Scot with his GS...
And I with my R....
I ready my bike for a 500 mile day ahead, along with my passenger a WWI Flying Ace. I had been to an investment seminar at work a few days before this trip. Darren, our representative tossed this little Met-Life Snoopy to me...a door prize for showing up. Somehow this li'l fella just seemed to fit the mood of our trip east.
We left our Oregon home August 30 for a ride East to Milwaulkie Wisconsin...I am really not one of those goofy people who likes tying teddy bears to their bike but this Snoopy found his way onto my baggage and he was just sort of funny riding around back there...his little red scarf blowing in the wind.
We left our home in the evening so our pictures for this ride begin the 2nd morning in The Dalles, Oregon. Scot poses with his GS which I have dubbed "The Yellow Titanic"
This Barn in Idaho caught my eye as interesting. Little did I know that I was in for a trip of many many more barns beore I would return to the west.
This is to date some of the best riding I have ever done. The Clearwater River runs for over 100 miles along the route to Lolo Pass near the Montana/Idaho border. Several bikes were along this route. Fantastic sweepers and geogeous views. Even a moose although I did not stop for a picture.
My sweet 'R' turns over 30,000 miles....photo shows what was in front of me as I pulled over to photo this event. When I got my bike Jan 2006 she had 4000 on her. This is Hwy 90 in Montana...somewhere.
South Dakota. Snoopy looks out over some vast Badlands. Then later on down the road I pulled off to look around. Hot weather. Vented gear and frequent water dousing helped but Camera stops were kept minimal because it felt better to keep moving.
Continued Hot Days!!!. South Dakota boasts about its lovely Black Hills....Maybe it was the heat but I was pretty blah-zay about the hills. The Monument is impressive but in the 100 degree heat it too left me ready to move on.
Sturgis. We went, we saw, we left. We had to go see what the hub-bub is about. Not much to write home about. Snoopy urged me to move on.
Moving again, South Dakota offers it's own charms. I Love the Giant Hay Bales that are everywhere. Sunflower fields as far as the eye can see. The land is so open and gently rolling that the sky becomes everything! This storm cloud was fantastic to watch form. I am really happy that I took some pictures of it... quiet , friendly towns with that undeniable 'Heartland' feeling.
Minnesota....They have the NICEST COPS.
How fast????...oh never mind!
And evidently Minnesota has some Amish.
Our farthest Point east. Milwaulkie Wisconsin to see a RUSH concert.
We did not take a camera as our tickets expressed clearly that we not bring one to the show. So I have only memories of walking along Lake Michigan.
McCook Nebraska. Yes I realize some of my trip is missing. After we left Milwaulkie I got interested in a book on audio (ipod) and I took no pictures of the remainder of Wisconsin and Iowa....Close your eyes and picture flat grassland, barns and occasional stand of brushy trees. There...you have it....The audio book was much more interesting.
We ate a quick bike seat lunch at McCook, where they had the friendliest people. I have grown to really like these bike bistro lunches. A sandwich, a bag of jerky, some sport-drink and a candy bar and I am good to go.
Scot finds this quick stopping easier than securing all the gadgets he has added to the 'YT'.
More of Nebraska...
Colorado. Sweet Colorado! After much heat and flat-ness we reached some great roads, cooler weather and gorgeous scenery. Blue Mesa Reservoir just south west of the Denver area.
Colorado Mining Country near Leadville.
Fantastic Riding through 'the million dollar highway' from Ouray to Silverton to Ridgeway...on to Durango. Great elevation summits and sweeping corners kept us smiling for hours. I was in love with this route. I strongly recomend it.
Utah...Snoop takes in some Geology.
More of Utah. A most fascinating moto touring destination. I love Utah on the bike...every square inch of the state has something to awe-inspire. When i was here last year I saw more of the state.
How many three's? My bike rolls them like a slot machine.
Some great sunsets and open roads are rewards of any trip. Never am I more a part of them as when I ride them.
Route 50 in Nevada It is called the loneliest road in america...this is a long route with great visability. Nice long straight draws accross open valley floors followed by nice summits with awesome sweeping corners.
I absolutely loved this route. I was not lonely at all.
I can imagine that someone on a fast motorbike, with this kind of open visability might exceed 100 mph fairly regularly on this road.
Reno! It was really cold here. Wind blowing and down to the low 50's. You can't tell in the pictures...but we were freezing our a$$es off.
Closer to home now we cross the Oregon border near Lake Abert. Our final destination of the night is near the Steens Mountain area to meet some moto friends for dinner and to share thier yurt.
What are friends for if not to take embarassing pictures?
We call this one 'Ms Moto September'. We laughed a lot over this one.
I am sure there will be more laughs to come. Riding buddies are the BEST!
End of the road. Pulling in the drive I just wanted to keep going...'Let's just fuel up, wash the clothes and take a little toot up to Canada!'
I urged ...wishful thinking!
Our trip was 5577 miles...we cleared the max speed cuz...well, cuz...uhmmm...cuz we did!
