evergreen Museum is less than 30 miles away from Salem and I highly recommend it. Hope your visit with your Dad is a good one!
Interesting - at first I thought you had typed 'Everclear', lol. Time is kind of tight - probably won't catch it this time.


Don, can belive how good those spot shots are. We saw ya peeing in the bushes.
Can't believe he squats when he pees --must be either a CA thing? or a Gen2 thing?

-->Thoughts and all things good with you in the next days Donnie, -and if possible, take a bit of time to relax while you're away from the Hondarosa -a break does the body good.
Thanks John, even a boring wet slab slog is better than working for a living, eh? :lol:


Don, can belive how good those spot shots are. We saw ya peeing in the bushes.
Can't believe he squats when he pees --must be either a CA thing? or a Gen2 thing?

-->Thoughts and all things good with you in the next days Donnie, -and if possible, take a bit of time to relax while you're away from the Hondarosa -a break does the body good.
He's only packing 3-7/8"??? (obviously Mr. Carver is not an Irishman!) Oh well, maybe Don can get the full 4" in the hot tub!!! Have a very safe and truly relaxing ride, mi Amigo dcarver.
Yeah, but when you saw it, I had it folded in half! I well over 6.25 on a good day. Whatcha doing looking at my junk anyway? :rofl:
 
...Whatcha doing looking at my junk anyway? :rofl:
If you look at Don's posts...that's pretty much his full-time mission around here. :lol:
Just trying my very best to help out, what with Old Michael and Bustanut joker taking a Sabbatical. You'd think RadioHowie would step forward and try to help out his Papa Chuy with this damn chore!!!

 
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"There goes any chance of an early start" I thought as I mashed the alarm button to OFF. "No need for ALL of us to be up early *and *wet". The little $44 AmericaInn room was very nice - thick walls, lots of hot water, a very comfortable bed, and a heater that could heat the entire town of Corning.

Next stop, Weed, Ca. It's a force of habit to stop a Weed, and grab some good food at Silva's. Paradoxically, Silva's is owned by a Korean couple. The lady owner, Silva? (yeah right) really warmed up to me when I blubbered Komsehomada, my bastardadization of 'Thank You' in Korean. I told her of my adventures in Seoul, Pusan, then WalleyWalley sp? She said she had retired but got bored, so they bought the restaurant. Some retirement I thought.

It was raining up the hill into Weed, but I only had 20 miles to go. "You should stop and put the outies on" said the angelic voice of reason. "No, you wimp, just keep riding, it's *only* another 18 miles. How wet can you get?" asked the voice of Satan.

Evidently, one get really wet in about, oh, say, 15 miles or so.

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Silva's restaurant in Weed, Ca

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Shasta Lake is full! Last year, this lake was so dry I could see dead dinosaur bones at the bottom.

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After breakfast, just kept toodling up I5. At least the scenery is actually 'scenery' once north of Redding. Most mountain passes were shrouded with cloud layers, disppersed by the warming, rising air. Don't see that everyday, and I said a grateful Thanks for the day.

Five things I've learned on this trip so far:

1. STP added to an oil change *really* helps smooth the FJR shifting process. RadMan was totally right.

2. Running a bottle of Chevron Techron through once in awhile will now be a regular agenda item. CrZy8 has *noticeably* smoothed out at idle, under full load, and when just cruising.

3. Use hotel room shampoo on the visor to help disperse rain drops. Not as good as RainX, which attacks the plastic, but it sure is better than nothing! Nothing to this rain-riding stuff after a feller has a chance to try a few things..

4. Extending the 'warm-air' flaps really DOES bring more heat onto the rider. In 40F temps, mesh gear and light pants, it was noticeable. It was cool weather, low 40's to 50's.

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Flaps out!

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5. The warmest air flow around the plastic is lower, rear, on surface outside!

It's always fun to hi-jack your own thread!

Why do so many people in Oregon smoke? Good grief, it seems like 70% of population smokes, at least when driving.

Check out this guy's new ride - I'm not sure if the trailer can handle the load...

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Oregon rest stops have turned into Beggers Ally. They position their location right by the restroom and accost you as you enter. If you don't give some money, you'll receive a muted '**** you, bastard'. At least I did.

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You know you are in OryGun when you see logging trucks!

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Eating and Riding isn't for sissies. Especially when eating salted goodies and reaching into the bag with an exposed finger. A grinder got me 2 days earlier, and the band aid had fallen off. I'm a rough tough CBAR! :rofl:

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This pix for my niece. When she was little, she thought this paper mill was a 'cloud maker' when she saw the steam billowing out of the stack. Today, no steam. I wonder if the enviro's or economy has killed it? Near Albany, Or.

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I only saw 3 moto bikers on the road today! What a bunch of wimps live here!

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Dad's old house - it still looks good. Seems weird to not pull into the driveway, use his tools and WD40 and what not..

