Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Leg 6 - The Slab Ride

Labor Day morning found me waking up at 0630 MDT for a projected 0715 departure. Greeting Ed on this fine morning, he broke the news to me that he was not going to be able to ride to Walla Walla with me. So I packed up and headed on out on I-84 with a first stop projected to be Baker City for breakfast along with refueling the bike. Of course, rolling along the interstate at 75mph is a bit boring, so it brought out the obligatory shadow shot.

Breakfast. Yes, yummy and it's my favorite while on the road.



Finishing breakfast, I head on west on I-84 to the top of Emigrant Springs (google that for history of the Oregon Trail) and take the last exit before heading down the grade as I want to ride the old road which is much more twisty and interesting. Here are some of the first views.




It's a wide open prairie out there.

Heading down the grade I stop for a few more photos.




A photogenic gravel pit along the old highway.


At the bottom of the hill 2 ST1100's and their riders are headed up the hill on what will prove to be a fun run for them. I then come into the little Indian Community and there is a large stack of grain awaiting transport. These piles are pretty common in the farming areas of this part of the Pacific NW.



Just down the street, a family has this antique horse drawn manure spreader in their front yard. It's quite picturesque.



Following the secondary roads I roll into Milto-Freewater which was my Dad's birthplace. Of course, they have a photogenic city hall which I photograph. And "Frogs" seem to be a symbol of the town and I find a few.






It was then a short ride to the final cafe where I set up my tripod and camera with its self-timer for one final cafe shot.


I refueled and headed for US12 and rode it west near a windfarm.



It was approaching (actually past lunch time), so I vectored myself to Davy's Burger Ranch in Prosser where I wasn't disappointed.


Then the bike got refueled once again and I headed for Chinook Pass as I figured that Snoqualmie would be packed with Labor Day weekend traffic. It was a terrific ride up and over the pass with a little threat of rain so I donned my frog toggs and rode over the pass and took a picture at a sign post at the end of the park on the Mather Memorial Parkway.




I arrived home at 6:40pm on Labor Day having completed 1815 safe miles.



15 Cafe's tagged. And a whole bunch of riding fun doing it.

I found it very interesting that each of the segments took on a different theme. I trust you've enjoyed the read and pictures.

Leg 5 - The Adventure Ride

It felt good to get a good night's rest in McCall. Looking at my fuel guage I computed that I have have enough to make it to Stanley with a little margin, so I didn't refuel on this cold morning (about 46 degrees). Riding south on ID55, I came to Cascade and turned left (east) on the Warm Lake road which I had never ridden. This road leads through the farmlands and then up this very twisty pass. and then another, and another (it didn't have a sign) Below are a few pictures of the twistiness. There was virtually no traffic, and this was so enjoyable.











After the last pass, I was suddenly presented with a pavement ends sign. I wasn't expecting this after the report I received yesterday from the fellow in the restaurant in Joseph. The gravel road ahead looked good, and I decided to go for it. It would turn out to be a great adventure with lots of good photos that I would have missed without becoming adventuresome on a Wing.

Here's photos just after starting the gravel. It's a view both from front and back.



As I rode down this forest service road 579, I saw the only live deer that I saw in the entire ride. It was a large doe that I first thought was an elk, but before I could get the camera out, she was gone. Several dual sport bike riders approached from the other direction and they must have been stunned to see a Wing on this road. I'm not about to miss the adventure.

One of the things that I like about riding in Idaho that makes it unique is that periodically mountain meadows open up with terrific views. Here's one of the first.



No road on this GPS. Fortunately, my other one had one.


Another meadow


Of course, I had to stop to take this picture.


And then I came across this very pretty river that was very clear. Finally my duck would have some company.




There was yet another river crossing.



Finally a sign. Is it a good sign that Stanley is 37 miles further? Is there 37 more miles of gravel?



And then there was yet another big open meadow. And I mean big.





And it was another pass. And why is this sign needed in the middle of nowhere?



There's lots of fire damage out here in the middle of nowhere.



then just before reaching the end of the gravel, I came across this very photogenic rock slide area.






I then reached the end of the gravel road and looked back. Yup, the road was open and I did a grin inside my helmet as I knew it was open: I had ridden it.



How long was this section? For me it was long, but it wasn't difficult gravel riding. It was a bit washboardy in places. So much so that I lost my right chrome caliper cover and never noticed missing until I reached Mountain Home. Here's a map of the route and the gravel ranged from near Warm Lake all the way to the right to where the road tees into the paved road to Stanley which is about 22 miles from that intersection. So the section turns out to be some 45 or so miles which is the longest gravel section I've ridden on the Wing.

But that makes it an adventure.

Reaching Stanley, I refueled at the same station I used when I came through in 2005 on my way back from Nebraska and another motorcycle rally. I could see the Sawtooth mountains but it wasn't until a bit further ahead that I got a good panorama photo of the mountain range.



Here's a panorama that I stitched together.


Here's a shot looking back from the road up to the Galena summit (8701 feet).


Yes, that's the road stretching out there in the distance.

Arriving in Ketchum, I find the cafe and get the photo tag thanks to a local person who was parked near me.


Since the restaurant was closed, I walked around to find some lunch. While walking around, I found some nice bronze sculptures. The larger one I dedicated to my friend, Tom, who gained the nickname "Tomoose" while on our ride to Alaska and back earlier this summer.




Not finding a cafe to dine at on this Labor Day Weekend Sunday, I scored lunch at the deli in the local grocery store. So, here was lunch which I ate outside in the local park.


Leaving Ketchum heading south on ID75, I passed through Sun Valley and took a shot of the transportation method of the rich and famous.


From ID75, I headed west on US20 for Mountain Home and a chance to visit our friends, Ed & Linnie who we were acquainted with through our Gold Wing group when they lived in Seattle. At the Castle Rock summit, I stopped for a few pictures. The bees were active in the local flora.




Arriving at my friends' home (no trivial feat because their street is not on the current maps in my GPS) and after 300 miles of riding including quite the adventure, we were greeted by their little chihuahua, Chica. She's a cutie, I think you'll agree.


Ed & I then headed out for a little dinner some 20 miles away at the Boise Stage Stop which is a major truck stop with a good little diner.


I thought about continuing on so as to cut the mileage I needed to complete on Monday to get the last cafe tag, but decided it was better to spend the evening with Ed & Linnie and Chica and get a fresh start in the morning. So I enjoyed a pleasant evening with them and catching up on my blog and and other email.

The ride the next day would take up a totally different character than the preceding 5 legs of doing this event. Stay tuned.