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I arrived in Salem about 1500, found an Arby's. We don't have them where I live, so it's always fun to have a very unhealthy Arby's Roast Beef Combo. But it's ok, I sprinkled some Lipitor right on top of it, so all is good now.. :lol:

The Aux Tank? Completely not needed on this trip. But nice to have. I found fuel for $2.71 per gallon, Chevron, and filled up the tanker. On day 1, it was nice to not worry about stopping, that I *could* have kept going if not for my CBAR sickness.. :rofl: Come to think about it, traveling with an Aux Tank ROCKS!

I'm writing this in Arby's, no WiFi. I'll need to find a hot spot somewhere. I'm a day early for my Old Folks Room (OFR). Guess I should get several things done.. like find the place, find a RiteAid for band-aids, possibly get a hotel room. More later!

 
Day 2, Later

Reality check. Let me die young or least relatively healthy. I don't want any of what I've seen in the last 6 hours. None of it. The staff here at Avamere are very friendly and helpful, my $50 per night apartment is very nice, although decorated for someone in the 70-80-90 range. I need to take pix. But... the smell of urine. Is everywhere. Perhaps I'm hypersensitive to it, but it just is. It reeks. The old folks in the 'Independent Living' section look at me like some hellion from the Hells Angels. I commented on this to Pops, he just laughed, heartily. Bless his soul.

On the elevator, a couple joined in. After pleasantries, I asked "So how do you like it here? Do the staff treat you with dignity and respect?"

They could tell I was a 'young visitor'. The old man scowled a snarl, then looked away. Little did I know.

What followed was a 3 minute, ions long eternity lasting diatribe from the old woman.

"I hate it here. It's not my home. They made me move. None of my things are here. My family and kids never visit. I'm a nobody. I wish I were dead."

That folks, is Readers Digest condensed version.

The old man seemed like he still had some juice left in him.

I should have snapped a digital pix, but just could not.

Her last words, spoken while exiting floor 2, were chilling - "Don't become us."

Ok then. Freak level running at 8 of 10 - I still have not seen Dad and Mom, I'm still wet n' cold and hot n' sweaty from two days on the road, and already the heavy-leather overhand right has landed square in my fragile old folks home psyche.

Seeing Dad, and Mom, was especially good. Dad still has is indomitable spirit. Bless his heart. He can only see bright lights now, so like a ship at sea under duress heads to the lighthouse. He as 4 lights to navigate in their small living quarters. Mom seems to have relaxed a bit regarding Dad's blindness. She used to very curt, almost cruel. Tonight, she offered helpful clues to locate his chair - "Just to the right Walt, and back somewhat'. I wondered if it was just show for me or if a new leaf has been turned.

Soon enough, 2045 rolled around it was time to say goodnight. I hate to see my once proud, strong father in this way.

Then again, I'm simply overjoyed I can still talk to him, and he is still mentally sharp.

So many conflicting emotions.

Let me repeat the opening statement. I NEVER want to be here. Death, for me, is better. We all have values and choices in life. This is mine. Maybe, in the long run, Tim (TwoWheelNut) had it right, jes sayin, :****:

I need to prepare life statements now - to end it with dignity and grace. Oh my God, this shit sucks. I will make sure this never happens to me. Take that last sentence and use it at my funeral in an upbeat, fun, and gracious manner because I sincerely mean it.

I have to go now.

 
...thanks for the report...stark as it is...it is reality for many people.

I don't want to become "them" either. I want to be petey when I grow up...still healthy and burning the tires off my FJR...

 
Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

My father's eyesight also went downhill......in his case due to macular degeneration. During that time I picked up a few items from a company that specializes in low-vision aids. I got their address off of an item that was supplied thru the VA.

Here's their website: https://www.lssproducts.com

Enjoy your visit and be safe riding home!

Dave

 
Mi Hermano Donaldo, I know this is a bittersweet journey for you My Friend. Sweet because you are on two wheels and yet bitter to see your parents in their current condition; not the image in your mind's eye of a child, teenager and young adult. My Mom, Veda Stanley, will be 90 on January 19, 2011; she was in great shape until just less than five years ago when she suffered a very bad fall.

My Sisters Marsha and Mary, God Bless My Wonderful Sisters, live within a mile of Mom and have been True Angels in looking after Mom. She now has a full time live-in that resides in the room behind the garage and this Lady does a great job of caring for Mom. That room once housed myself as a teenager and became my Grand Dad Raymond Skinner's room when he moved in, after I joined the US Army in 1968. Just keep thinking of the good times with your parents and your spirits will soar. My Mom Veda was a Motorcyclist, she rode an Indian Pony; a 30.5. A smaller version of the Scout 45.

When I am on my monthly visit to Mom in Orange, California I am so saddened when sometimes she barely recognizes Seth and I. I then think back to the Fifties and can see her riding up on her red Indian V-Twin Pony. What always sticks in my memory is that this bike was a tank shifter. Mom has never ridden a hand clutch with a foot shift: I still have never mastered a tank shifter in my life!

 
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Don, part of it is the mind set of the folks there. Look at folks that were whining and look at your Dad. And he is the one that’s blind. You come from good stock my friend!

My stepmother was also loosing her slight. We moved my folks into an assisted living setup so she could get familiar before her sight was gone. My dad lived there 3 years after Ruth passed away. He just refused to let the place bother him.

Maybe we are both from good stock.

 
Maybe we are both from good stock.
Hell, you guys might be brothers.

Ya look like freakin' twins.

That sorta "I'm right here, but my mind is down the street and around the corner" vibe.

Don, it's been a pleasure following you on this "journey".

I'd plot a way to intercept you somewhere, but I don't wanna get wet or anything.

(I've seen what frequent exposure to rain has done to our PNW forum brethren. :blink: )

Ride safe, mi amigo, and I'm sure I speak for many (who are working this week,

instead of riding) when I say .....

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

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Wow - powerful stuff there DC. I read your post at work, then read it again and again. Had to wait until I got home to post a reply. What a bittersweet journey you're on. There's the joy of a bike ride, the pleasure of seeing your parents but then the sadness of seeing your parents-in-a-nursing-home. There's also that peek into a possible future for yourself, or any one of us.

During nursing school, I was assigned to spend some time caring for residents of a nursing home. Talk about depressing! You're right, that the place stinks. Urine if you're lucky. There's worse!! The staff are so overwhelmed that the incontinent residents can't be kept clean then the odor seems to leech into the very fabric of the place. Rows and rows of non-seeing eyes, lined up in high seat chairs in front of a blaring television. Unstimulated minds just fading away, from the lack of use, the aging process or illness.

The good news is that the loved ones living in such places are warm, dry, safe and fed. But what a sad life it is, One hopes that dementia prevents most of them knowing how bad it is.

After Andy's accident, the medical staff wanted him to spend some time in a nursing home when he was too well for an acute care bed but not strong enough for a rehab bed. I fought for him to come home instead, where our son and I would take care of him. Thankfully, the case manager pulled the right strings for him to go to rehab straight away.

I'm sure your parents have treasured your visit, especially when they realize what an epic journey it is for the Prez of the CBA. Hopefully, the ride home will give you the opportunity to get your head around this and make some sense of it.

Ironically, as I was reading your post I was thinking about TWN. Maybe he knew that this wasn't the way he wanted to spend the rest of his life?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It probably wasn't easy to put fingers to keyboard on such a subject.

 
Don, enjoyed the report pictures of your trip. I have been driving I-5 from Salem to Palm Desert and back for the last 15 years, so most of your pictures were very familiar to me. Hope you enjoy your time here away from the Assisted living establishment. I played a round of golf today at Illahe Hills and didn't get wet. I did put my cover on the bike just in case though.

I wish we could have stayed in California until June, but I have a 91 year old mother-in-law who misses us a lot and I want my wife to spend as much time with here while she can. I have lost both of my folks and wish I had spent more time with them.

Hope you have a nice sunny trip home.

 
It's a rough thing gettin old! My pop spent nearly 5 years in an alztimers place in Vegas. What crazy things I saw with that lot! Still it was the best care for him (private room, good staff & he had a few girlfriends & even had sex in his room) I never want to wind up there, but either did he, such is life it can throw ya some hard balls! Well the IMPORTANT thing is ya went to see them!

 
Wow - powerful stuff there DC. I read your post at work, then read it again and again. Had to wait until I got home to post a reply. What a bittersweet journey you're on. There's the joy of a bike ride, the pleasure of seeing your parents but then the sadness of seeing your parents-in-a-nursing-home. There's also that peek into a possible future for yourself, or any one of us.
During nursing school, I was assigned to spend some time caring for residents of a nursing home. Talk about depressing! You're right, that the place stinks. Urine if you're lucky. There's worse!! The staff are so overwhelmed that the incontinent residents can't be kept clean then the odor seems to leech into the very fabric of the place. Rows and rows of non-seeing eyes, lined up in high seat chairs in front of a blaring television. Unstimulated minds just fading away, from the lack of use, the aging process or illness.

The good news is that the loved ones living in such places are warm, dry, safe and fed. But what a sad life it is, One hopes that dementia prevents most of them knowing how bad it is.

After Andy's accident, the medical staff wanted him to spend some time in a nursing home when he was too well for an acute care bed but not strong enough for a rehab bed. I fought for him to come home instead, where our son and I would take care of him. Thankfully, the case manager pulled the right strings for him to go to rehab straight away.

I'm sure your parents have treasured your visit, especially when they realize what an epic journey it is for the Prez of the CBA. Hopefully, the ride home will give you the opportunity to get your head around this and make some sense of it.

Ironically, as I was reading your post I was thinking about TWN. Maybe he knew that this wasn't the way he wanted to spend the rest of his life?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It probably wasn't easy to put fingers to keyboard on such a subject.
I wish I could express my feelings a tenth as well as you SP...

Hard to do with one finger tho.... :(

Thanks...

 
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